MO - Pet ferret eats seven fingers of baby boy

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Valleyboy

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http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/11/missouri.ferret.fingers/?iref=obinsite


CNN) -- A 4-month-old baby boy from Grain Valley, Missouri, was in critical condition after a family pet ferret ate seven of the infant's fingers, and the boy's parents are under investigation for neglect and failure to obtain a $100 license for the exotic pet, police chief Aaron Ambrose told CNN Tuesday.

Authorities are not releasing the names of the baby or his parents, Ambrose said.

The mother was awakened at 2:30 a.m. Monday to her baby's crying, and she awakened her husband with screams upon discovering what happened, Ambrose said.

The dad killed the pet by hurling it across the house, Ambrose said.

The baby now has only two thumbs and a partial pinkie, the chief said. The ferret was about six months old, a police report said.

"It's very unusual, there's no doubt about it," Ambrose said of the incident.

Ambrose said he believed the ferret was a young animal recently acquired by the family.
 
Oh my. Poor little punkin :(
 
POOR babydear!

BUT THIS right here:
"They have had other animal issues with dogs for licensing and things like that," Ambrose said, adding that a dog license costs $10 or so in Grain Valley. "There was a concern back in the summer about barking dogs and...the way they were keeping the animals."

From the article.
Yes some ferrets are nippers. But in the 20 plus years I have raised kids I have also had a few ferrets. They like to nibble bottle nipples. I am thinking the poor thing was starved, smelled the mil or formula scent and went at it.

This is unheard of.

ETA: This family also owns a ROTWEILLER. Who do you think REALLY did the biting?
 
I've heard of a pet ferret eating off a child's nose before.
I don't think it's all that unheard of.

HORRIBLE!
 
Sounds like these folks may have moved up from neglecting their animals to endangering their child needlessly. Isn't it usually the way of things. Sad. Sad. Sad.

I do think it may have been the ferret. If as RKT points out they have been neglectful of their pets in the past it is entirely possible IMO that this little ferret was seeking the formula smell out of hunger.

I do not think the rot would have been responsible given the time of the incident. I would assume the baby was in bed (crib) and rot would have a harder time accessing the infant. Also, I am afraid if the rot had done it the child would likely be dead. Rots are known to be very agressive once they have clamped on and once the agression has been triggered I doubt he would have started or stopped at the fingers.

I have no problem with rots as pets but people need to realize that these animals require proper handling and training and should never be left unattended with children. The tragic results of parents' failure to do so are plaster on the news frequently.
 
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/press_archive99/pr36-629.shtml


Ferrets are known for their unpredictable behavior, and they are prone to vicious, unprovoked attacks on humans. Ferret attacks reported nationwide over time have become notorious for their severity and capriciousness, causing serious injuries to some infants and young children in particular. In New York City's multiple dwelling residences, which are not natural habitats of ferrets, a ferret could crawl through holes in walls or travel along risers or ducts to other apartments, with potentially tragic consequences for the neighbor of a ferret owner.
 
I have owned 8 ferrets in my 21 years of child raising. I also owned a chow chow.

None of my children were EVER harmed.

It was the PARENTs.
 
redkatrampant said:
I have owned 8 ferrets in my 21 years of child raising. I also owned a chow chow.

None of my children were EVER harmed.

It was the PARENTs.
Click to expand...

Yes, it was the parents who did not watch the baby or the ferret. But, young ferrets are known to bite/chew on young children or infants if not watched.
There are countless stories out there.

Just pointing that out.
 
Kimberlyd125 said:
Yes, it was the parents who did not watch the baby or the ferret. But, young ferrets are known to bite/chew on young children or infants if not watched.
There are countless stories out there.

Just pointing that out.
Click to expand...

*stories* that is just it. I bet those ferrets were NOT properly cared for. BLAME the parents. NOT the pet.
 
redkatrampant said:
*stories* that is just it. I bet those ferrets were NOT properly cared for. BLAME the parents. NOT the pet.
Click to expand...

AGAIN - I have said I blame the parents. BUT, some animals are more likely to bite childen, ferrets being one.

Are you saying the *stories* are not true?
 
I agree with you redkatrampant. These people did not even show themselves cabable of caring for their animals, what else should we expect of their ability to properly care for and protect their child from such an attack?

I have known folks who have had ferrets as pets with no problems. Unfortunately, lots of people get them for the cute/novelty factor and then discover they require care and maintenance. I am betting these were that sort of people.
 
Kimberlyd125 said:
AGAIN - I have said I blame the parents. BUT, some animals are more likely to bite childen, ferrets being one.

Are you saying the *stories* are not true?
Click to expand...

I am saying that you need to take all information into account. As I stated I have owned 8. NOT once have they ever bitten my children or grandchildren.
They all had varying personalities. I even rehomed one because he was a nipper.
Again I say, blame the PARENT not the pet.
Riki Tiki Tavi says so too.
 

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redkatrampant said:
I am saying that you need to take all information into account. As I stated I have owned 8. NOT once have they ever bitten my children or grandchildren.
They all had varying personalities. I even rehomed one because he was a nipper.
Again I say, blame the PARENT not the pet.
Riki Tiki Tavi says so too.
Click to expand...

I'm not disagreeing with you redkatrampant.
But surely you would agree that some animals are more likely to bit/nip than others.


Ferrets are obligate carnivores.

In the wild, they eat whole small prey. So, a young ferret would/may, by instinct, nibble on flesh if given the chance.

Again, for the 3rd time :smile: I'm blameing the parents. Just pointing out that this does happen with these animals.
 
Thanks for opening this thread, Valleyboy. I came across the story a few days ago in the Kansas City newspaper and couldn't bring myself to finish the article, much less post the details. But in its horror and sadness, it definitely has a necessary place on WS, to be used as an object lesson so others with small children don't underestimate their domestic animals; and of course it also does make for great back-and-forth debate!
 
Kimberlyd125 said:
I'm not disagreeing with you redkatrampant.
But surely you would agree that some animals are more likely to bit/nip than others.


Ferrets are obligate carnivores.

In the wild, they eat whole small prey. So, a young ferret would/may, by instinct, nibble on flesh if given the chance.

Again, for the 3rd time :smile: I'm blameing the parents. Just pointing out that this does happen with these animals.
Click to expand...

What is so odd to me, is that they have such small gullets that they can choke easily.
http://www.all-about-ferrets.com/what-do-ferrets-eat.html

Yes they are carnoviores. But they are nibblers.


we have to watch their toys because even a tiny bit chewed off can choke them. The tiny bits of chicken we give them have to be smaller than the moonsliver of a fingernail. So fingers? Have you ever held one of them? Their throats are smaller than a baby's finger. Seriously.
 
Anyone still in doubt, I will be happy to take pics of my male ferret and compare his throat size to my grandson's fingers. Just sayin...

this ferret did NOT swallow fingers.
 
But they eat whole prey in the wild.

Maybe the ferret did not swallow the fingers whole. I'm sure he/she chewed them up first.
 
wfgodot said:
Thanks for opening this thread, Valleyboy. I came across the story a few days ago in the Kansas City newspaper and couldn't bring myself to finish the article, much less post the details. But in its horror and sadness, it definitely has a necessary place on WS, to be used as an object lesson so others with small children don't underestimate their domestic animals; and of course it also does make for great back-and-forth debate!
Click to expand...



There is a trial coming up in Florida on Feb. 15th where a mans pet python killed a 2 year old child.
 
redkatrampant said:
Anyone still in doubt, I will be happy to take pics of my male ferret and compare his throat size to my grandson's fingers. Just sayin...

this ferret did NOT swallow fingers.
Click to expand...




http://www.adopt-a-ferret-101.com/what-do-ferrets-eat.html

So what do wild ferrets eat?
A polecats meal can consist of small rodents like mice, rats voles and rabbits. Amphibians like frogs and toads are also and the menu. A smaller part of their diet, let’s call it their snack list, consists of small birds and insects. Any kind of soy, wheat, rice or other grain they ingest has already been digested by the prey animal. In other words, your fuzzy is as much a carnivore as a tiger.

They eat the whole prey. Meat, organs, fur, feathers and bones.

IMO if a ferret can eat small rodents like mice, rats voles and rabbits and snack on small birds, frogs, and toads seven baby fingers should not be impossible.
 
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