Recently I read in Ferrets magazine a column "Acting Up".  Less than a
week ago, my eldest ferret, Orion or Riri for short, bit the living
daylights out of my hand.  She is to my knowledge, healthy.  She puts on
weight in the fall, and starts losing it in the spring.  By the way, Riri
is a male, she was the first ferret we got, we were told she was female,
and by the time we discovered otherwise, we were too used to calling her
"her".  She has had a history of some biting, outside of the nipping
usually seen in kits.  About 2 years ago, she bit my now ex-boyfriend s
daughter.  The child, "CE" was asleep in bed, and Riri was apparently
loose.  CE was sleeping in our bed, and Riri has/had a very obsessive
relationship with my ex.  He was hers and she was his baby.  She bit CE
on the cheek, not "violently".  When we walked in the room, and yelled at
her, she stopped and stared at us like hey, what s up?  We had no problem
removing Riri from CE; she hadn t latched on at all.  We figured that she
smelled my ex's scent, and then came across something that wasn't him.  In
January of 2001, my ex and I broke up.  He kept the ferrets (7 of them),
because I was unable to take them at the time.  He had a roommate, who,
mildly putting it, was crazy.  It caused my ex a great deal of stress,
and in turn, Riri was stressed.  One night I went over, in March I think,
and was trying to pet one of the ferrets, Medb, through the cage.  Riri
latched on to my finger.  She practically bit through it.  My ex had to
open the cage, attempt to scruff her and pry her jaws apart.  Because I
had been nipped and bit (not this badly) before, I didn't struggle, which
probably prevented greater injury.  Needless to say, I was a bit miffed at
her.  In May 2001, I took "custody" of the ferrets.  Everything appeared
to be all right, my parents even found the stinking little critters
amusing.  We moved in August from Las Vegas, NV to Washington State.  The
little furballs wanted to drive, but allowed me to.  They did fine.  About
4-6 weeks ago, Riri flipped out.  I had left the ferrets out in my room,
overnight, and most of them were asleep under the headboard of my bed.  I
saw Riri asleep and looking like an angel, picked her up, and while
cradling her like I usually do, petted her.  She began licking my hand, as
usual, and then CHOMP.  Not just one bite, but a series of about 4-8 bites
before she latched on.  I pried her off my hand, flicked her nose and
admonished her (using a few choice words that would make a sailor blush).
Then, out of curiosity, or masochism, I put her on my bed.  She bit again,
in a series of 3-5 bites and latched on.  This time, when she latched on,
she shook her head vigorously, like she was killing prey, and then tried
to drag my hand under the covers.  I put her in her cage and attended my
physical and emotional wounds.  As much as I would have liked to at the
time, I didn't punt her across the room.  I left to calm down.  For about
4-6 weeks, she was fine.  Then last Wednesday she did it again.  She was
asleep in a drawer; I picked her up, lick lick, series of bites and CHOMP.
She bit into the palm of my hand right at the base of my index finger, and
one bite between the index and middle finger.  I heard something break.
It was an artery, by the time I got her in her cage and looked down, my
hand was swimming in blood.  I attended my wounds, cried and stayed away
from her for a few hours.  Again, this bite was like she was trying to
KILL something (my hand).  I called my vet, but haven't heard back; all
weasels are being shot (vaccines) this Saturday, so I will talk to her
then.  In the meantime, I am worried about her.  She is back to her usual
cute, lovable, weasel self.  I try not to overreact, but in the back of my
mind, I know she is going to bite again and she notices the difference in
me and looks at me like What s wrong mommy?  I just don't know when.  I
keep her away from EVERYONE!!!  These are the only biting incidents, and
she is 3 yrs 5 months, and we have had her since she was 2 months old.  I
have read several articles on ferret biting, but none fit these incidents.
My ex is concerned that she will be put down, and I have NO intention of
that.  I love her very much, my wounds have healed and I am getting rather
proficient at taking care of bite wounds.  As for the other ferrets, a few
of them nip (one tries to hide me under the bed and won't give up), but
they only do so while I am wrestling with them.  None of them bite out
of malice, and if they get carried away, which is RARE, I admonish them
verbally (weasels will be weasels).  I am really scared about Riri; for
the most part she is a loving matriarch.  She rolls around in my lingerie
whenever she gets the chance, and since she enjoys it so much, I let her.
I try not to "discipline" them for being ferrets, even if half of my room
is under my bed, but the biting to kill thing has got to stop.  I emailed
Marshall, and received an article from Ferrets Jan/Feb 2002.  I don't know
if they didn't understand me when I said that she isn't a lifetime biter,
these are rare incidents (4 in 3.5 years), and the first two, to my belief
have logical explanations; and her biting isn't minor, its drawing blood,
going fairly deep into the skin, and out of the blue!  I also submitted a
question to Ferrets magazine, but no real information.  Any suggestions,
or other resources I might try.  Again, thanks for your time, and help.
 
Sincerely,
Krista Hand from Poulsbo, WA
March 25, 2002
 
Love,
Bansidh
 
"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans for
welfare and not calamity, to give you a future and a hope" Jeremiah 29:11
[Posted in FML issue 3735]