Enrichment for Deafies

[Deleted]

Mr Soxx, as you may know, is a DEW and deafer than a doorknob. Freya and Marley go crazy for jingle bells, squeaker toys, and love to go snorkling for toys in the water bucket or chase balls. Mr Soxx has no interest in any of the above. He lives to eat, sleep, and sometimes tussle with Marley and/or Freya (looks at me like I'm crazy if I try to play with him). No interest in balls, tug-o-war ropes, or anything like that. His main interest with the water bucket is to drink out of it.

How can I branch out and find something that might interest him? The two items he has shown interest in are a short, plastic, kind of corrugated tunnel (this one: www.ferretdepot.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=fd&Product_Code=3292&Category_Code=2TunnelsTubes ) and a gift bag filled with tissue paper.

[Deleted]

Some ideas you could try:

Dig box filled with packing peanuts (the kind made of plant starch, not styrofoam) You could also make a dig box full of shredded paper or wadded up newspaper

The blanket game on the bed (bounce him up and down on the blanket) (my deafie Fenton loves this)

Feather cat teaser toys, tickle him and try to get him to chase it

Laser pointer chase (my deafie Fenton loves this)

Vacuum cleaner / shop vac set to blow air, and blow air all over him (my deafie Fenton loves this)

Pillowcase wrestle - Put him inside your pillowcase and tickle him through the fabric so he wrestles with and bites your fingers (my deafie Fenton loves this)

Gently toss him onto a pile of pillows or blankets on the bed, to get him riled up - This works every time on Fenton! Usually is enough to get him dooking and war-dancing unless he's in the most sleepy mood...

[Deleted]

I guess they're all different... Baloo, my Deaffie, possible WS, loves anything he sets his eyes on. If it can be played with, or jumped on, or run through, or tackled, or dug in, he'll do it! He does have favorite toys (teaser toys are a favorite because he can't stash them, and tunnels...), but he's not difficult at all.... he loves having fun... but that may be only because he's only 5 months old...

He also loves vacuums, and snorkeling, and paying with us.... everything.... he's not difficult.... lol! I'll keep an eye on this thread, just for more ideas for me too...

Good luck!

[Deleted]

Sox sounds alot like my 5 year old dew Didds. He does play but only has interest in our feet and the occasional other fuzzy. For the most part we play with him and the two others play together. All of the above mentioned work fairly well with him as well.

We like to flip him over on a blanket and shake it on the ground to get him riled up them stick our feet in his face and act like my foot is going to get his scruff. Then he chases us around crazy weasel style

[Sherry]

Towel drags are also a favourite here, for deaf and hearing ferrets ;D It becomes sort of a mobile wrestling mat!

[Deleted]

Thanks guys!
I've tried the vaccuum blowing air (actually a hair dryer set to a cooler temp), he has no interest (the other two LOVE it though ;D), teaser toys (looks at them like... WTF am I supposed to do with THAT... whereas the other two love them hah)...Towel drags don't seem to be a fave with any of mine, maybe I am doing it wrong

He did actually tussle with me yesterday for the first time since I got him (OCTOBER!) Of course he doesn't know not to bite me...how on earth do you discipline a deafie? The other two I can say their name loudly and it usually stops them. Clearly this doesn't work with Soxx though

I will have to try the laser pointer though and I plan on setting up a dig box for them soon. I don't have access to packing peanuts made out of plant starch (where on earth do you find those? ) but am going to find some NON instant rice for them.

I dont dare put my feet anywhere near him...his name is Soxx for a reason

He is also an older man...guesstimating somewhere around 7. So I s'pose he's excused for just wanting to sleep, sleep, sleep -- although he seems to be getting more energetic now with his raw diet! I caught him climbing on top of one of their sleeping enclosures...a new adventure for my old man, who doesn't climb/jump as well as my other two. He stopped at the top (it's not very high) and looked at me like...MOM! Aren't you PROUD?!

for all your suggestions

[Sherry]

To discipline my deafies I hold them up to eye level, give a "scowly face", and shake my head "no". I then say "no". They've actually started associating the face with "no". If they actually bite it's a time out. They know they aren't supposed to bite so discipline is the same as for a hearing ferret.

[Deleted]

Ok. Thanks Sherry I have just been yelling and scowling at him...I figure the look on my face communicates the meaning well enough!

[Heather]

One of the problems with adopting a deafie (any older ferret for that matter) is that it could be that he's never played with anyone...ever, especially his hoomans. So you have to teach him. When playing hand games most deafies bite...they've no bite inhibition...they can't hear you or their friends scream. Do what ferrets do when a deafy bites too hard. Stop play and walk away. Most deafies really want you to continue to play with them so they usually figure it out fairly quickly. Fun-Go never did (he's not stupid, just have never been able to get him to not taste you and draw blood) and his friends still walk away from him when he gets too rough. I've seen him more than a few times left entirely on his own in the middle of the room when all of his friends get tired of him biting too hard. He usually looks so unhappy and forlorn but it's the only way to get him to settle down. He got into a horrible fight the other day with Boris because Fun-Go forgot not to bite his friends and Boris had enough. There was lots of screaming (both ferrets are deaf), bottle-brush tails and Fun-Go is sporting a horrible looking blood blister on his nose but everyone has made up and is sleeping together again now.
ciao

[Deleted]

Very true Heather...he was kept as an only ferret for years (apparently in a small cage in a garage, from what I learned from his previous owner, who "rescued" him from the garage) and even at his last home where he met Marley he never had "real playtime" with a human, they were kept in their cage (fortunately a double-story FN) almost all day and when they WERE let out they just had full run of the house (AMAZING they never got into serious trouble!!) with little human interaction -- he mostly slept. He seems to do OK with not biting Mar or Freya too hard though -- rarely do they walk away in the middle of playtime, so hopefully there is some hope for him playing with me!

Thanks for all your advice and comments guys!

[Heather]

You have to remember their skin is a lot tougher than yours. What doesn't hurt a ferret will break skin and make us bleed. Gives you an idea as to just how bad a ferret bite is when another ferret screams and gets angry or if it leaves a huge gash in the other ferret
ciao

[Deleted]

Thanks Heather! Great point. Fortunately he's never banged up the others that much -- and he's only ever bitten me once (maybe twice). I suppose that's a benefit of him not knowing how to play with me...I don't get bitten!

[Sherry]

Why not try tickling him through a heavy towel?

[Heather]

I use litter bags to play with Minion. I dump him in the bag or he runs into the bag and then I rough him up. He loves it
ciao

[Deleted]

Great thoughts guys I will have to try it!

I got thinking about his love of textures (tissue paper bag, plastic corrugated tubing) and I think I am going to try different dig boxes too (been reading through some other threads too ) -- macaroni, beans, rice. I know he's not fond of snow...at all! Gonna have to wait 'til snow goes away to try dirt or leaves