I have been reading the FML for a couple of weeks now and have decided to
respond to the problem of biting.  Someone had written that they had been
advised to bite back.  I've tried this method and it works like a charm.
I will tell you what I was told about WHY it works so well.  Please be
advised that I am not a vet, just the Mom of 7 of the wonderful creatures.
I have read everything about ferrets that I can get my hands on.  I am not
the type of person who does anything half-heartedly.  I go all or nothing
and this is how I've been with my ferrets.
 
When I got my first ferret about 6 yrs.  ago, she was a nipper.  She never
bit very hard, but I hand very young nieces and was afraid to trust Moxy
around them.  Nothing I did worked.  I flicked the end of her nose like
most of the books suggest, until I thought my finger would turn blue, I
screamed no.  I was very discouraged because nothing was working.  I
mentioned this to a lady who worked in a pet store in the mall in which I
worked.  She told me to "Bite her back!".  When I laughed at her, she said
that she was very serious and explained the reason to me.  She told me that
when the kits are with their Mom, if they get too rough with mom, she bites
their ears to let them know they are being too rough.  They soon learn that
mom does not like this and stop.  Well I tried it and it worked !!!  After
all else failed!!!  However a few guidelines.  First, I never bite very
hard.  The slightest bite on the ear is all that is needed.  They understand
what you're trying to tell them.  Secondly, make sure you scruff them and
make sure you have good control, because they will try to bite back.  Be
ready to pull your face out of the way quickly and yell NO .  It may take a
few times, a few whines from the ferret and more than a few hisses but it
has always worked for me.
 
In fact this is the only way I have disciplined my babies for anything, and
believe me they know their behavior is not acceptable.  In fact, now if
they get caught doing something that they know is not allowed, the first
thing they do when I pick them up is try and hide their ears.
 
I have never tried this with a really hard biter so I don't know how it
works on them.  Again I would caution, with a bad biter to be very careful.
They can give a rather nasty bite.  I would also suggest that you don't
allow children to discipline ferrets in this way.
 
I hope this helps you  as much as it has helped me . Happy ferreting.
 
Sally St Germain and the 7 "Little Saints."
[Posted in FML issue 2424]