>Bob, I had one biter that was seemingly ... well impossible for me to
>touch due to the severe biting.  I just could not do it ... blood,
>tearing, not letting go, etc.  I was only 16 at the time.  My mother got
>pet handling gloves for me from the rehab center nearby.  I used them
>for a while first.  It gave me confidence, and made me extremely calm
>around the biter which in turn calmed them.  Before things seemed to go
>in circles despite the fact that I was doing everything else right.  The
>ferret could sense my tears, could sense my tensing, fear, etc.  It was
>like a viscous circle ya know?  The gloves changed everything.  I had
>them off in no time.  What are you thoughts in extreme circumstances ...
>with the limited use of gloves?  Wolfy
 
I posted a few days ago about the three biters I took in.  I would like
to thank everyone for their letters and advice.
 
Yesterday I proceeded with my little biting rehab program as per a lot of
the advice I recieved.  I was getting more calm and confident in dealing
with it.  I can tell the three are DEFINITLY interested in me and in
trying to work this out in their ferret fashion.  They follow me around
and want to play.  They want to walk on me and sniff around.  I have to
be careful not to make sudden moves yet keep them controlled.
 
The one Kami , who is the worst biter,came onto the bed.  He did his
carpet shark thing under the sheet.  I stroked him and played with him
as he scurried under the sheets.  The sheets were tight so he could
not get a grip on me, but he LOVED being played with in this way.
 
He would occasioanlly poke his head out and look at me as if to say
"more"
 
I said to myself AH HA !..  this is great !... I figured I could use this
as one method with them.  I was 'touching' them , in a way that was not
threatening to them .
 
Well Kami comes out from under the sheet, walks over to me and climbs on
my shoulder.  I gave him a treat.  and told him playtime was over.  I put
him on the floor.  He came back on the bed, I did not see him come back
up.  I was lying down reading.  Suddenly , in a split second, he clamped
onto my bottom lip/.  he hung and would not let go.  I had to pinch his
nose so he would take a breath a let go.I really had to control myself
not to hit or flick at him.
 
The long and short of it is I had such a bad bite I had to get 3 stiches
on my lip.
 
One thing I have noticed is that the former owners seemed to have trained
them TO BITE.
 
Kami wanted to continue the play and when I said it was enough... he bit
hard .
 
If they do not get their way, they bite.  If they want to play they do
not know how to mouth , they bite.  They do not play nip moving feet like
the other ferrets do, they bite.  Bite hard and hang on.  I believe that
the former owners inadvertently encouraged them to bite, along with bad
treatment and possibly hitting them,spraying bitter apple at them.Biting
seems to be their response to almost everything.
 
At times they fear bite, but then again they often bite hard as they seem
not to know better.
 
Any ideas on this?.  I still scruff them and talk frimly and gently if
they make a biting motion to me( but do not actually bite).  I give time
out in the carrier ( not the cage).Reward good behavior with treats.
 
Christine
[Posted in FML issue 4104]