Jan,
 
I thought your post on how you trained the fear-biter was great.  That is
certainly one that gets filed away for future use.  Great idea.  We're
always looking for new approaches, since each ferret is so diferent in the
reasons for it's actions and it's needs.  We've always tried to tailor that
with the training.  No one method works with all ferrets.
 
Generally we've had the opposite problems here.  Many of the "nippers" here
have vertually lived their entire lives in cages and are so desperate to be
out and explore that when you try to pick them up to put them in their cage,
they'll chomp to let us know that they DO NOT want to be put in.  Those are
really hard on the fingers and hands when they've crawled under something to
nap, and I have to reach waaaaaaay back in and pull them out.  For these, we
try to have a treat ready for them when we pick them up, making sure first
that they know we have it.  If we get chomped, they don't get the treat but
do get scruffed and yelled at.
 
Personally I do try to speak "ferret" to them (even though I'm not a ferret -
although some do argue that point <G>) in the same way I would try to speak
the native language of any group I'd be living with - it eases
communications.  The "scruff and shake" seems to be closer to "ferret" and
has worked wonders in many cases in letting them know that  I will not
tollerate being bitten.  Of course the follow-on loving and stroking are
equally important to sooth their fears and show that we do love them.
 
Sounds like you have a great approach for fear-biters. I guess the best
tip-off  to use that technique would be for a biter that tends to want to
stay in its cage, or that runs in the cage when it feels threatened?
 
Mass. Pet Store
 
We had a great day down in the PetsMart in Burlington, MA yesterday.  We set
up a table for adoptions and information.  Real good turnout.  Lots of
people interested in learning about ferrets, now that they are legal to own
in MA.  The most common question was "Do they bite?", or the comment "I've
always heard that they are viscous." Of course seeing us hold one, or better
yet letting them hold one, quickly dispelled that notion.  I think we made
more than a few converts.
 
Joan and I had been doing rescues in MA ever since we opened our shelter in
nearby NH.  We made many trips down and through there with ferrets in our
car, so I guess the emotional impact of Ferret Freedom had not really hit
home until I saw a young woman walk into the store with a beautiful albino
ferret in her arms.  Just seeing the woman walking around in public carrying
her ferret so openly somehow made it very very real to me.  It brought tears
to my eyes.  "This is what it was all about."
 
So a very special thanks to Sharon Burbine and all of the Mass. Friends of
the Domestic Ferrets for making that possible.
 
Dick B.
[Posted in FML issue 1504]