HI Misty and everyone!

I sent most of this to Misty personally but also think it should be
sent to the list too; in its original form and with some added thoughts
based on what has been posted on FMLas a possible solution.

A little background may help:

I am relatively new to the ferret world but wholeheartedly agree with
and try to offer, to the best of my ability, an environement that
caters to the "natural" needs and designs of the ferret. My very first
ferret succombed to a sudden onset of juvenile lymphosarcoma at 14
months old. But before she had passed I had adopted 2 elderly ferrets,
so now I have six!

The recently adopted four new ferrets came from the same household. 3
jills and a hob, one of the jills is deaf. All reported to bite but
two considered regular biters and one called vicious. Owner had moved,
couldn't keep all four ferrets. The two worst biters were housed in
the same cage and sent temporarily to the lady's friend's house until
owner could find a home. The cage had no levels, one small triangular
hammock, litter on the floor of the cage as well as their tipped over
food dish. Water bottle strapped to the side of the cage. No toys, no
tunnels, no areas for the ferrets to find their own space, kibbles
mixed into litter and mess on floor of cage. I was told they were
in this cage for a couple months (since the move). Through various
conversations, I ascertained that all the ferrets lived predominantly
in cages and only brought out on weekends or occassionally through the
week. Was cautioned that the worst biter would latch on for no reason,
with no warning and almost always draws blood.

Here is what I sent directly to Misty: Misty,

I just read through your post and a couple things raise questons with
me about Rhea.

Glad to hear you've ruled out adrenal issues.

Firstly, how old is she? How many homes has she been in before yours?
Do you know how long she was at them?

Rhea sounds a lot like my Fizzle. Fizzle is 2 1/2 and I am her seventh
home. I count homes like so:

Nest box with Momma and kits = home #1.

Transport crate (if any) to pet shop = home #2.

Pet shop container = home #3.

First Human home = home #4.

Shelter/rescue center or second human home = home#5.

And so on....

Each time the ferret is housed in one of these environments, even if
for a short time - the ferret has to go through a period of forced
separation, reestablising social order, building freindships and
enforcing territories.

You can see how this creates high anxiety and innate fears in the
ferret.

Rhea may be reacting because she just doesn't know that she has a
forever home now. SHe does doesn't she?

Yes her "attacks" are drawing blood and seem particularly vicious
because they are - but they are nothing more than Rhea's attempts to
figure out what her status is in her new home.

When she goes after you and you react - she says, "Ahah! I can be
BOSS!" This of course is a bit confusing in the mind of an animal that
is a hundred times smaller than the human they are terrorizing - and
this unconscious confusion manifests itself in confused behavior.

Rhea needs a LEADER - or better yet, a DEN MOTHER! YOU need to put her
in her place and let her know that she HAS a permanent place.

Fizzle chomped me pretty good a couple times - unwarranted, sudden
attacks that, yes, drew blood.

One when I was sleeping on the sofa and my arm was dangling off the
edge. I allowed Fizzle and her freinds IMMEDIATE free roam of the house
as soon as I brought hem home. After hours and hours and hours of
exploration she apparently saw my dangling appendage and decided to
attack.

She darted in and stapled my finger before I could hardly react! Blood
dripped onto the carpet as she sat back and hissed at me and measured
the distance for another unwarranted lunge.

BEfore she could come at me - I went at her and immediately scruffed
her, hissed back at her and dragged her ALL OVER the living room floor!
Hissing at her all the way. After I made a circuit of the living room I
cradled her in my arms. Talked soothing to her and told her she has a
forever home, she won't get beat, pinged, or shut away and I love her.
Then I put her down.

She kept going for my feet when I walked about, so I kept ( keep) my
socks on and wear sweat pants. A couple times she jumped at my legs and
latched onto the loose sweat pants and dangled there. Again, I squish
her, let herlet go, scruff and drag, then cuddle and schmooze and
release.

She stapled my hand one more time as I was offering her water from my
own mug. The previous owners used a water squirt gun to dissuade her
and her friends from doing things ferrets shouldn't" ~ which is what
exactly?

I made extra special time for Fizzle and introduced her to massage.
Something she thoroughly enjoys now and even begs for.

These guys were rehomed with me the last week of October. Now Fizzle is
a big mush and a great lap puppy.

As hard as it is you need to steel yourself against reacting to Rhea's
attacks in a manner that offers her the upper hand. IOW do NOT retreat
from her. If she latches on, then push back into her.

If she grabs the back of your calf, sit on the floor, with her still
latched on and GENTLY squish her back. She will NOT want to be squished
and will release her hold. When she releases her hold, scruff and drag
her, hissing at her and exclaiming, "NO BITE! SHAME on you!" Finish the
drag with a cuddle, schmooze and release.

If she grabs your hand, do the same thing - push your hand INto her
mouth - she won't want you trying to crawl down her throat and she will
let go.

Some ferrets are more tenacious than others, so you may be pushing into
her for what seems an interminable length of time, especially since you
are hurting pretty badly.

Fizzle gets EXTREMELY aggitated at the sound of squeaky toys - so I
don't squeak them. Squeaky toys imitate distressed ferret kits - and
a dominant ferret like Rhea will go into hyperdrive to "protect" the
"kits" - she doesn't know that the squeak is just a toy - not yet
anyway.

Fizzle is finally figuring out that squeaky toys are just that - toys.
But her former owner practically gloated at how Fizzle would attack the
bars of the cage when a squeaky sounded!

SO I only rarely squeak a toy and Ionly do it softly so the squeak is
more of a "mew" than a distress scream.

Turn up the speakers on your laptop/desktop and go to the home page
of www.ferretuniverse.com and watch Rhea's reaction to the chattering
ferrets on that page. She may just not be relaxed enough with her
surroundings to tune out "white noise" ( sounds that don't mean
anything). As long as she stays in hyperdrive - she'll never relax
and just hang out.

SO you also need to wear her out a bit - allow her plenty of
exploration time, dig boxes, a walk in harness, dig in the dirt, etc
She sounds like she has a lot of pent up energy that needs releasing.

If you can handle it allow her to hunt a live mouse (or two or three).
I found this was an EXCELLENT release for Fizzle and she quieted down
considerably afterwards! I know its a therapy not all can handle -
but it works and is entirely natural.

Rhea has most likely been enduring rather UNnatural things and this
is not just confusing but creats distress also.

ABove all: NEVER EVER retaliate beyond a hiss and a scruff-n-drag or
else she'll go on the defensive.

Hope this helps!

Cheers!
Kim

[Posted in FML 5862]