> Date:  Tue, 17 Nov 1992 10:26:37 -0500
> From:  [log in to unmask] (Ron Ackermann)
> Subject: Biting ferret
>
> Our seven-month old female, Amber, has developed a biting problem
> that we can't seem to break.  She doesn't bite my wife or myself, but
> every one else who tries to pet/touch her she sinks her teeth into.
> She doesn't just nip people, she literally sinks her teeth in and then
> hangs on until her jaws are pried apart.  She doesn't seem to be angry or
> afraid, in fact she looks her normal charming self, right up to the instant
> she chomps down.  So far none of our friends are willing to be used as
> training devices for anti-bite therapy.  Anyone have any suggestions?
 
I don't know if this will help since none of your friends are willing to
be training devices...you'll just have to not allow them to pet or touch
her.  But for those who are willing to help train, repetition seems to
be the key.  I met a ferret at a show this summer who had been rescued,
I think found, somewhere.  She was evidently quite nasty when they found
her, but with patience and love, the rescuers could handle her and she
was quite happy with them.  With strangers - and, yes, they warned me! -
she would begin to lick and then suddenly CHOMP and hold on.  So of course
I had to pick her up :-)  So I put her on my forearm against my stomach
and sure enough she started licking and {CHOMP} and I flicked my index
finger on her nose and she was so startled that she let go and looooooked
at me.  Then she sniffed around and started licking my arm again and CHOMP!
So I snapped her nose again and she probably bit me 8 or 10 times (not hard
enough to draw blood, but hard enough to leave 4 little tiny indents which
later turned to bruises) and finally she just looked at me like she couldn't
believe I'd kept going and ceased to bite me.  Unfortunately, I couldn't
bring her home with me. :-(  It seems that those that want to hold or pet
Amber will just have to earn her respect first.
 
> Also, could someone please tell me what a ferret hammock is, how to
> build one or where to buy one
 
I make ferret hammock-sleeping bags :-)  In the summer, they like to lie
in the hammock proper.  In the winter, they slip inside the sleeping bag
part and snuggle up out of sight.  The basic hammock is a piece of fabric
with the edges finished and some sort of attachment at each of the four
corners.  I use a piece of fabric to finish the edges of the hammock, and
extend the edge pieces into ties at the four corners.  I have also seen
fabric loops at the corners with shower curtain rings attached.  My kids
would not leave the plastic rings alone >:-).  In order to make the sleeping
bag hammock, I just fold the original piece of fabric and finish the edges
together, leaving one long side open so that they can slip inside.  It's
really easy if you sew or know someone who does.  As for fabric, just make
sure it doesn't have anything to catch on the ferrets' claws.  I use
corduroy for the winter and poly/cotton blends for the summer.  You can
usually get remnants pretty cheap at a fabric store.  And the little sharks
don't seem to mind if you make a mistake with it, they'll sleep in it anyway!
 
Robbin ([log in to unmask])
 
[Posted in FML issue 0360]