It sounds like Buffy has been physically mistreated, possibly because she is deaf and when normal discipline didn't work her previous people resorted to physical pain punishment because they didn't know about her deafness. She could have bitten hard and was thrown against a wall or kicked, which would explain her fear-aggression to hands and feet. She may be trying to get 'them' before they hurt her. Unfortunately that is too common with deaf ferrets and inexperienced physically mean people. It is one thing to have a knee-jerk reaction but it isn't common for a one-time reaction to cause this type of behavior. It takes repeated physical pain to. It will take time and patience to calm her. What has worked well for me with severe biters is a q-tip dipped in apple cider vinegar. When working with biters I keep a small baby food jar on the counter and shelves around the house, 1/3 filled with vinegar and a small handfull of q-tips in it ready to go. When I get bit I swipe a vinegar q-tip along the inside of the little mouth. Most take a second or two to realize what happened then they spit and sputter before trying my hand again but of course by that time I have my hand out of harms way (and I probably shouldn't mention my giggling). After the mouth technique I'll swipe the vinegar q tip generously across my hands before picking up biters. Some will sink in right away and they get the mouth touch again as well as what is on my hand. I'll warn you in advance, that vinegar burns in an open wound no matter how small. It takes awhile but they catch on that the smell means nasty taste when they bite. For bite training I play with them under a thick blanket that will protect my hands. As they bite my fingers through the blanket I gently but solidly grab their little bottom jaw with my fingers and hold it as they try to chomp down. The blanket has to be thick enough the little razor sharp teeth won't come through and one needs to be prepared for the pressure. I do this several times a day to instill the lesson that biting will get the jaw hold, and ferrets really don't like to have their little mouth held at all. This works with biters that are deaf and those that are hearing too. Of course with the hearing ones I tell them NO bite too. If for some reason the blanket isn't thick enough or they are strong enough to bite through, I give them a soft swat on the back end which serves more as a startle than anything else. It takes them by surprise and they release my fingers. Melatonin drops in soup can help to calm a bit. And lots of yummie treats so the little biter associates you with something very good. I often use ferretone as a training aid. I mix mine with canola oil and have a bottle top with a little nozzle that they can lap from. I pick them up frequently, with the ferretone bottle in hand, let them lap a few drops then put them down and go on my way. I come back later and do the same, over and over again till they associate the goodness of ferretone with my handling them. Vanilla is a calming scent so if you use a candle warmer you might try a vanilla fragrance. Vanilla essential oils sprays can be found at health stores. Be cautious with them as a tiny bit goes a long way and the scent isn't always what you think it will be. Some are more stringent and some are too sweet. The blends often are ones that aren't what I expect, but that would be personal choice. Some tranquility music is calming, I play instrumental with nature sounds that calms them right down. And your interaction with the other ferrets will help as well. When the little biter sees how the other ferrets respond to your loving care, they too want that, though they often don't quite know how to show it for awhile, but in time they will. I believe with calmness and persistance and gentle training, trust can be earned and gentle training can stop severe biting. I'd suggest taking it slowly, patiently, and trying to avoid situations where she is biting you. If you need to use a towel to pick her up without her lunging, that may indicate that she's afraid of hands because she associates them with pain and is getting you before you get her. Same with your shoes. tle www.ferretfamilyservices.org [Posted in FML 5953]