When I first purchased my Jade in '93, (he was 6 months) he was an awful malicious biter. He had been at the pet store:o( quite some time, or so I was told by the staff for this very reason. Got a good deal on him, for him being a problem ferret. Best investment I've ever made!!! When Saz, (staff) took him out of the cage Jade was real nasty with her. Saz said, "He just needs a little work". I had never had any dealings with ferrets, I had only seen one about 10 years before, but I just knew this was the pet for me. For the first few hours, I was nervous to even open his cage, thought he might lunge at me or something. So I got out some leather gloves, work boots and away we went to the bathroom. In the bathroom, I sat on the floor, let Jade loose and just let him bite me wherever and whenever he wanted to. After a week or so, I went down to sneakers and just used a towel to protect my ankles, hands and wrists, still he got me a quite a few times. (Sure was embarrasing when people said, "My God what have you done to your wrists")? Anyway, this went on for quite some time, let me think, I am sure it was a good 2 months or so before he trusted me totally. To this day, Jade NEVER bites me, even when we sometimes play a little rough, he will only ever so slightly nip, (what I would consider a "Come on Mom, get with the program and play with me nip". I get showered with kisses at every pickup, wonderfully sloppy Jader kisses. The only thing I found with this bite curing method, is that Jade will bite other people, not just a nip, more like a quick hard snap, that will usually draw blood. But you know, it usually depends on the mood he is in. So just to be on the safe side, people always get asked, please not to touch him he does and will more than likely bite. Jade doesn't mind not meeting too many people. When I take him in my hood, he is just content to look around at others. He doesn't seem to be overly nosy/curious by nature, what I call good natured. Which brings me to the running free part. I ALWAYS, keep my guys on a harness. I have always been told and have read that a ferret's curiousity will take them farther than far, not for their own good. You will probably never see your baby again once he is free, (obviously not all cases, but the very vast majority). Look at the lost fuzzie stories on the FML, once outside, it's not like the little one just sits and waits to get back in!!! Jade is constantly at my heels, heck when I go to the bathroom, he wants in to lay at my feet, play and wait for me. Jade is funny though, when I take him outside on his harness, he turns and points to home, (follow me Mom) runs and won't stop till he is up the steps and laying on the deck, at my feet. He doesn't like to go off the deck. Daisy would just go go go, she is "Super Curious". Dad said to me one day, "I'll bet if you let Jade loose he would just hang around close and not run away". Would I ever try that? Not on your life! I have friends who have a ferret, Pookey is his name. When they go away to their cottage in the summer, they harness Pookie to the the clothes line, he gets loose many times, but he has always comes back within a few hours. I would be a basketcase if I looked down at an empty harness!! Anyway, in closing, I would NEVER recommend to let your ferret run free, and I think there are more painless methods to "nip a biting problem in the bud" then the one I chose. My biting method worked for me. I would use the method again and again, cause that is what I am used to. Jade is now going into his 6th year, and I don't think I can say that I have ever had a pet that was as loyal and lovable as he is to me. Daisy of course was a true lady when we got her, she only gently nips to play tag, she too does not bite. Jadesun) @-->-->-- A rose for you, compliments of Jade 'n Daisy and me. [Posted in FML issue 2357]