>You flamers need to cool off!  NO ONE is hurting their ferrets on this
>network!  Deziree needed help and we gave it to her, and it worked and not
>one little ferkid was hurt and all seem to be behaving at the present time.
 
Cool off nothing.  Nose flicking is nothing more than abuse.  I've taken in
several VERY bad biters, and while some have taken time we have never had
to resort to this form of punishment to correct this behavior.  How do you
judge a little tap?  I was an instructor in close quarters combat (hand to
hand), for a time.  The difference for me denotes a blow that knocks you
down as compared to one that takes you out.  What is a small tap to a
creature who is 1% of your body weight?
 
Not to long ago a fella posted on APF concerning a ferret with serious
sinus problems.  Turns out he had been 'tapping' him to discourage biting.
This poor little guy died in surgery.  Just a few 'little taps'.  I don't
expect this to change any single persons mind who is just to damn lazy to
take a slower, less dangerous method to corrective behavior, but maybe some
of the newer folks out there will take heed.  Don't 'tap your ferret's nose
for ANY reason.
[Posted in FML issue 3061]