Mo' Bob wrote:
 
>Q: (Private Mail): I'm concerned about the safety of owning a ferret.  Has
>   any of your ferrets ever hurt you?
>
>A: Not as much as I've hurt them.
>a pet rat put a three-inch cut on my right wrist, and a pet rabbit bit
>through the webbing between my thumb and first finger.
 
Geez, Bob, what did you do to get that rat to bite you?  Take away his
remote control?
 
Seriously, I'm in awe that Mo'Bob is mean enough to provoke a domesticated
rat (well, was it domestic?) to bite him so badly.  My worst bite in many
animal saturated years (working at a vet's office, owning a lot of pets)
came from a miniature poodle.  Nasty creatures, those, especially the
spoiled ones.  My sympathies on the internal injuries.  What an ungrateful
mother cow that was.  I, too, have been attacked by rabbits.  What a
surprise!
 
I just wanted to add that ferrets can inflict a bite completely out of
proportion to their size.  I would say they are more dangerous than your
average cat, IF they have a reason or are very psycho, however rare that may
be.  We had a long talk with our vet about Mithril's last biting incident,
and she admitted she hates ferret bites more than many other kinds because
they bite so hard and refuse to let go.  BUT, and this is a big BUT, if you
are attacked by a psycho ferret, you can always kill it.  Not so of horses
and other larger critters.  (NO, I'm not advocating killing ferrets, just
pointing out a last resort that is not available with dogs, etc.  unless you
have a well-armed friend nearby.)
 
I've mastered a good trick for handling nippy ferrets when they are frisky.
You've got two hands, right?  (This won't work for people with only one
hand.) Take one of them and dangle it tantalizingly in front of the frisky
nipper.  While she (or he) is fixating on that hand, bring the other around
and clamp it firmly around the torso and shoulders or scruff (your choice).
Quickly distract with treat, confinement, or another activity.
 
-Catherine
[Posted in FML issue 1882]