Someone requested information on biting, so here's what has worked for me
and my family - CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY to any good behavior modification
program.  This takes time and over the next month or two you will
gradually see the biting occurrences decrease.
 
Please do not use nose thumping, hitting or any aggressive actions to
correct any ferret discipline problems as I have found that it only makes
it much worse.  Your baby will become afraid of you and become defensive
and aggressive, that's not what we want for our little darlings, is it?
 
Ferrets use their mouths to check things out like human babies, only their
teeth are in and sharp!
 
Immediately and every time the ferret nips, yelp and say owie, cry,
anything your ferret does when hurt, then scruff the ferret, which will
look funny and yawn - I don't know why.  Scruffing is picking it up by
the loose skin on the back of the neck, like their Mom does.
 
Look into the face and say sternly and loud, "No bite, No bite!" several
times.
 
Put the fert down and ignore it.
 
If it nips again, pick up the ferret and do it again.
 
If it doesn't nip again within a minute, reward the ferret by picking it
up and cuddling your furball.
 
It may take a long time for the baby to learn, a couple of times to
several weeks, but you will find they do it less often.
 
Now the critical thing is the ferret will be trained not to pick on you,
but if anyone else in your house is being nipped they must do the same
thing or the ferret will continue to nip them.  My husband wanted me to
be the bad guy and do the disciplining and couldn't figure out why the
ferret still nipped him.  Duh?
 
The other thing is when you play with them, don't let them nip your hands,
do the same thing.  They will be confused if you let them nip when playing
and don't discipline them but do it other times.
 
Remember .....Consistency is the key!
 
I hope this helps and don't give up on your little one - the alternatives
you mention are very bad ones.  If you ultimately decide to get rid of the
ferret - post an ad to this list and someone from the FML will likely take
it in and work with it.
 
Kim the Oregon one
[Posted in FML issue 3801]