Although I'm very new to the wonderful world of ferrets, I had the good fortune to meet Carl and Pegge Clarke of the Ottawa Ferret Association who took the time to share some good tips, including the most effective way to immobilize a ferret: You may want to watch an experienced person do it first to ensure you're doing it right, but if you grab a ferret by the scruff behind its neck, it can't squirm and apparently is not hurt by hanging there (although your first impressions may suggest otherwise). This will allow you to do sensitive grooming such as nail clipping or ear cleaning without the risk of a struggling ferret causing you to injure it. It is EXTREMELY important to be extra-delicate cleaning the wax deposits out of the many ear folds, and I'd highly recommend having someone experienced show you how before trying it yourself. -James [Posted in FML issue 1059]