This is my first post though I've been lurking for a few weeks now.  I
brought home my first ferret, a 9 month old hob (though we have an
appointment for next tuesday) last night (hello Linda if you are reading
this!).  We had lots of fun last night, even after the busy day he'd had he
had plenty of energy.  When he finally went to sleep he kept waking up again
whenever I walked past the cage, he finally settled down for a good sleep
though.  This morning I let him out for a romp and after about 45 minutes we
were play wrestling and he bit me for the first time, on the ankle, didn't
break the skin and I'm sure it was simply part of the play but I said no,
scruffed him, and put him back in his cage for "time out" I let him back out
after about 15 minutes for further play.  After eating a healthy lunch he
conked out for a while, a friend of mine came over but since he seemed so
sleepy we left him alone and went out to lunch, when we returned he seemed
ready to play again.  While he was playing (he was crawling over my lap at
that particular moment), I reached into his cage to move his blanket which
he had knocked downstairs from his "bedroom".  For no reason that I am clear
about he bit me as hard as he could on the fleshy part of my hand by my
thumb, just barely breaking the skin but leaving it feeling extremely
bruised.  I can't seem to master the nose-thumping technique so I scruffed
him, said no, and put him back in the cage for time out again.  After about
10 minutes I opened the door to let him out again but he no longer seems
interested in playing and is sleeping peacefully instead.  He never bit
during the visits to his breeder, could he just be tired and cranky still
from the move and all the excitement?  How can you tell the difference
between a bite intended in play or in earnest?  This definitely did not seem
like a playful nip, it took him several seconds to let go.
 
I apologize for the length of the post, I'm likely over paranoid but I want
so badly to be a good ferret mom!  Could he have been upset that I was
rearranging his cage again?  I guess I'm just looking for reassurance and
advice!  Thanks, I promise to keep it shorter next time!
 
Shannon and Bobby McFerret
[Posted in FML issue 1896]