Is your ferret deaf? This is perhaps the most common question in ferret forums when people notice their pet being strangely unresponsive or less responsive than his siblings or cousins. Believe it or not, it may be more common than you think. So if you are finding yourself in a similar situation, here is a simple test you can do to determine if your ferret is deaf.
First, find a quiet room with no distractions or other moving things in it. Place your ferret somewhere where he cannot see you, and make a noise with coins or some toy he plays with. If he doesn’t look at you or jump in response, try to use something that vibrates, such as your cell phone, near him, again not in his direct view. If he responds to the vibration, it seems likely that the noise does not affect him whatsoever, and so your pet is probably deaf.
Do this test multiple times without him noticing you and see how he acts on a sudden loud noise.
Why Are Some Ferrets Deaf?
The deafness is usually among white ferrets – also known as ‘Albino Ferrets’. You can read more about Albino Ferrets here. They have unusually small hearing mechanisms compared to other ferret types. However, this doesn’t mean other ferrets can’t be deaf. Deafness in domestic ferrets is common.
It has been estimated that more than 75 percent of ferrets with blaze and panda coloration are deaf. The blaze and panda colorations are basically among nine basic ferret patterns.
It is easy to recognize them. For instance, ferrets with blaze colorations have any coat color except white. Their eyes also have varying shades of ruby to brown. If it is hard to notice these indicators, look at their nose only. The nose of a blaze ferret is pink with a light outline.
On the other hand, ferrets with panda coloration have an almost completely white head. Just like the blaze ferrets, their noses are also pink with a white outline. You also notice a white tip on their tail.
There are some other basic patterns too, such as Mitt, Mutt, Point, Roan, Solid, Standard, and Striped, but Blaze and Panda patterns and colorations are mostly affected with deafness.
And, this deafness is due to ‘Waardenburg Syndrome’.
Waardenburg Syndrome
This is a genetically inherited disease in ferrets.
This disease is known to cause defects of the neural crest pathways. In other words, you can say it runs on an autism spectrum. When it is present in a ferret, it doesn’t develop properly like other ferrets. He becomes either partially or 100% deaf.
The Waardenburg Syndrome has many indicators.
For example, let’s start with the physical characteristics.
A ferret with this syndrome has an excess of white hair on its head; you also observe a white stripe, which is known as a blaze pattern. Apart from this, they have shorter legs and shorter tails.
This neural crest disorder also causes behavioral differences in the ferrets. You notice cognitive deficits, lack of appropriate social skills, and loneliness in them.
How To Care For A Deaf Ferret
In reality, a deaf ferret doesn’t require much different care than his normal cousins.
If he can’t hear, it doesn’t mean he is vulnerable. Deaf ferrets indeed start using their other senses more exceptionally than normal ferrets. For example, they use their smell and taste to explore their world. The only issue is if a huge clap of thunder rattles your home and makes you and your other pets jump with fear, your deaf ferret will remain calm and keep on snoozing in his hammock. His underdeveloped inner hearing mechanism won’t let the loud noise bully him.
When it comes to the care of a deaf ferret, the first thing you do is to start with its responsiveness.
The responsiveness in your pet lets you comprehend the level of deafness in him.
For instance, if he responds to a very high voice or any sounds made close to his ear, it shows he is not completely deaf. You can use higher pitch sounds like bells to get his attention.
But if he doesn’t respond at all, you are dealing with a fully deaf ferret. It may be tough to manage knowing that your ferret will struggle, but here are a few steps you can follow to deal with a fully deaf ferret.
Tips for Handling a Deaf Ferret
- Always try to approach him with great care. This is perhaps the only thing you must remember when it comes to their care. Any unexpected touch can either cause intense fear or make them jump with anxiety. In some extreme cases, they may bite you as well out of fear. Experts recommend approaching your ferret from the front, not from the back, so that he can see you. This will keep him comfortable and trust you more as his owner. If you can avoid startling your pet when he is sleeping, do that as well.
- The second most common issue which most ferret owners face is the bites. How do you stop pet ferrets from biting? Training a normal ferret is easy, as you only need to tap their nose softly and say ‘don’t bite’, and can expect your pet to learn to be more friendly. But this doesn’t work with your deaf pet since he can’t use your voice and tone as a guide, and tapping his nose may just irritate him more because it will seem unprovoked. The only option you have is to wave your hand in front of him if he tries to bite. This can work as a signal for him that he shouldn’t sink his teeth into people’s skin. However, make sure you are using this signal only when he is trying to bite you so that he can start associating this signal with this bad behavior.
- Believe it or not, but deaf ferrets make a lot more noises than the normal ones. I don’t know from where these notions are coming from in the forums that they are quiet and shy. In reality, more than 90% of ferrets are not quiet. They are very noisy in general. They jump a lot and make a lot of noises to make you understand what they want. Mostly, you will hear them being noisiest when they run out of food. So, ensure you are giving them food on time if you don’t want to deal with their noises. This applies to deaf ferrets all the same.
For more information on feeding your pet ferret the right types of food, check out this article.
Conclusion
If you are interested in breeding, remember, breeding a deaf ferret might lead to a genetic ticking time bomb. There is a possibility you will have more deaf ferrets, and this is actually what happening right now. Deaf ferrets seem to be on a rise. In almost every pet store, you can easily recognize them. This doesn’t mean they are not still capable of being happy and loved by people. They are in fact in demand, as people love to care for them more and try to bond and connect with them as much as possible, out of feeling more responsible for making their lives better.
So if your pet ferret is deaf, don’t think that it is the end of the world. You can and should see it as an opportunity to be more loving and caring for another living being.
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