I need advice and the FML is the best place I know to get it. Okay, in the last two days I have received 2 rescues. One is a chocolate female kit, about six or seven months old. She's a nipper, not bad, more playful then aggressive, but the 2 old men who got her as a plaything for their dog just didn't like her biting them. Nana, her new name, better then what the old men were calling her, is no problem. I've had nippers before and know how to get them to stop their naughty ways...with a lot of love, understanding, a loud "NO!" and 5 minutes in the time out cage if she draws blood. The advice I need is for my new little boy. A sweet badger-colored with dark silver guard hairs named "Pepper." I got Pepper from a woman who got him from another friend, so I'm not quite sure how old Pepper is. The woman I did get Pepper from also has a 2 year old son. Yep, you guest it, the child was allowed to play with Pepper unsupervised. The woman told me her son claimed that Pepper bit him and she would not keep such a vicious animal anymore. Thought, so far, Pepper does not seem to be even a nipper, let alone vicious. Instead, Pepper is a very loving, very sweet and good ferret. Still he does have one flaw, on his back there are quite a few mats of fur. These mats of fur is caused by either bubblegum or chewing gum, it smells more like bubblegum. Also, the fur on this poor little fuzzy butt is so matted it is down to the skin, this makes it very difficult to cut the gum out. Please, do any of you know how to take gum out of a ferret's fur without hurting? I would just cut it out, but as I said, the gum is almost to the skin. I also know that it is very uncomfortable for Pepper, because when you try to pet his back he flinches. Please, can someone help? Weasel_Wardancer And the AZ Hidey-Hole gang Nanners, Lokki, Valhalla, Mickey II, Bandit, the girls, Miranda and Fayette and the two new kids on the block, Pepper and Nana. Dearly Departed, Benny 'Da Weasel' Gambini, Rodney, Bupkes, Skittles, Mickey, Fizzgig, Pywacket and Chaos. [Posted in FML issue 4253]