Sometimes, all you can do is keep them, and love them, and protect the
ones around you. It only takes one nosy doctor to go "oh what bit you?"
and realize it wasn't a cat. And then, Ozzie might be put down for
rabies testing, even if quarantine is allowed in the state. Or just
because he did damage to someone.

I had a biter who had to be put away every time someone came over. It
wasn't the end of the world for her, even if she did rattle the cage
doors. As long as Ozzie gets some play time in some form outside of his
cage, at least an hour, his life will be good. A lot better than being
put to sleep, or even being somewhere where his owners ignore him
completely, or even abuse him.

I realize you were looking for answers, but I wanted to let you know
that even if you can't fix the situation, his life can still be great,
even if some of it is spent alone while company is over. If he only
bites your fiance while being picked up, it should be simple to allow
free time around him. If it's feet, too, then strong slippers might be
in order, also.

Fear biting is hard and usually it takes a few years for ferrets that
bad to mellow out, if they even do at all. Some are just wired the
wrong way from birth, in my opinion, although the majority of people
insist this isn't true. My biter was handled as a kit through adulthood
through welding gloves (not by me, I adopted her). After she passed
away, we adopted another biter, (we weren't planning on it) and her
bites are really vicious but well-intentioned - she wants to hide us
away under furniture and is trying to make us submit... lol.

Good luck and I'm sure a lot of readers will have great tips to help
you out. I know bitter apple definitely doesn't work with panic/fear
biters very well. I hope you can work it out in time.

Laryssa

[Posted in FML 6372]