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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2012 20:27:20 GMT -5
When you hear the term "scruff and stuff", some people think only of the act of scruffing a ferret, waiting until they yawn, then stuffing food in their mouth, thus forcing them to taste it, or sometimes even forcing them to chew or swallow some of it. However, a while back, I was talking to Katt about how sometimes with my ferrets, I could simply lightly pinch their scruff, and they would react by taking whatever food item I was offering them. Katt asked me to demonstrate this reaction with a video, but I forgot. I just remembered today, so here it is: It's kind of cool right? All 3 of my ferrets do this, even when I offer them something they are not used to eating. I often do this to make them try a treat that I know they will like, when they are not familiar with the smell so they are not willing to try it on their own. By pinching their scruff I can get them to at least taste it, then they find out they like it
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2012 20:37:54 GMT -5
The former is exactly what I think of when I hear/say "scruff and stuff." But what a neat (and helpful) reflex your guys have!
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Post by Heather on Apr 11, 2012 20:45:59 GMT -5
Thanks Mikey....well done ciao
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2012 21:34:03 GMT -5
neato! I'm excited to give this a try thanks
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2012 21:48:49 GMT -5
I don't know how well this would work if it's a food they think seems really yucky, but it usually works for me if it's just something they aren't really sure about, or when they're not sure if it's food
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2012 22:57:33 GMT -5
I scruff my kids and then hold whatever food it may be right up to their lips under their nose, this usually triggers licking and then either a)eating or b)violent ptooeying!! But it does usually elicit some sort of response without waiting for a yawn. (I always though that was kinda mean; if someone tried shoving something in my mouth while I was yawning I'd feel like punching them in the face!!)
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Post by Sherry on Apr 12, 2012 1:06:17 GMT -5
(I always though that was kinda mean; if someone tried shoving something in my mouth while I was yawning I'd feel like punching them in the face!!) Sometimes this is the only way particularly stubborn ferrets will even think about tasting new foods Particularly if YOU know it's good for them, but they think it's "broccoli" ;D
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2012 1:17:52 GMT -5
By the way... I know the bedding looks dirty but I just did the ferret laundry 3 days ago! The compressed wood pellets I use track quite a lot. That, and Finn actually tends to track more out of his litterbox than my other ferrets. Don't know why, if it's just because he's bigger, or because he drags his belly more, or what And the spot, is where Finn was nomming some juicy meat. It's not a poop spot ;D They had liver a couple days ago, and today they have beef heart chunks, so messy! ;D
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Post by Sherry on Apr 12, 2012 1:19:16 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2012 1:22:42 GMT -5
You are trying to explain "messy" to ferret owners??? I just don't want anyone to think Finn isn't totally spoiled and pampered ;D
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2012 9:54:52 GMT -5
I just don't want anyone to think Finn isn't totally spoiled and pampered ;D ...that was totally what I was thinking.....
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2012 13:44:25 GMT -5
Feeding ferrets=neat and clean area. NOT!!! I don't care who you are. Ferrets always win this one.
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Post by Heather on Apr 12, 2012 15:44:15 GMT -5
Mikey the oils on Finn's coat will attract that stuff so he's going to track more of it around. ciao
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2012 16:26:01 GMT -5
Mikey the oils on Finn's coat will attract that stuff so he's going to track more of it around. ciao Well he IS a greasy hob. Good thing he's so cute or he'd be ferret soup by now! JK...
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Post by katt on Apr 12, 2012 16:53:10 GMT -5
The former is exactly what I think of when I hear/say "scruff and stuff." But what a neat (and helpful) reflex your guys have! This "reflex" (not sure what else to call it, reflex seems appropriate lol) is a natural reaction in ferrets. It's often how momma ferret gets babies to eat new foods. It doesn't work on all ferrets with all new foods (particularly if they really think it's poison ) but it should work more often than you may think. Try it sometime with a food your fuzz recognizes as food but isn't interested in at the moment (ie they'd rather play lol). It works very well IME with foods that they haven't had in a while and have temporarily "forgotten" it's food and with new foods that are similar to foods they have already had. For example I did this the first time I fed Koda pheasant and quail (similar to turkey, chicken, and duck). I offered him some and he wasn't interested. I scruffed him just like Mikey did and he tasted it, then suddenly he was hungry! I also use it to get them to pick up mice thy just killed so THEY carry the mouse back to the cage (while I carry them) so that I dot have to touch the mouse. Works like a charm! Thanks for posting this Mikey! I've stickied it but I'm on my phone so I'll have to move it to the other scruff n stuff examples later when I can get on the computer.
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