Q: "I have 6 ferrets. Caesar is a 4 month old chocolate brown male and I got him a couple of days ago. Most of my ferrets like to be held when they get their treats but he will kick and claw and scream at the top of his lungs. And he will snap and scream at the other ferrets and the cats as well." A: Sounds like my last date. Well, except he was a she and it was only I who was being kicked, clawed, and screamed at, not other people. Let me start out by saying ferrets are just like humans in that they have individual personalities. That makes it difficult to predict individual reactions, so what I might suggest may have little or no effect on your ferret. Therefore, I hope other people on the FML who might have some experience in this sort of behavior will speak out and make suggestions I have overlooked, forgotten, or missed. When I read your description (longer than what is posted here), the very first thought in my head was, "Boy, that little guy sure sounds stressed and scared!" My second was, "Boy, he really, really, really likes those treats!" If the problem is the second thought, his actions seem extremely defensive towards "his stuff," but I don't think they are all that out of line. I think all he needs is a bit of time and patience and he will do just fine and calm down a bit. One thing to keep in mind is that carnivores have a built in reaction to aggressively defend their food, and ferret kits about 3 to 6 months sometimes seems to temporarily "revert" to a "primitive mode." During this time, they are very skittish, will act fearful and run away from sudden or strange sounds or sights (especially in the presence of strange ferrets or other animals), and more-or-less display a number of wild polecat behaviors. If the ferret is not neutered, these behaviors can be surprisingly strong, but they may be displayed regardless if the little guy still has his do-dads or not. That would be the good news. The bad news is the behavior may be a result of stress and/or fear. Imagine moving into a new home filled with strange animals (cats) and a gang of older thugs (your other ferrets). Other ferrets can be extremely thuggy; they can have no mercy and will use every opportunity to pick on a new ferret, even if both are on the same lap. The amount of stress your little guy might be feeling could be tremendous, even to the point of initiating stomach problems or diarrhea. Even if your ferret is kept separate from the other ferrets, he can still smell them and know he is the interloper within an established "litter." Ferret social behavior is not like that seen in cats or dogs. I've been carefully observing it for some time and comparing their ethology to other animals, and the best way I can describe ferret behavior is by calling it a sort of "cat-like small primate" social structure. In the ferret world, the ferret that lives in the room (or cage) "owns" it, and will try to exclude other ferrets, especially those of the same sex. When a number of ferrets live together, they revert to a type of behavior that is very primate-like, and is readily observed in ferret litters. In this case, the biggest bully (or pair of cooperating bullies) runs the show, and once the hierarchy is established, it generally remains fairly stable, with perhaps a few arguments from time-to-time to reestablish the pecking order. When a new ferret is added, it is a common event for each of the group to take turns fighting the new guy, or even several will gang up in their effort to expel the new ferret from their midst. During this time, ferrets can forget where the litter box is or what it is for, ferrets that were once friendly may start fighting, and some ferrets may even become a bit anorexic and lose some weight. Really bad cases can result in gastritis, Helicobacter infections, and ulcers. Ferrets are individuals, so it is hard to predict what might or might not happen with a specific ferret; the points are, adding a new ferret shakes things up a bit and it is a time of great stress. I had a similar problem some time ago with a little--and I mean little--jill that was terrorizing her owners with frenzied biting. She was a little terror even to experienced animal rescuers. I agreed to adopt her, and on the drive home allowed her to sleep inside my shirt. Once home, she was given her very own nest box, one with a defensible opening, I never picked her up without her "permission," and I never used ANY negative or physical punishment to discipline her. Basically, all I did was to completely remove all stress; noise, light, other ferrets, etc. She has NEVER bit me, and she likes to cuddle in my lap and fight my hand. She gets along with the other ten ferrets she lives with, and I think she is as happy as a ferret could be. This little girl remains a puzzle to me. She is very tiny; the external measurements of her skull place her in the bottom 10% of ferrets in terms of length. Her x-rays look as if she is suffering from some sort of metabolic bone disorder that has influenced her final size. With a single exception, her body proportions are normal, but the length of her spinal column seems about a centimeter or two shorter than it should be for her body size. I think she is suffering from some strange genetic disorder, but who knows--it just may be nothing more than being from the bottom part of the bell curve. Regardless of the reason for the problem (for my ferret or yours), I think the solution is a combination of time, patience, and understanding. I recommend you make sure Caesar has access to a dark nest box of his own where he can choose to sleep alone. I would remove him from the vicinity of other ferrets during meal and treat time, and if he wants down to eat his treat, let him go. Basically, decrease stress: light, noise, humans or other animal distraction, and give the little monkey some time to grow up. My guess is in a few months, things will get better. Just remember his actions are not all that unusual in aspect, although in expression they might seem startling. Just be patient, understanding, and give the guy some time. Good luck, and be sure to write back if the problem doesn't resolve in a few months. Bob C [log in to unmask] This is to think that men are so foolish that they take care to avoid what mischiefs may be done them by polecats or foxes, but are content, nay, think it safety, to be devoured by lions. --John Locke 1812 The Works of John Locke, Volume 5, 11th Edition. [Posted in FML issue 4799]