Karen ... I wanted to THANK YOU for sharing your pictures of Luthor
(aka Charles). 

I had the honor of helping Renee on a few occasions when the DMK
ferrets were at the MSPCA here temporarily and they will all be forever
in my heart. I fell in love with them all and it was a sad day for me
when Renee drove away with them all to make her deliveries. Even though
I was now up to 13, having adopted 2 fosters from my local shelter, so
that she would have the extra room for the DMK ferrets that she had
brought back and not have to worry about these little guys ... I could
have ALWAYS found room for one or two if they couldn't be found other
homes.

You were a real god send to take on 4!!! Especially with the issues
that Luthor seems to be having. I am sorry that he has turned into a
hand full and is so aggressive. You are to be commended for sticking
it out and not giving up on him! You probably know as much back ground
on him as I do .... from the same source ... Renee, so .. I can't be
of much help with any further info.

My only suggestion ... Patience, LOTS and LOTS of it, and LOVE! If he
ever truly trusts ... it will take LOTS of both. Just remember what he
has been through, both at the farm and afterwards. I once had a biter,
but he was a far cry from what you have said that Luthor is. He would
ONLY bite bare skin, so I took to wearing long sleeves, long pants,
socks and thick slippers and sometimes gloves. This way .. I could sit
in the room with him while he was playing and not have to worry so much
about being hurt. I was safe in my armor, LOL, and he soon learned that
biting me didn't get the reaction he expected and all I did was say ...
NO! I never touched him to reprimand him. They can smell fear and that
can make their aggression worse. If he is coming at your face ... try
sitting up off the floor so you aren't at his level. Then just sit
there talking to him or put on some soothing music. Sometimes I would
turn on the TV in their room, just so he would get used to the sounds
of human voices and realize they weren't going to hurt him any more.
Let him explore and play on his own while you just watch. Don t try to
pet him or hold him, just sit there and let him get used to the idea
that you are there and aren't going to hurt him. Put some of your
clothes that you have worn (don't wash them) in his cage so he gets
used to your scent. There is a loving ferret in that body that wants to
come out, I know it! ... He is just petrified right now and aggression
is his only defense at the moment. Think about what he has been
through! For 5 LONG YEARS he has lived in a H*LL Hole with very little
human interaction, except probably to be yanked out of his prison to
breed!

And .... there is always the sad possibility that he may never get over
his fear and will never be a ferret that you can cuddle or hold. Are
you willing to take keep him on those terms? From what I have heard
and from what I have read that you have written ... I think you are!
Babies like this take a Special Commitment and I think you have that
in you :-))

Luthor reminds me in many ways to a mink that someone I met has in his
care. She will never be like his ferrets, he may never be able to hold
and cuddle her ... heck sometimes he can't even touch her. She will
bite! BUT ... he takes her on her terms and loves her very much. She
has her own cage, gets out time to play alone and is generally SPOILED!
Would she be aggressive . . if she felt cornered or afraid ... I
imagine she would.

Don't give up on Luthor! Someday he will surprise you and learn to
trust you ... mine did! It will just take time and patience.

BLESS YOU!!

Hugs,
Dianna in MA.

[Posted in FML 5805]