NANCY,
 
We picked up a little <er> witch while on vacation.  We found her in a pet
store in an aquarium on pine chips.  She bit like HE** whenever you tried to
pick her up.  The store owner tried to return her but the supplier wouldn't
take her back.  Realizing that she would probably be put down, we agreed to
take her at the owner's cost.
 
The first few days we had to distract her so that we could grab her around
the neck to pick her up.  She was fast and did manage to grab more than once.
 Lots of scabs on hands and arms to prove it.
 
We have been as consistant as possible with scruffing, shaking and scolding.
A drop of Ferretone when we pick her up and another if she doesn't bite.
Today, about a week after we got her, we can actually pick her up and hold
her.  Sometimes she grabs but not hard, and even then will let go if we yell
"NO!" at her.  Not a blood-letting for the past 3-4 days now.  I still
wouldn't trust her up to my face or with a non-ferret person, but progress is
possible.  Consistancy is one of the keys.  The other is the type of
punishment that works for it.  If pinching makes it bite harder, don't pinch.
Same with thumping or swatting.  We 've had our best luck with the
non-physical punishments (unless you count scruffing as a physical
punishment.), and with rewards for proper behavior.
 
If you continue to have problems with her, please don't put her down.  Bring
her over to our shelter and we'll be glad to work with her.  Our fee will be
only a box of bandaids <G>.
 
Dick B.
[Posted in FML issue 1282]