At Ferret Wise we started in in 1995 with 19 of the nastiest biters imagineable. My hands were like chopped hamburger. Ferrets that were beaten back in cramped cages while food (raw veggies) were tossed ion. Angry, scared and hurting ferrets. As you can imagine these ferrets were rehabilitated with kindness and reassurance, not stern reprimands . Ferrets bite for defense - to protect themselves. A true biter is scared and instinctively trying to defend itself. Think f it restrained in a cage, handled by humans left with little way to protect itself (no options to run away and hide). When a ferret that has been mishandled, mistreated or abused reaches a new environment they do not trust humans. They will lash out in fear not wanting to be caged or hurt. It is IMO with a slow and steady process of teaching them they are in a friendly environment that one will manage to break through the wall of fear. It worked with those 19, heck just having food helped! It was not an overnight endeavor it took several months but all were rehabbed all were placed and I learned a LOT about fear and defense responses with ferrets in that intake. The worst case was Daniel and intact male that ended up in a SPCA. By then we were known in the shelter community for behavioral cases and many rescues can attest we have worked some small miracles with biters here. Daniel must have been badly handled. He was a huge handsome dark sable boy with NO TRUST for humans. You got nailed when you tried to remove him form his cage... he was afraid, you got nailed when you tried to put him in his cage, It took a long time to get Daniel tolerant of human handling. Even after his neuter to reduce hormonal issues, he was an angry boy and bit too the bone. His rehabilitation was taking so long that both shelter Dad & the vet wanted me to throw in the towel. He has a BAD biter. But I had a talk with Daniel- I wrapped him in a towel and held him close to my chest. I told him it was really really important that he begin to trust. and lo and behold within 3 weeks of our talk he was actually being screened for adoption. It worked. I do NOT feel that deprevation of food (starvation) or hitting a ferret is a positive reinforcement. Not in the past 14 years has it EVER been beneficial for ferret. Now there may be confusion between a biting ferret and a younger ferret that was improperly trained... Let me explain,.. young ferrets purchased at pet shops are traditionally sold right when they are teething. So at first their teething is harmless... but by allowing them to chew or mouth they are learning it is okay to use their teeth. This becomes the issue when they are bigger and stronger as it now hurts the humans. BUT this behavior was taught or reinforced by the humans. Now imagine how confused when one day the ferret is punished, scolded and penalized for doing what it was doing just the day before... you have the picture. Even with children training needs to be consistent and this is inconsistent. You get nippers and angry ferrets from mis handling & mis training them.. allowing them to teeth when young and then swatting them when it hurts us. So please keep this point in mind when next bringing a baby ferret home. Consistency in training is the BEST rule. Give that ferret something besides your fingers or hand to teeth on. Never cause the ferret to need to bite for defense. With those tools you will all be happier in your partnership. Those are the words today from this old shelter mom. Alicia at www.ferretwise.org [Posted in FML 6215]