FERRET-SEARCH@LISTSERV.FERRETMAILINGLIST.ORG
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Tue, 11 Apr 2000 08:57:00 -0500 |
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In answer to Charlie's question about how to handle the biting issue. I
was a docent at the Birmingham (AL) Zoo for several years and whatever
animal I was showing someone would ask "Does it bite." Standard answer: "If
it has a mouth it *can* bite. Will it bite? Well, I wouldn't be holding
it and showing it to you if I thought I stood a good chance of getting
bitten. However, if the (insert animal species here) gets frightened or
startled then, yes, it probably *will* bite. And since I'm holding it,
it will probably bite me. So when I tell you how to touch it please pay
attention and do as I ask--I don't want to get bitten either."
Whenever I'm showing ferrets to prospective adopters and they ask that
question I start with a version of that answer. Since ferrets aren't zoo
animals and I know and handle them daily then I can go on to say (with some
assurance) that they probably won't bite unless they're really frightened
or startled.
I have one ferret, Ringo, who has a history of abuse and was a terrible
biter when I first got him. And although he's a lot less of biter now I do
warn adopters that Ringo has a history of biting and that I'm working with
him. But I let them know that he has been biter and could bite someone he
doesn't know.
Judy
Cloud Nine Ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 3019]
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