Hi I just want to share my favourite theory, concerning "nibble licks" with
you all.  I think it is a grooming behaviour.  I see it as a ferret family
thing, showing affection.
 
The trick is to learn the ferret the difference between human skin and
ferret skin.  In my experience this can be done by telling the ferret when
it hurts (Ow!  OUCH!  Fy!(Swedish expression)) and/or trying to divert the
furballs attention before the CHOMP part.
 
My ex-girlfriend once adopted a young (less than 1year) sheila who was
frantic about grooming.  She could start at your feet and lick and gnaw her
way all the way up to your head if you dared, wasn't to ticklish and had the
patience.  Then she started again at your feet.  This was the time to get
concerned, because almost always she ended it by biting just a little to
hard.  Like she was inviting to play or telling you: OK now you pet me!  The
trick was to see this coming and start playing before it happened.  As she
got older and more certain about her place in the family she got more
relaxed and didn't have to go to such extents to show her affection.
 
One reason for my grooming theory is that much of the gnawing comes on the
"side bumps on the ankles" (Sorry I don't know the English word for this) as
if the ferret thinks: Boy this fur need's grooming, you cant have lumps like
this on your skin!  Don't fret I'll bite it away.
 
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Jonas Nygards               tel work (+13 281789)
                                home (+13 212226)
Robotics / Autonomous Mechanical Systems
University at Linkoping
S-58183 Sweden
Jonas : http://idefix.ikp.liu.se/rames/JN.html
R/AMeS: http://idefix.ikp.liu.se/rames/rames.html
[Posted in FML issue 1361]