>From:    Edward Lipinski <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Lipinski's 3-Step Bonding and Souping.
>
>This posting is dedicated to Jaden McCarty and to all others who are having
>a biting problem with their ferrets.
 
I would like to take this opportunity to direct folks to the newly updated,
input-incorporated problem biters FAQ, currently residing at
 
  http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/1083/probintro.html
 
Thanks to those of you who sent me stories and training tips; they've been
incorporated into the FAQ, and I'd be more than happy to continue receiving
your input and stories!
 
I've only had hands-on experience with one bad biter, but I have now heard
quite a lot of stories and knowledge from people with extensive experience,
and I feel compelled to reply to what Ed wrote yesterday, although I should
know better.  Some of his tips are good ones, like having the ferret sleep
in a piece of your clothing so that it learns to associate your scent with
home and safety.  Giving the ferret treats is also a good way to make the
ferret associate you with good things, although it makes sense to exercise
caution in hand-feeding a known biter.  However,
 
>Third, put the ferret into a figure-8, single buckle harness, and cinch the
>harness up so tightly that the ferret begins to choke.  Loosen the harness
>by one buckle eye-hole, thus leaving the ferret very, very tightly
>harnessed.  Do not remove the harness until 3, 4 or 5 hours have elapsed....
 
This sounds like cruelty to me, and not a way to help the ferret's trust in
you grow.  You can scratch its shoulders and back without putting it into
restraints for hours on end.  Licking the air?  Sounds like gasping for air.
Perhaps there's something lacking in the description that would make this
method make more sense to me, but as it stands, this sounds like a pretty
good way of traumatizing a ferret into submission, not training a ferret to
trust and not bite.
 
And while I'm at it-- I found the Hispanic-American "joke" offensive, and
really do not think it had any place on this list.  I hope there will not be
more like it forthcoming.
 
I don't want to foster flame wars on the FML, but I felt that as someone who
took on the responsibility of creating that problem biters FAQ, I could not
let what Ed said go by without comment.  Maybe, Ed, you could explain why
you think that this training method is not stressful for the ferret, because
I'm sure I was not alone in my reaction.  I don't see a big difference
between this restraining method and hitting-- they both feel good when they
stop.
 
--
Regina Harrison
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/1083
 
And time gets somewhat muddled here
But no matter, no matter
[Posted in FML issue 2135]