Hello Jeanine.
 
I would like to sympathize with you about your biting ferret, Benjamin.  I
also have a biter, named Frodo, an albino, who bites for no reason.  No
punishment I have used has worked in any way, and he does break skin from
time to time.
 
Like Benjamin, Frodo only bites flesh, ankles, arms, and hands, etc.  Even
worse, it seems that spraying my feet with bitter apple doesn't do much to
stop him.  He still despises the smell of it, but still nips at my feet.
 
I know that part of it is his way of asking for attention.  Like certain
people, certain ferrets realize that "bothering" someone gets the biggest
and grandest reaction.  Frodo certainly knows he gets more reaction out of
me when he bites me, especially since I have grown impatient with his
biting.  But he also bites WHILE he is getting attention, even when I am
holding him.
 
I have started rewarding Frodo each time he doesn't bite me, which is
difficult, because I have to do it fairly quickly, before he bites :)
 
I give him some ferretone when he licks me.  Usually he licks about 8 times,
then bites.  I yell "No!", and give him a scruff or a soft slap on the nose,
and he immediately goes back to licking, and then another bite.  Its odd.
So, i try to give him ferretone while he is licking, before he bites, to
encourage the licking over the biting, but it isnt working extremely well.
 
So, Frodo is only 3 months old, and I know his biting will lessen with age,
but Bilbo, his Sable mate, learned to not bite about 2 weeks after training
began, and hasn't bitten since.  Frodo is a liability now, I fear letting
friends around him, since they may hurt him after he bites (quick reactions,
leg-kicks in surprise, etc).  I have tried bitter apple, scruffing, cage
time, slaps on the nose, loud squeals and "No!", yet nothing seems to work.
 
Sharing your greif Jeanine,
 
Henry
Bilbo (I walk in the light)
Frodo (I've come to bite your ankles!)
[Posted in FML issue 2376]