Q: "I have 6 ferrets.  Caesar is a 4 month old chocolate brown male and
I got him a couple of days ago.  Most of my ferrets like to be held when
they get their treats but he will kick and claw and scream at the top of
his lungs.  And he will snap and scream at the other ferrets and the cats
as well."
 
A: Sounds like my last date.  Well, except he was a she and it was only I
who was being kicked, clawed, and screamed at, not other people.
 
Let me start out by saying ferrets are just like humans in that they have
individual personalities.  That makes it difficult to predict individual
reactions, so what I might suggest may have little or no effect on your
ferret.  Therefore, I hope other people on the FML who might have some
experience in this sort of behavior will speak out and make suggestions I
have overlooked, forgotten, or missed.
 
When I read your description (longer than what is posted here), the very
first thought in my head was, "Boy, that little guy sure sounds stressed
and scared!"  My second was, "Boy, he really, really, really likes those
treats!"
 
If the problem is the second thought, his actions seem extremely
defensive towards "his stuff," but I don't think they are all that out
of line.  I think all he needs is a bit of time and patience and he will
do just fine and calm down a bit.  One thing to keep in mind is that
carnivores have a built in reaction to aggressively defend their food,
and ferret kits about 3 to 6 months sometimes seems to temporarily
"revert" to a "primitive mode."  During this time, they are very
skittish, will act fearful and run away from sudden or strange sounds or
sights (especially in the presence of strange ferrets or other animals),
and more-or-less display a number of wild polecat behaviors.  If the
ferret is not neutered, these behaviors can be surprisingly strong, but
they may be displayed regardless if the little guy still has his do-dads
or not.
 
That would be the good news.  The bad news is the behavior may be a
result of stress and/or fear.  Imagine moving into a new home filled with
strange animals (cats) and a gang of older thugs (your other ferrets).
Other ferrets can be extremely thuggy; they can have no mercy and will
use every opportunity to pick on a new ferret, even if both are on the
same lap.  The amount of stress your little guy might be feeling could be
tremendous, even to the point of initiating stomach problems or diarrhea.
Even if your ferret is kept separate from the other ferrets, he can still
smell them and know he is the interloper within an established "litter."
 
Ferret social behavior is not like that seen in cats or dogs.  I've been
carefully observing it for some time and comparing their ethology to
other animals, and the best way I can describe ferret behavior is by
calling it a sort of "cat-like small primate" social structure.  In the
ferret world, the ferret that lives in the room (or cage) "owns" it, and
will try to exclude other ferrets, especially those of the same sex.
When a number of ferrets live together, they revert to a type of behavior
that is very primate-like, and is readily observed in ferret litters.  In
this case, the biggest bully (or pair of cooperating bullies) runs the
show, and once the hierarchy is established, it generally remains fairly
stable, with perhaps a few arguments from time-to-time to reestablish the
pecking order.  When a new ferret is added, it is a common event for each
of the group to take turns fighting the new guy, or even several will
gang up in their effort to expel the new ferret from their midst.  During
this time, ferrets can forget where the litter box is or what it is for,
ferrets that were once friendly may start fighting, and some ferrets may
even become a bit anorexic and lose some weight.  Really bad cases can
result in gastritis, Helicobacter infections, and ulcers.  Ferrets are
individuals, so it is hard to predict what might or might not happen with
a specific ferret; the points are, adding a new ferret shakes things up a
bit and it is a time of great stress.
 
I had a similar problem some time ago with a little--and I mean
little--jill that was terrorizing her owners with frenzied biting.  She
was a little terror even to experienced animal rescuers.  I agreed to
adopt her, and on the drive home allowed her to sleep inside my shirt.
Once home, she was given her very own nest box, one with a defensible
opening, I never picked her up without her "permission," and I never used
ANY negative or physical punishment to discipline her.  Basically, all I
did was to completely remove all stress; noise, light, other ferrets,
etc.  She has NEVER bit me, and she likes to cuddle in my lap and fight
my hand.  She gets along with the other ten ferrets she lives with, and I
think she is as happy as a ferret could be.  This little girl remains a
puzzle to me.  She is very tiny; the external measurements of her skull
place her in the bottom 10% of ferrets in terms of length.  Her x-rays
look as if she is suffering from some sort of metabolic bone disorder
that has influenced her final size.  With a single exception, her body
proportions are normal, but the length of her spinal column seems about a
centimeter or two shorter than it should be for her body size.  I think
she is suffering from some strange genetic disorder, but who knows--it
just may be nothing more than being from the bottom part of the bell
curve.
 
Regardless of the reason for the problem (for my ferret or yours), I
think the solution is a combination of time, patience, and understanding.
I recommend you make sure Caesar has access to a dark nest box of his own
where he can choose to sleep alone.  I would remove him from the vicinity
of other ferrets during meal and treat time, and if he wants down to eat
his treat, let him go.  Basically, decrease stress: light, noise, humans
or other animal distraction, and give the little monkey some time to grow
up.  My guess is in a few months, things will get better.
 
Just remember his actions are not all that unusual in aspect, although
in expression they might seem startling.  Just be patient, understanding,
and give the guy some time.  Good luck, and be sure to write back if the
problem doesn't resolve in a few months.
 
Bob C  [log in to unmask]
 
This is to think that men are so foolish that they take care to avoid
what mischiefs may be done them by polecats or foxes, but are content,
nay, think it safety, to be devoured by lions.
--John Locke 1812 The Works of John Locke, Volume 5, 11th Edition.
[Posted in FML issue 4799]