Okay first... Hi everyone!  I would like to start by saying that I am NOT
an expert I just (unfortunately) have had quite a few ferrets here that
bit quite hard three that drew blood (one that we are working with now)...
there are a few things that should be considered...
 
Anyone who feels my input is incorrect please respond... I will NOT feel
offended I will feel enlightened!
 
Okay... The ferret that we have that bites the hardest... this is not a
nip... this is attack mode biting... she tries to rip skin off of us...
she is still a kit... she had a rough start and doesnt have much reason to
trust humyn type animals... she is also DEAF and easily startled so we find
its important to make eye contact with her or get her attention with some
other action (other than picking her up) BEFORE we try to handle her... I
also tend to believe that animals learn the same way primate or NOT... they
learn from trial and error and their peers... so... working from what you
told us... you baby was in a pet store... with lots of other ferrets... a
place where strange hands were constantly thrust in their direction and a
place where they all seem to learn one thing... " they put me down if I
bite at them"... Our biter was also in a pet store... she was neglected and
mistreated... dropped, had fleas, wrong kind of food and water bottles...
we FIRST start by correcting that... when we hold her we use a safe hand
position one that gives us a little control over where her little fangs
go... if you dont have the book "Ferrrets for Dummies"... let me recommend
it...there is a chapter on problem biters with a photo of a relatively SAFE
way to hold biters... though I can attest that its NOT completely ferret
fang proof... (you can get the book at Barnes and Noble, Wal Mart, Sams
Club and probably lots of other places... and as I know that expenses are
an issue... If you have a Sams Club membership you will save about 10 bucks
on the book)... another thing to focus on (that has been working for us) is
teaching that hands are not instruments of destruction or toys... when we
hold our baby biter we give her treats, pet her nice, kiss the top of her
little head and speak softly to her (even though she cant hear a single
word we say..=O) )... If you have apple bitter put in on your hands while
playing with her (our girl wasnt phased by the apple bitter, she just kept
coming but that was a first with our biters) If she acts like My Dharma (a
reformed biter) she will HATE the taste and back away from your hands...
also, while playing with her DONT offer your hand to her as a thing to
chase, get a stuffed animal or something that you can HOLD onto to offer
to her to chase... our biters name is Kaylee she is a real cutie pie and
I wouldnt consider trading her for anything, I do however understand the
frustration and the fact is that sometimes you get a ferret (insert ANY
PET, this includes SO's... *snicker*) that is not for you... I would
encourage you to work with your girl and teach her better manners...
hehehe... another thing is that consistant reward and punishment are really
important... EVERY SINGLE TIME she latches on to you Scruff her, put your
finger on her nose (no tapping or flicking just place it there) look her in
the eyes and say NO BITE in a real nice stern voice... NO works too... then
while you STILL have her scruffed (since she is a biter) giver her a little
kiss or nuzzle and let her go back to what she was doing BEFORE she bit
you.  All of the stuff in this message are tried and true methods for us
but they have ALL taken time, patience and a couple dozen band-aids.  I
have resigned myself to the idea that Kaylee IS going to bite me... and
she does... but its definately getting less painful and less often... She
sometimes bites so hard that we have to PRY her off (and out of) our flesh
before we can tell her NO... My friends keep asking me if I have a pet
snake... when I tell them its the BABY ferret I just got they look at me
like I must be lying.  I mind but I keep IN mind that she is still a baby,
and that her beginning was really awful... I KNOW in my heart that with
more time and patience she will be as loving as my other 6 are... and I
know your baby will too... please keep us posted... and as I said... Im
NOT an expert there may be a better way but this stuff has (SO FAR)worked
for us...
 
Okay the Marshall Farms ferrets with the extra tattoo....I can say with a
relatively LARGE ammount of certainty that it does NOT mean they are deaf
or defective... I have one, My Yoshi has the tattoo between his toes, he's
big, active, healthy, and he hears everything... He even goes crazy when
I turn on my stereo... I dont know for sure if he hates it or if he loves
it but one thing I do know is that he HEARS it!  I tend to believe the
explanation that they added the tattoo as a Marshall Farms Identifier to
prevent people from misleading consumers about the origins of their
fuzzbutt.
 
Dooks Dance and ... where in the heck is my backpack...
-Betty
[Posted in FML issue 3215]