When my daughter got gum in her waist length hair I used oil to get it
out.  I soaked the hair in oil (around the gum) and then pick it out a
little at a time.  It took ages, but it works.  I've also used an ice
cube to freeze the gum and break it off in little pieces, but I don't
know if a ferret would tolerate this.
 
Shelley
[Posted in FML issue 4254]