From your description of your playing technique, no, I don't think so, it
sounds like good, healthy play.
 
In fact, this is the kind of play technique I recommend to owners to
rehabilitate biters (see "Curing the 'Incurable' Biter" at
http://www.geocities.com/ferretsfirst/curingbiters.html) The towel or
blanket gives them something to actively sink their teeth into for
vigorous exercise.
 
The dividing line is IF THE BITE HURTS.  Here, you have to use your
judgement and take a few things into consideration:
 
Is the play bite (technically called a "nip" rather than a bite)hard
enough to hurt a small child?
 
If so, you might want to teach him to "tone down" his nips.  You do this
by yelling "Ouch!" sharply at a hard nip, and STOP playing for a few
minutes, and then RESUME playing.
 
Does he nip bare or sock covered feet?  (This could also traumatize a
small child.)
 
If so, the training is done the similarly.  Yell "Ouch!", scruff, scold,
and put him back down.  Then after a moment of no foot nipping, PLAY with
him.  The scruffing/scolding teaches him that foot nipping does not
initiate play like he expected it to.  (For the more stubborn, you may
have to drag them across the floor by the scruff while you scold.)
 
Both the "Ouch!" and the WAITING period of "no play" are critical.  The
"Ouch!" is you HISSING at him.  The "no play" period is your "recovery"
time... just as a mother ferret would teach her kits to play acceptably.
 
==
Debi Christy
Ferrets First Foster Home
http://www.geocities.com/ferretsfirst/
[Posted in FML issue 3565]