Zack and fellow ferret lovers!
 
After finding myself writing the third letter today about bitter apple, I
decided, why not post it to the list, as well.
 
Most of these kids people wrote about are young, which is in itself a very
challenging time for ferret parents.  Kits have a natural urge to nip, due
to teething and their misunderstanding that humans can't be played with
like other ferrets.  Take hope in the fact that a well cared for, well
socialized ferret usually outgrows this with time.  And I agree with you
Zack, I wouldn't thump/flick/hit my ferrets, either.  What I have found to
be pretty effective is a product called 'Bitter Apple'.  It is available
in pet stores, usually in the dog section.  It is a spray that contains
some unpleasant tasting things in it, the largest amount being isopropyl
alcohol.  If you spray this stuff on the parts they want to bite, then let
them get a taste (it's hard to hold still and let them bite you, but it
works) they tend to learn very quickly that you don't taste good.  It's not
harmful to them, and the only the I'd note for humans is that it is very
drying to your skin, if you have to use alot of it, so some lotion before
or after might be necessary.  I've found that after about a week of use,
they don't have such a need to taste you. ;)  We've used it on hands, feet,
other ferrets' necks, and even a cable that we wanted them to leave alone.
 
ONe thing that I've found works with my Dessie, because he's 6 months now,
and will still bite hard occasionally when very excited, is to say 'OW' in
a loud expressive way.  He seems to realize he's hurt us, which I don't
believe is ever his intention, and releases immediately.  The times that
we need to do this are getting farther and farther apart as well.
 
One thing I'd like to point out, not just to you, Zack, but also to
everyone new to ferrets on the list is that there are several things to
remember about ferrets and nipping.  Most ferrets, during play, will put
their teeth on you, but not bite down.  We allow this, because it seems to
be a natural part of their play, and we like them to play with us.  But the
second any of them bite hard enough to hurt, we do the loud 'OW' and they
always back off.  We don't have to do it at all with our 6 year old girl
(who never uses her teeth on us), sometimes with our 2 and 3 year old
girls, when they get really excited, and more often with Dessie, as I said
before.  With patience and understanding, a nippy kit will grow to a gentle
adult, who only nips when really excited, scared or in pain.
 
A dook is the sound that some ferrets make when they play or get excited.
A great place to hear what one sounds like is Sam's site, where he has his
kit pictures (real cuties, too).  On that page he has a link that will play
a recorded dooking sound.
http://users.1st.net/hammock/ferrets/kits/
Hope you don't mind, Sam!
 
Not all fuzzies seem to make this sound, but most of us who do have one
that makes it consider ourselves lucky, because it's like music to our
ears!
 
And, I've heard that they do have an incrediably high tolerance for pain,
and yes, they are all completely insane, ain't it great??
 
Hugs and dooks
Sherry
--
http://www.geocities.com/southbeach/pier/8102/
Meet my fuzzy family!
[Posted in FML issue 2580]