>From: Edward Lipinski <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Lipinski's 3-Step Bonding and Souping. > >This posting is dedicated to Jaden McCarty and to all others who are having >a biting problem with their ferrets. I would like to take this opportunity to direct folks to the newly updated, input-incorporated problem biters FAQ, currently residing at http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/1083/probintro.html Thanks to those of you who sent me stories and training tips; they've been incorporated into the FAQ, and I'd be more than happy to continue receiving your input and stories! I've only had hands-on experience with one bad biter, but I have now heard quite a lot of stories and knowledge from people with extensive experience, and I feel compelled to reply to what Ed wrote yesterday, although I should know better. Some of his tips are good ones, like having the ferret sleep in a piece of your clothing so that it learns to associate your scent with home and safety. Giving the ferret treats is also a good way to make the ferret associate you with good things, although it makes sense to exercise caution in hand-feeding a known biter. However, >Third, put the ferret into a figure-8, single buckle harness, and cinch the >harness up so tightly that the ferret begins to choke. Loosen the harness >by one buckle eye-hole, thus leaving the ferret very, very tightly >harnessed. Do not remove the harness until 3, 4 or 5 hours have elapsed.... This sounds like cruelty to me, and not a way to help the ferret's trust in you grow. You can scratch its shoulders and back without putting it into restraints for hours on end. Licking the air? Sounds like gasping for air. Perhaps there's something lacking in the description that would make this method make more sense to me, but as it stands, this sounds like a pretty good way of traumatizing a ferret into submission, not training a ferret to trust and not bite. And while I'm at it-- I found the Hispanic-American "joke" offensive, and really do not think it had any place on this list. I hope there will not be more like it forthcoming. I don't want to foster flame wars on the FML, but I felt that as someone who took on the responsibility of creating that problem biters FAQ, I could not let what Ed said go by without comment. Maybe, Ed, you could explain why you think that this training method is not stressful for the ferret, because I'm sure I was not alone in my reaction. I don't see a big difference between this restraining method and hitting-- they both feel good when they stop. -- Regina Harrison http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/1083 And time gets somewhat muddled here But no matter, no matter [Posted in FML issue 2135]