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Play
Ferret playing tug with a hair pickMany ferrets are playful by nature and are
happy to play with humans. Play for a ferret can involve hide-and-seek games, or
some form of predator/prey game in which either the human attempts to catch the
ferret or the ferret to catch the human. They also have a strong nesting
instinct and will repeatedly carry socks or other items back into piles hidden
under objects.
Like a playful kitten, a ferret usually will not bite its human companions
enough to cause pain, but will instead gently grab a toe or finger in their
mouth and roll around with it. However, ferrets that have been abused or are in
extreme pain will bite a human. Ferrets have strong bites and can sometimes bite
through human skin, especially children's. Once properly socialized, however,
domesticated ferrets will very rarely, if ever, bite humans.
Most kitten toys work well with ferrets. Toys made of rubber or foam should be
avoided, however, as ferrets can chew off and swallow small pieces, possibly
leading to intestinal blockage and possible choking. Ferrets love playing tug of
war with toys and stuffed animals.
Ferret playing in dryer vent tubeFerrets are easily entertained, so spending
large amounts of money on ferret toys is unnecessary. Since ferrets are
burrowing animals by nature, they will happily busy themselves with basic
household objects such as cardboard boxes, blankets, and shoes. Dryer vent
tubing can be used to create an interactive tunnel system, which can easily be
collapsed and stored when not in use. Ferrets regularly wrestle with each other,
and with their owners.
When ferrets are especially excited, they will perform the weasel war dance, a
frenzied series of sideways hops. This is often accompanied by a soft chuckling
noise, called dooking by many ferret owners.
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