Dandy and Dr. Gel questions

[Deleted]

Helly everybody! So I had two questions about my little ferts.  
So I've had Dr. Gel, aka Jelly Bean, aka the Doctor, for a couple of days now. He's a striped white 3 1/2 months old. I've been working with him for the past couple days because he hasn't responded to noises the way the other ferrets do. Squeaker Toys the others come running for a mile away to find and he's just running around the room. I've tried rattles, jingling coins, clicking, whistling and clapping. Not once has he ever turned around or ever tried to find the source of the sound.

The second I add vibrations or any sort of visual I then have 100% of his attention...well for at least a little while.

I've noticed as well he is EXTREMELY vocal. When something is "his" he sounds like a dying animal. He also dooks absurdly loud and like someone is squeaking a toy to the verge of breaking it; its honestly adorable.

Other things I've noticed about him is he is really stubby. He has shorter legs and a shorter tail.

So far though he has been probably the most well behaved and the easiest to train. Took to meat instantly and I have yet to have a problem with litter box training.

So am I right to assume this? or should I try to work some other things with him?



On to the next topic. I have another ferret Dandy (5 1/2 months) who I've started to become more concerned with. He is completely 100% normal in every way, but.... his butt never seems to follow where he wants to go. he has trouble with ramps and a lot of time falls off them. He also has issues getting into the hammocks. He wants in there so bad and tries but his butt just falls and he can't pull himself up. I thought for a while there might be something wrong with his legs, but when he plays, he is very energetic jumping all over the place for hours, especially when he jumps onto the bed. He's got a great vertical leap to have bad legs. Is this anything I should be concerned with? Or is he just still kind of growing into his body?

[Sherry]

Your marked DEW is deaf, and a waardie from the sounds of it Just means he is "special". He will be harder to train for most things, ie potty box
I would be concerned about your other one. Might be time to have some xrays done to rule out any underlying issues. He may just be clumsy, but without actually seeing what is happening it is impossible to say.

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2015 10:08:08 GMT -5 Sherry said:

Your marked DEW is deaf, and a waardie from the sounds of it Just means he is "special". He will be harder to train for most things, ie potty box
I would be concerned about your other one. Might be time to have some xrays done to rule out any underlying issues. He may just be clumsy, but without actually seeing what is happening it is impossible to say.

Aww Sweet little thing. I was starting to believe he was, many of the syptoms were leading up to it and he only wakes up if I touch him and he like jumps up and runs around like crazyyyy for a minute or so. 

Dandy just always seemed clumsy to me, but I'll definitely be taking him to get checked out when I make Gels appointment. I'm taking my other one(Honey) to the vets on Saturday, so I will schedule a visit for the two of them. I just hope he's alright. Besides his clumsiness I see nothing else wrong with him, but better to be safe then sorry.  

[FireAngel]

It is definitely better safe then sorry and of course Sherry is right, there could be larger problems with him but it could be he while otherwise normal has a bit of waardy in him also. They tend to be clumsy with awkward balance and ramps and jumping can be hard for them. I have striped white also, that is my Belle (She seems to have lost her stripe down her back and only has a silver tail now though) and she is deaf and clumsy as heck but plays hard with the others until they jump in the tub, she does not follow them there. She is also a big ball of softness and while not fat is definitely squishy. I'll be hoping that is all it is for you!

[Deleted]

My little blaze can not climb a couch nor a bed because of her short legs. When she wanted on the couch,I put up there,and then when she jumped off, she was a little wobbly on legs when walking. She is ok. But I will not be putting her on the couch again.

Evidently, they do not have the spring like a regular ferret, and jumping off things could hurt them.

[unclejoe]

I guess our blazes were just never interested in climbing. Not that there's anything wrong with that, lol. In fact, we've only had maybe 5-6 out of 25 that were good at it, and 3 of em are here now.

[Deleted]

So far all of mine have been great climbers. Great jumpers as well. they always look for the sheet pile i set up for them to jump into. I just hope my Dandy man is okay. He's been great all day today, but him and the bloody ramps. He looks at them, starts to walk down just fine then a back leg steps off and he falls. He's great at getting up, he's just not so hot at getting down. He's just ever so slightly "derpier" than the rest of the business.