MF good deed;
Our shelter was recently contacted by a representative from MF.  They were
contacted by a pet store who wanted to return the kits they had recieved
and asked us if we would take these babies in.  Of course we said yes.
 
These little girls were about 12 weeks old when we brought them in and the
worst biters I've ever come across.  Their behavior lead me to believe they
were improperly handled at the pet store.  Probably teased through the bars
by customers and scruffed by the staff.  With patience, knowledge, and
loving care we have made very good progress.
 
We temporarily named them Cookie Monster and Ginger Snap.  When the rehab
is complete they will be called just Cookie and Ginger.  I couldn't be more
happy to find that MF seeks placement for kits that might be considered
"unsaleable".
 
Anne Ryan;
Rather than critisize your post for the words it contained, I could see
through them to the frustration you felt when you wrote them.  Sheltering
can sometimes seem to be a thankless task.  Not that shelter operators
believe no-one cares, it's just hard to remember you're not alone when
you're fighting so hard to save them.
 
I'm sure your love of ferrets will help you to help others.  This man you
spoke of will probably need advise on proper care.  Any help you could
offer him would help to assure that one more fuzzie will have a good home.
In my opinion no-one should feel begrudged the right to purchase a baby.
Hopefully if this man feels the urge to add to his ferret family, he will
feel welcomed at your shelter, and offered the wealth of information you
can share with him.
 
De-clawing;
There isn't anything I could add that hasn't been said already, other than
what I've seen myself.
 
We had a little girl come into our shelter, who's previous owner had
attempted to have de-clawed.  The poor little girl had so much difficulty
walking, not to mention that the attempt wasn't successful.  Her nails came
back in such a disfigured manner, it takes a trip to the vets just to have
them trimmed.  Please don't do it.
 
Biters;
If your biters have recently come into your home there is no telling what
their experiances in life were before they came to you.
 
What you might see as "no reason" for biting could be some type of trigger
from past handeling that you are unaware of.
 
I think someone said they were bitten when they reached into the cage.  The
solution would be; Don't reach into the cage (at least for now).  Let the
little one come out on his own.  Once he becomes more comfortable with you
and his new environment he should feel less threatened.
 
What worked for Ginger (mentioned above) was a scruff with a little shake
and a firm NO BITE!!  Eventually all that was needed was the NO BITE!!
Cookie was different.  Scruffing just made her try to bite more.  What
eventually worked for her was a little nip in return (I only recommend this
if all other attempts fail).
 
Each ferret is an individual, what works for one might not work for
another.  Remember to always be consistant.  Don't attempt to chastize five
minutes after the bite (when you finally catch them) because they probably
won't associate the punishment to the offense.
 
Also; try putting a treat, such as ferretone, on the body part they seem
most aggressive toward.  If they are biting your hand out of fear, this
will help them to associate your hand with something good.  Be aware that
when the treat has been licked off they might still try to bite.  Try to
remove your hand before this happens.  :)~
 
SP
[Posted in FML issue 2462]