A few days ago I posted 3 ferrets for adoption in Brooklyn.  I found out
Kami was a biter when I went to pet him and he made my finger bloody.
They are all very hand shy and nervous.  They startle and cringe.  Their
former human had cancer and had to give them up.  I was told they had
their own room, and I suspect no people interaction.  I was also told
that Kami "nips when you poke him in his cage" .  She denyed any abuse as
I flat out asked today.She dropped them off with a vat of bitter apple.
 
Kami was out of the cage and so was my Vincent.  Vincent sideswiped him
in a typical ferret "I'am the boss" manuever.  Kami lit into his neck and
Vincent was screaming.  Vincent was also bleeding quite a bit and had two
deep fang holes in his neck.I had to scruf and pry the jaws of Kami to
get him off of Vincent.
 
Today the other two were out of the cage in my room.  The other male came
over to me,licked my ear and then suddenly he was hanging onto my ear.
He drew blood, Try getting a clamped on ferret off your ear for fun.!!
The female Trixie snaps at me but has not bit so far.  I do not intend
to give her the chance.
 
They are curious and will come to me , walk on me, even allow me to pick
them up, but will suddenly bite for no apparent reason..If I so much as
much as breathe or move to much they startle cringe and turn in a bite
motion.
 
I tryed giving some ferretvite on the end of a chopstick ..  ( I am
holding the dumb chopstick)..  ok before anyone says I am nuts, I am
afraid to get my hand close to them at this point but want to give them
a message that good stuff can come from people.  I gave the other male
some treats.  no problem, then afterward he comes over and BITES my leg
(bleeding again) for more treats.  The bite was intentional.
 
I read "the book" ferrets for dummies and the method Herb uses.  He
scrufs , then restrains them and talks gently to them, while stroking
the head.  He swears it works but can take lots of time.
 
I have started this.  I don;t want to be a weenie human and be afraid ,
but I am.  You know they say that critters can smell your fear !!.
hahaha/...Seriously I don;t want to communicate to them that I am afraid
to go near them.
 
But try going to the cage and singing "ok kids time to come out and
play"... and having three little Draculas stare at you like it;'s
midnight at the blood bank...
 
This is very very dificult for me, having three biters in the house with
myself ,my daughter, Howie the scardy cat ( he is afraid of them), and my
six ferrets.  I had no intentions of keeping them as I am up to capacity
( and then some).Now I have to keep them for the time it takes to
reahabilitate them.
 
Does anyone have any furthur suggestions on how to deal with biters or
how to proceed with these three??  I have no experience with Biters.
 
I think they are both frightened of people and have had no socialization.
I think they are spoiled in a way as when they don;'t get treats , or
their way, they bite for blood.
 
AND while I am at it.  I am sick of people dumping their problems and
responsibilities.  I have taken in lord knows how many ferrets when the
owner said they just had no time and it turned out the ferret had serious
health or behavior problems.They want a perfect pet but if that is not
the case ( and sometimes it is their own doing ) they just bail out and
leave it to someone else..
 
I have stocked up on bactine and band aids.
 
Thanks, Christine( bloody fingers) Herman
[Posted in FML issue 4101]