>I did not know that all ferrets will always bite as i was recently
>informed.  From what I read I thought they could be trained not to bite.
>I guess the information I read was wrong.
 
Broomie, I don't know who told you that ferrets can not be trained not to
bite, but they had no idea what they were talking about.  Shelters do this
every day.  They train their ferrets not to bite, to use the litter box,
etc., so they will be more easily adoptable.  That has often been cited
on this list as one reason to adopt from a good shelter.
 
I have a daughter who is about to turn 2, and we have 3 ferrets.  We had
the ferrets before we had a baby.  (well, 2 of them anyway.) She has been
taught how to treat animals, and they were introduced to each other very
slowly.  They are NEVER around each other unsupervised.  We have never
had a problem.  She likes to "pet nicely" while we hold the ferrets; she
likes to watch them play; Sterling will play chase with her when he is in
the cage - she will run to one end of the cage & he will "chase" her, then
she giggles & runs to the other end, etc...
 
Sterling has never bitten her or anyone else either.  He nipped very
lightly a few times as a kit, but easily learned not to.  Jasmin has
never bitten anyone, and in fact, he gives our daughter kisses, much to
her delight.  Pandora had to learn not to bite - she had been through 3
homes when we got her and she was only 7 months old!  (she was one we had
before a baby) - but she still will nip a little, so we do not let her up
close to our daughter Christine.
 
My recommendation to you, since you have a 4 year old, is to handle the
ferret you get before you choose him, & make sure he (or she) is not a
biter.  But most ferrets certainly can be taught not to bite or even nip,
with a little love, understanding and training.
 
Shannon
Sterling, Pandora, & Jasmin
 
[P.S.]
 
Sorry to double post, I responded to Broomie's post without reading the
rest of the posts on that subject.  I feel that ther's a few things I
need to add.
 
>But you have a four-year-old child and that child WILL play with the
>ferrets (or attempt to play with them) and the ferrets WILL bite him, at
>which point the
 
The child will only play with the ferrets as much as the parent allows.
Again, I have a 2 year old & in her whole 2 years of life we have never
had a problem.  It is not due to luck either; we closely supervise & do
not allow her access to the ferrets just any time she wants.  We take
appropriate, responsible measures to ensure the safety of both child and
ferrets.
 
>If, as you say, you won't let the four-year-old play with the ferrets,
>then when do YOU intend to 'play with the ferrets'??
 
I play with my ferrets during my daughter's nap, and I also play with them
after she goes to bed at night.  As a result, my ferrets are able to run
around in a single room by themselves for about a hour each morning, then
they get to play throughout the house with me for a couple of hours each
afternoon, then again with my husband, myself, and my 2 near-teenagers for
about 2 1/2 hours at night.
 
>Ferrets have very distinct waking / sleeping patterns and if you attempt
>to force a ferret to adjust its instinctive patterns to YOUR patterns,
>you WILL SERIOUSLY SHORTEN ITS LIFE.
 
Almost everone on this list has ferrets adjust to their own patterns since
they work or whatever, & are not available to play with their ferrets
24/7.  Not only are ferrets adaptable & love to get to play with you, but
there has never been any evidence presented that it "shortens their life."
My ferrets are so used to our routine that they usually wake up on their
own & hop around expectantly to be let out at the times I mentioned.  And,
as has been brought up before on this list, ferrets' closest wild cousins,
the european polecat, have a life expectancy of only ONE YEAR when left
"to their own patterns" & not made to adjust to human lifestyles.
 
>They hate, absolutely HATE!, being caged.
 
With the exception of a few previously abused/neglected ferrets, I have
never known a ferret who minded being caged, as long as they get plenty
of time out too.  Many even prefer to go into their cages on their own to
sleep.  (My Jasmin included)
 
As to the rest of this person's comments, I think they say enough that
brings serious doubt to their credibility anyway.
 
As long as you are responsible and make sure you are able to make the
necessary adjustments for both your child's and a ferret's safety and all
needs to be met (including attention, etc.), then I commend you and
encourage you to enjoy the love a ferret has to offer.
[Posted in FML issue 3754]