Twiggy is watching you. Deaf ferrets talking
May 7, 2017 11:57:27 GMT -5
Heather, raynebc, and 1 more like this
Post by storm on May 7, 2017 11:57:27 GMT -5
I was laying the bed playing a game on my phone but twiggy decided I needed to take her for a walk instead. I've noticed that my two deaf ferrets, Twiggy and Nibbles tend to speed bump and stare at you either when they want something or to pout when you won't give it to them. They do this far more than my two hearing ferrets. Basically, my two hearing ferrets, Snowball and Little Bear speed bump also but Twiggy and Nibbles namely use this behavior to communicate. They usually get what they want but sometimes you can't. Such as Nibbles when she wants more treats than she needs. she'll not only speed bump she'll follow you from room to room and plop down to speed bump again whenever you stop. 
One thing that I find interesting about this though is that the two who have no understanding of sound prominently communicate visually even though my hearing ferrets do not really communicate with sound either other than an occasional hiss. or in short, my two deaf ferrets seem better at communicating with humans than the two that can hear. Such as while Little Bear and Snowball also stare when they want something but Nibbles and Twiggy tend to better display how they feel. Twiggy especially, since she can use facial expressions, namely her "dirty look" when she isn't happy about something. I'll try to get a picture of it. Though it's hard to say if she is making this expression for our benefit or she just happens to make this expression when she is unhappy.
Another thing that they have proven (at least for me anyways) that they understand that you have to see them in order to understand what their communicating. Such as if we are looking at them or had been looking at them they continue to stare. if not they will prod you with their nose, (or in the case of Nibbles she will mostly nip toes or dig at your foot)
Anyways, I just found it interesting my my deaf ferrets seem to "talk" to me more than my two hearing ones.
One thing that I find interesting about this though is that the two who have no understanding of sound prominently communicate visually even though my hearing ferrets do not really communicate with sound either other than an occasional hiss. or in short, my two deaf ferrets seem better at communicating with humans than the two that can hear. Such as while Little Bear and Snowball also stare when they want something but Nibbles and Twiggy tend to better display how they feel. Twiggy especially, since she can use facial expressions, namely her "dirty look" when she isn't happy about something. I'll try to get a picture of it. Though it's hard to say if she is making this expression for our benefit or she just happens to make this expression when she is unhappy.
Another thing that they have proven (at least for me anyways) that they understand that you have to see them in order to understand what their communicating. Such as if we are looking at them or had been looking at them they continue to stare. if not they will prod you with their nose, (or in the case of Nibbles she will mostly nip toes or dig at your foot)
Anyways, I just found it interesting my my deaf ferrets seem to "talk" to me more than my two hearing ones.
Twiggy often acts differently from the others and I'm certain that she is a waardy (Nibbles too). At least it's very common with their coat pattern and warrdenburg causes deafness which they both have. Sometimes I wonder if Nibbles learned human visual communication on her own or Twiggy helped teach it to her. 