When I showed the ferrets at the zoo where I volunteered to visitors, we had a policy to only let people pet them towards the tail end. That way, I could control the head and prevent biting. It also prevented anyone (who might be malicious or just not know any better) from trying to pet their shiny little eyes. Presumably, you are going to show a very well behaved ferret (Sonny, the zoo's ferret, wasn't) but it is still a good safety precaution. After a while of doing this, Sonny did get to like being shown off, and would sit perfectly still while being petted, but he wasn't really hand tame at the beginning. Children tend to like ferrets because they are cute and furry. Some adults tend to be more skittish, as do a few children. Don't force the ferret on anyone who's scared; just explain how soft it is and how gentle. E.S., Hershey and Nestle' [Posted in FML issue 0598]