I'm sitting here with my chin on my chest.  It almost sounded as Teresa
was writing on the FML for me ... I also have never posted before now, but
thouroughly enjoy reading it ... after looking up information about ferrets
on the www, i signed up.  I was seeking this information because we very
recently (Jan.) adopted a ferret named Ziggy ... also from a man from
church who was looking for a 'good home' .
 
This Ziggy is less than 2 years old, he also eats dry cat food ... and will
not touch the ferret food i bought him.  He also came with a 3 story cage,
that is wonderfully spacious.  We also have several other animals ...
including a huge aquarium full of fish, and pet newt, a dalmation, a
hedgehog, a hamster, an iguana and another pet 'spiney' lizard.  We have 5
kiddos ... 4 of which are foster children, and the 17 yr old female is the
ONLY one here that doesn't care for animals.  The man that we got Ziggy
from wasn't able to give him much attention ... in his own words; he can
count the number of times he's been out of his cage on his hands.  Anyhow,
likely as a result of this ... Ziggy bites ... a LOT ... he's great as we
get him out of his cage, but once he's out ... he begins biting.  We tell
him "NO!" firmly, as was suggested on a ferret-info web site.  We're also
trying the 'cage time outs', another suggestion ... and then RE-trying to
take him out to interract.  Our instinct when he bites, is to let him down
(out of our arms) to play ... BUT we're afraid that'd simply reinforce the
biting, so we don't.
 
We're at a loss for what to do, although we keep trying.  Any other
suggestions?
 
Thanks in advance,
 
The OTHER Ziggy & family
[Posted in FML issue 2969]