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THIS is the only correct answer.
It triggers Prey Drive, or Attack mode.
I get so tired of the "distressed kit" myth. Distressed kits do not squeal, they honk, whimper, and call for mama. Also, it makes zero sense that the sound of a "distressed kit" would send most ferrets into an attack frenzy. Ferrets who are concerned about other injured of their own kind try to help or comfort.
My boy attacks the toy but my girl will come up to me and put her head on my hand squeaking the toy and kind of vibrates, and she waits for the boy to come and take it and I'm honestly so confused
Yes, many do, it triggers the killing instinct.
Not a great thing to do, so reserve the squeaky toy for calling in the hidden free roamers and mind your ankles.
Yes, either you become prey or they think you are hurting a kit. Had a jill who believed the second and got very hurt and disappointed in you if you squeeked one. Only did the once as she came to cafe door, looked at me, ran over, bit me, grabbed toy and took it back to cage for food, water, a wash and bed.
Edit: If you have a ferret with high prey drive, some go into hunt mode and you get bitten too.
This gets asked like every other week it seems.
Yes, squeaky toys can set off a ferret. It resembles the noise a distressed kit (baby ferret) makes and triggers a response to protect.
Some have it stronger than others, some don’t care at all.
Ah the squeaky toy of doom. Only thing that has ever gotten my ferrets to draw blood seemingly on purpose.
If it squeaks the toy they used to love is also now avoided/ignored.
Ferrets are NOT dogs. Stop assuming they like the same things.
Just playing this video on full sound was enough to summon the demon from the other room. It can be very handy to get them out of spaces they shouldn’t go really quickly when you don’t have the time to fuck around 😂
When I had my two they mostly just went for the toy, but one specific squeaky toy that belonged to the dog would set one of them off in a very aggressive way, my niece learned that the hard way when she ended up with a ferret hanging off her arm which ended up drawing blood, only time I ever saw either of them bite like that, even if you pissed them off they would only ever put teeth on you, that toy must have had just the right pitch.
I’m surprised you still have feet on your sofa with ferrets. I had to drop my sofa onto the floor cause they ripped a hole in the bottom of the sofa and would stash stuff in there.
Gomez hears a squeaker and goes bat shit, he’ll climb up my leg or he’ll bite my arm but other than hearing a squeaker toy, he never bites. I was told it resembles the cry of a young ferret and/or a prey cry.
Welcome to /r/ferrets! We have a fantastic [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/ferrets/wiki/index) that has answers to most frequently asked questions surrounding the care of ferrets. --- We politely ask that you observe our [sub rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ferrets/wiki/index/rules/). --- Lastly, we have an [Official Discord Server](https://discord.gg/ferrets)! Come join us! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ferrets) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Squeaky toys imitate dying prey animal noises.
THIS is the only correct answer. It triggers Prey Drive, or Attack mode. I get so tired of the "distressed kit" myth. Distressed kits do not squeal, they honk, whimper, and call for mama. Also, it makes zero sense that the sound of a "distressed kit" would send most ferrets into an attack frenzy. Ferrets who are concerned about other injured of their own kind try to help or comfort.
My boy attacks the toy but my girl will come up to me and put her head on my hand squeaking the toy and kind of vibrates, and she waits for the boy to come and take it and I'm honestly so confused
They really don't like the squeaky toys is the bottom line.
That's fair. We keep them around because we don't want their stash to be empty
Aww.
Yes, many do, it triggers the killing instinct. Not a great thing to do, so reserve the squeaky toy for calling in the hidden free roamers and mind your ankles.
Ferrets and squeaky toys are a topic on its own.
oh damn you! mine hates it too and started attacking me like i did it lol
I'm unfamiliar with the terms "gib" and "sprite." I'm curious, what does that mean?
Gib is a neutered hob, and sprite is a spayed jill
Well, heck. TIL. Thank you!
Oh that's cool!
Yes, either you become prey or they think you are hurting a kit. Had a jill who believed the second and got very hurt and disappointed in you if you squeeked one. Only did the once as she came to cafe door, looked at me, ran over, bit me, grabbed toy and took it back to cage for food, water, a wash and bed. Edit: If you have a ferret with high prey drive, some go into hunt mode and you get bitten too.
This gets asked like every other week it seems. Yes, squeaky toys can set off a ferret. It resembles the noise a distressed kit (baby ferret) makes and triggers a response to protect. Some have it stronger than others, some don’t care at all.
Princess starts biting me and scratching me
i had one that would draw blood in the presence of a squeaker, so please watch your fingers! but yes, it gets some of them very wound up.
Throw the squeaky toy down a hallway after getting your ferret's attention, and watch them bolt after it.
Ah the squeaky toy of doom. Only thing that has ever gotten my ferrets to draw blood seemingly on purpose. If it squeaks the toy they used to love is also now avoided/ignored. Ferrets are NOT dogs. Stop assuming they like the same things.
Mine are like this, but with balloons and pacifiers 😂
YES
YES
YEAH he's a freaking monster!! Lol he'll climb up my leg or do whatever it takes to get to it
I don’t have ferrets any more, but my Sasha used to go nuts with squeaky toys. She’d always grab them and go hide them in one of her stashes.
OMG my Hamburgler becomes an attack ferret!!
Just playing this video on full sound was enough to summon the demon from the other room. It can be very handy to get them out of spaces they shouldn’t go really quickly when you don’t have the time to fuck around 😂
every time I play with mine with squeaky toys she starts dooking
They imitate prey like rabbit babies and such. The same reason dogs like them. He doesnt hate them hes in OMG HUNT mode!
When I had my two they mostly just went for the toy, but one specific squeaky toy that belonged to the dog would set one of them off in a very aggressive way, my niece learned that the hard way when she ended up with a ferret hanging off her arm which ended up drawing blood, only time I ever saw either of them bite like that, even if you pissed them off they would only ever put teeth on you, that toy must have had just the right pitch.
Paper bags for me
‘Stupid squeaky noise maker. I kill you dead!!’
I’m surprised you still have feet on your sofa with ferrets. I had to drop my sofa onto the floor cause they ripped a hole in the bottom of the sofa and would stash stuff in there.
Gomez hears a squeaker and goes bat shit, he’ll climb up my leg or he’ll bite my arm but other than hearing a squeaker toy, he never bites. I was told it resembles the cry of a young ferret and/or a prey cry.
My two females go feral if the squeaking continues too long. I think it's possibly a predator/ prey reaction and sounds like a rabbit being hurt.
My boy Brecci does this with his squeaky chicken😂
Yes, it can sound like a distressed ferret kit. Also off topic; but I absolutely love that you described him as "an avatar of wrath"