Laurel - Your Piper sounds a lot like my Quidni when I first got her:
frightened, neurotic, aggressive / defensive, and a hard biter at the
slightest provocation.  (She had been owned for almost a year by a kid that
mishandled / neglected / teased her.) Working with her, and learning with
her, I drew up these personal resolutions (with a few more recent notes in
parentheses) to help me be consistent with her:
 
1.  I will give this ferret unconditional love and acceptance.  She must
learn that this home, and the people in it, are not like what she is
accustomed to.  No matter what she does, she is loved, she is safe, and she
is home.  Period.
 
2.  I will not allow this ferret to train me to put her down when she bites.
I will wrap her in a towel to protect my hands if need be, but I will only
put her down when she is calm.  See #7 below.  (Using a small towel was also
a good, safe way to catch her when she was angry or frightened.)
 
3.  As long as she shows any fear or aggression toward hands, I will hide
the shape of my hands behind a dishtowel.  (Not gloves, since they look like
much bigger hands.) But, I will get the scent of my hands in her fur, in her
bedding, and on her toys whenever I can.
 
4.  I will recognize that, even when she learns to trust me, it will still
take time to replace the bad habit with a good one.  She does not know any
other way of behaving yet.  In effect, it is like I am having to take her
through kit-hood all over again.  I will be patient.
 
5.  I will never strike/spank her to correct her misbehavior.  This will
only remind her of the past.  Instead, I will act like a mom-fert, and even
if she fights, I will hiss, scruff and dangle, or hiss, scruff and drag, and
then immediately return to whatever her misbehavior interrupted.  I will do
this as many times as necessary with each incident, and not let her
out-stubborn me.  (sometimes, I had to hold her in a towel while I scruffed
her.  I could tell when I d grasped the right place on the scruff, because
she would yawn.)
 
6.  I will find something she really likes, and only offer it when I am
holding her.  She will receive it at no other time.
 
7.  I will make sure my tetanus booster is up to date, and that I have
plenty of merthiolate and Band-Aids.  <G>
 
8.  I will handle her consistently, at the same time, every day, so that she
will come to expect this as part of the normal daily routine.  Thus, it will
eventually feel wrong to her to not be handled.
 
9.  I will talk to her in a calm, joyful and loving tone of voice, praising
her good behavior, and telling her what a good girl she is and how much I
love her, "until she starts to believe it," and to remind myself that this
is what we are working for, and that it really is worth it!
 
10.  I will teach her acceptable ways of getting my attention, or of earning
a treat, so that she has no need to bite to get what she wants.  (Quidi now
stands up and rolls over!  - now we re working on turn around.  She rolls
over faster than my others do!)
 
It took several months, but Quidni is now a loving Mama s Girl who demands
regular cuddles.  She is still VERY strong-willed, and tests me on occasion
to make sure the rules haven t changed, but the serious biting has finally
been replaced with trust and kisses.  She had a beautiful personality hiding
behind the insecurity.  I still can t be sure of her behavior around
strangers, but that s OK - I m a protective Mom and I don t think I m going
to risk her safety out in public anyway.
 
I don t know if my personal resolutions will help you any - but I hope I can
at least encourage you that rehabilitation is possible with your precious
little problem child.  You also have her at a younger age than Quidni, so
the habits aren t as long ingrained and *hopefully* aren't as strong.  Be
patient - it may take some time - but you have something to offer this
little ferret which she had never before experienced.  LOVE !
 
Blessings,
Carla & the Woozlemaniacs - Litje, Turlough, Gaoth & Quidni (the ex-wild
thing)
[Posted in FML issue 1503]