Although I'm very new to the wonderful world of ferrets, I had the good
fortune to meet Carl and Pegge Clarke of the Ottawa Ferret Association who
took the time to share some good tips, including the most effective way to
immobilize a ferret:
 
You may want to watch an experienced person do it first to ensure you're
doing it right, but if you grab a ferret by the scruff behind its neck, it
can't squirm and apparently is not hurt by hanging there (although your
first impressions may suggest otherwise).  This will allow you to do
sensitive grooming such as nail clipping or ear cleaning without the risk of
a struggling ferret causing you to injure it.  It is EXTREMELY important to
be extra-delicate cleaning the wax deposits out of the many ear folds, and
I'd highly recommend having someone experienced show you how before trying
it yourself.
 
 -James
[Posted in FML issue 1059]