>Some of you people are probably going to crucify me for this, but I am at
>my wits end.  My female ferret, Rio, is absolutely unbearable....
>It has stemmed from one fact: she BITES.  She does not "nip." She attacks:
>clamps down, head thrashes, until she draws blood.  She does this
>everyday, so many times.  So, I started with 5 minute time outs, added
>hissing, added scruffing.  I went to 10, 15, 20 minute time outs....
 
I answered Deziree privately but thought I should probably post it here
too.  These are a few things that I thought might be of assistance in this
situation..
 
There are a couple of questions and one observation that I would like to
make.  First the observation, 2-5 minutes is long enough of a time out.
They don't remember why they are getting it after that long.  Ferrets
don't have attention spans they have attention nanoseconds. ;-)  The other
observation is that you are using her cage for the time out.  That isn't a
good idea either.  She will start to hate her cage.  I have a carrier that
I use for time out and nothing else.
 
Now to the questions.  Does she act like this to other people or just you?
If it is just you, try changing whatever you are bathing with.  Use a
different soap, don't use lotion.  Some ferrets react quite violently to
different scents.  It could very well be why she is tearing you up....
 
Hope this helps,
 
Fuzzie Dad
Rascal,Treble,Cocoa,Moose,Charlotte,
Screech,Havoc,Casey,Hanna,Dodger,
Sampson, Rainbow & Squeeky
Never forgetting Loki & Spaz!
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5886
[Posted in FML issue 3051]