Hello,
My name is Christy, and I've been enjoying and learning from this posting
ever since I considered getting a ferret.  My husband and I got two of them
4 days ago.  We live in California so that is why I am writing anonymously.
Han is an 8 week old sable, and Leia is a 9 week old silver mit.  She is a
Canadian ferret which my vet told me is responsible for her large size and
aggression.... she totally dominates Han!  They play rough and she whoops
his butt!  Leia basically wages war against everything in her path.
 
My question is this.... how do we get them to become affectionate?  I
realize that they are kits, wanting to play and bite, but they are total
spazoids.  I can't believe how much energy they have.  When we bring them
out of the cage, they run around like psychos until we put them back
(usually they are out for an hour, 2-3 times a day), whereupon they fall
into the sleep of the dead.  They DO NOT want to be held and bite whenever
approached.  We are working on that with scruffing and Bitter Apple on the
hands, but we are wondering how to socialize them without forcing them to be
near us.  We hold them and try to keep them still for a minute or so,
several times each day, to get them used to it, but they fight us all the
way.  (When they are sleeping, they pretend to be angels, and that is the
only time we can pet them)
 
Can someone please tell me how they did this with their kits?  We want ours
to be very social and loving, but are clueless.
 
Thanks!
Christy
[Posted in FML issue 1885]