I was a bit shocked to see Shannon P trying to tell us that nose thumping
a ferret is good!  The nasal bones of a ferret are VERY delicate, and can
be fractured very easily.....and that's a painful fracture (I speak from
experience.)
 
How much trust do you expect to gain from a ferret when you're inflicting
pain?  I don't care how gently you think you're thumping, you're still
causing pain.  Your ferret isn't learning that biting is wrong, it's
learning that biting causes you to hurt them, and they'll learn to fear
you.  So if that's what you want to accomplish, go ahead.
 
I saw a ferret at my vet's office who had been nose flicked....a little too
hard.  Her nose was swollen, purple, and was bleeding from one nostril.
She ran to the back of her carrier when her owner pulled her out.  The
owner was only doing what a pet store employee told her to do...and wound
up with a ferret who now doesn't trust or love her.
 
I guess if you haven't broken your ferret's nose yet, you'll go on thinking
it's okay to do it.
[Posted in FML issue 3058]