Hi everyone,
 
I have a few questions that I'm hoping the "expert biter-rehabbers" can
help me with.  I have a foster girl now, who is about 9 mths old.  The
story is, she came from a family who did not work on her biting when they
first got her, so it slowly got a bit out of hand, and the more it did,
the more they caged her, until finally they gave her up.  So, she's not
a fear or abusived biter or anything.  She does tend to have a little
ferritude attitude.  I've had her for about almost 2 mths now.  At first
she bit to break the skin all the time.  But after a week or 2, it slowly
decreased, and not its mostly nips, but on occassion she still will bite
hard to bleeding.  I dont play with her using my hands, so its not during
play.  She will usually just come up to me, sniff and then bite (its
either only hands, fingers or feet).  I do the scruffing and telling her
'no'.  Usually that will work.  But sometimes it gets to the point where,
we do the scruffing a few times, she will continue to bite, and then, it
will lead to scruffing and dragging her, or scruffing and then putting
her in a empty carrier (2 to 3 mins) before she finally gives up.  Its
not like she's attacking me or anything, she's not violent like that, but
its just like it doesnt sink in with her that she's not suppossed to
bite.  I've read the article in Ferrets, and also the topic was written
about here.  So I thiiiink I'm doing everything I'm suppossed to... but I
dont understand why this doesnt seem to be working?
 
We're about 2 mths into this, and I still call her a 'biter'.  Is that
normal?  How long does this usually take?  Not that I'm getting impatient
with her... well, ok, sometimes I do, when she repeatidly bites... but
I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing with her??  She gets along
great with my 2 ferrets.  I am trying to get her used to being picked up,
not being put down when she bites, cradled in my arms with a short belly
rub, patted on the head... all the normal stuff people do with their
ferrets.  Is there anyone who can give me any pointers, I would reallllly
appreciate it!
 
Thanks!
Andrea
[Posted in FML issue 4998]