>If there is linatone close by and I can get to it, or someone else can then
>we dribble linatone in front of them.  NO, we aren't rewarding them for
>biting - WE are gaining their trust that WE as humans are not going to hurt
>them.
 
Oh - this is so true!  I agree 100% about giving treats & linatone when bite
training.  This is the one fullproof way that we've stopped biters from
biting.  Each time you approach them, each time you pick them up, each time
they bite and won't let go, give them a drop of linatone.  For some reason,
it does not encourage them to bite.  Instead it associates good things &
licking with people.  (it sometimes can take a long time - sometimes several
weeks).  Once, I tried to stop a biter by putting bitter apple on my hands.
It worked for the first time he tried to bite me, he backed off and coughed,
but he recovered quickly and this time came back fiercely in order to bite
the nasty hand even harder... Another thing that I wonder if others have
noticed with recovered biters: it seems to me that recovered biters are even
less likely to bite than a normal ferret - even when playing with other
ferrets.  We know it is natural when ferrets get together that they nip at
each other and wrestle and roll around on the floor, chase each other, drag
each other around by the neck, cluck and hiss and generally have a ball.  I
have noticed with our recovered biters they have a completely different way
of "play fighting".  They bounce, and chase and roll around like the others
but they NEVER bite, not even to playfully drag someone around.  Instead
they put their head down to the floor and sort of headbutt their opponent,
or they will lower their head and walk sideways, kind of shoulder the other
ferret, or jump on top of the other and hold him down - but won't bite!
It's very interesting to me.  I've noticed this style of fighting with
another ferret we have that is not a biter really except she just had a
biting problem with one of the newcomer baby ferrets where she was
dangerously rough.  She didnt like the new baby ferret at all and bit her
and bit her and bit her.  So we kept them separated for some time hoping the
situation would improve.  But, it didnt.  That's when we started our
linatone counseling sessions.  We would dribble linatone so that they would
have to lick each others tongues.  The biting stopped after several
counseling sessions - i guess she associated the new ferret with good things
and licking.  And now when these two fight playfully, the older one who had
to kind of give up her throne NEVER bites - but does head butt and
shoulder... It's almost like she is saying to herself "I want to bite you.
I could bite you.  I could, but I am too good for biting.  I will control
myself.  I will put my head down and shoo you away but you can't make me
bite you".  She still playfully bites other ferrets - but not the one she
went through counseling with.  These guys are such interesting creatures.
 
charlene
[Posted in FML issue 2137]