I have observed very different behaviors with fear biting than with biting
due to non-socialization.Fear biters, whether they are timid or biting from
past abuse, will do a couple of things differently.
 
To get your attention, or when asking to play, they will run up and bite or
nip, and then RUN OFF, and sneak a peak at you to gauge your reaction.  I
will not yell, but will talk to them and coax them out to hold and tell them
not to bite me.  They want attention, but don't yet know how to get it in a
positive manner.
 
Another behavior in fear biters is immediately trying to bite when they are
picked up.  Depending on how far along they are in relearning new behaviors,
this can range from a good chomp to just a turn of the head thinking about
it sort of action.
 
But with all nipping or biting behaviors, you have to be alert for clues as
to the WHY of the biting.
 
Fear biters do not come up and nip or bite and then stand there.  That is
typical of non-socialized animals.  (And by non-socialized, I mean to what
is acceptable to humans, not to other ferrets).
 
Let me remind you.  Nipping is not biting.  And anything that doesn't draw
blood or leave a BAD BRUISE is nipping.  I have bruises all over from small
nips, but then I bruise very easily.  But playing rough and they ferrets
getting overly excited and nipping, isn't mean or out of fear.  They just
forget themselves.
 
The easiest way for me to handle fear biters safely, is to hold the ferret
with its front legs cradled between my thumbs and index fingers, one hand
on each side.  You can cradle the bottom with your forearms if you think it
will help.  I can easily scratch their ears and talk to them, face to face,
this way.  If they swing their heads around, I can quickly hold them still
with my thumbs and index fingers.
 
Sometimes I will also lightly pin their heads with one hand, and kiss them
on top of the head.  This all gets them used to being in my face.  If you
are dealing with a nippy ferret rather than a true biter, this will stop the
behavior cold.  I have used this technique with face biters and have had
good success.
 
One important thing to remember in learning for any animal or person.  You
reach plateaus, and then you back slide.  Don't be surprised if a biter who
is doing wonderful has a couple of bad days now and then.  Miss Natasha
recently had a couple of very bad days, but it is also the same time I did.
I was in a bad mood and it affected her.
 
Margaret in Mid Mo
[Posted in FML issue 2394]