>Well, the two of them bite really hard, and no matter how many times we
>flick their noses...they keep biting,
 
I haven't been on this list long enough to know how everyone feels about
corporal punishment, but I'm again' it.  I've had some extremely 'ferocious'
biters turned into our shelter and have only used love and positive
re-inforcement to change their behavior.  I would think that if I flicked
anyone reading this on their nose, that they'd get really angry with me and
would likely try to flick me back (or worse). ;-)
 
Although I *thought* I was prepared, little Tabitha literally leapt from the
middle of her cage out the door and attached to my hand before I could
blink.  From then on, I would offer her feretone (try whatever might work
with individual ferrets) before I would open the door.  Since she was
distracted by the feretone, I could then pick her up and give her another
small lick of feretone before wrapping her securely (just her head poking
out) in a blanket and carrying her around like a little baby for a few
minutes to an hour (depending up whether or not anyone came into the shop).
I could play with her face in a controlled way.  By the end of the week she
would lick the feretone from my fingers and look forward to her journal
wrapped inside the blanket.  It was a month before I felt comfortable
putting her in with the other ferrets to be adopted.  There's now absolutely
no hint of her past behavior, and when I tell prospective adopters of her
background, it's obvious that they don't quite believe that this sweet
little girl could ever have been a vicious attack ferret.  It's worked over
and over for numerous ferrets.
 
Sandi
[Posted in FML issue 1844]