newbie hoping to have a reason to stick around!

[weloveourweasels]

That is so wonderful!!! I was sending positive vibes to both of you. She needs a devoted mom like you. I have a deaf boy. He bit my finger on the car ride home from the pet store and drew blood. He likes to nibble at any exposed skin. He is calming down a tad bit at 5 months old but I still have to be ginger with him. I make sure not to surprise him. He is very sensitive to vibration. Makes me wonder if he is a good actor sometimes but he doesn't respond to certain things like the squeeker toy. I love him though and wouldn't trade him for a hearing ferret any day. I'm so happy for you. I have been watching this thread.

[Jaycee]

Hi! First of all, congratulations on your new fuzzie! I am so glad that it worked out for you two! I am also very excited to see that you are thinking about making the switch to a more natural diet. You will be amazed at the changes! I bought a kit a few months ago, and she is now very muscular, energetic, and has a wonderful coat! My other 9 just recently graduated to a raw diet, and I can't wait to see what they will look like with the season change!

I would say, go ahead and switch him over to a higher quality kibble...and I would moisten it with a little chicken broth to begin letting him experience the taste of meat. Once you get some meat for him, cut up some small chunks and add it to the kibble and see if he eats it! From there, you can make the chicken chunks larger....and the kibble disappear!

Let us know how it goes!!!

[gilraen]

I don't think she is deaf after all. She was turning when I just made noise when I was in with her today. I'm also thinking she's nuts I let her out(didn't make her come out but she came running anyway) and she went roaming like a normal ferret would. But whenever she'd get near me she'd bite me. She was sniffing my legs while I was cutting up fleece and grabbed me. She attacked my feet a couple of times(one bad enough to bleed) and this while she was ignoring my rats(though the one bit her once and tried a couple more times) she was walking on/near their cage not even looking their way. She took kibble bites from me without biting, she didn't play with the strip of fleece I tried to get her to play with(she ran away from it XD) and she came over to bite my feet a couple minutes later again. As in ran out from behind a box to grab it and shake it in her mouth and then then take off running as fast as she could when I jumped out of shock. That isn't normal ferret behaviour, right?

At the store she was biting from inside the cage, so I assumed that was her "safe spot" that she didn't want people messing with her from. Here she is ignoring normal prey animals(and jumping away from them when they try to attack her! First she walked over the top of their cage, when the first one bit her, she jumped off. and nearly got bitten again as she was getting off of it, then later she was trying to sniff the one who had tagged her(she can't get teeth too far through the bars) through the bars and was watching her as she was puffed up all the way and was chomping down on the wires trying to get out to attack the predator that is 10X her size. Pretty normal for my rats. She loves people, but hates cats and, apparently, ferrets as well) and running to attack ME while not playing with what I try to get her to play with. Eh? She also wasn't pineconing her tail this time, but by the time I can get near her to try to scruff her, she has taken off running in fear from me. Other than THAT she seems to be more or less normal. Running behind things, climbing onto my dresser to get into whatever is on it, trying to get into my fish food container and then shoving it over and jumping on it and scratching at the lid again when she can't get into it.

Have I gotten in over my head with my first ferret? She's attacking me and because she was abused for doing just that before she loses her nerve and takes off out of fear of the backlash when I get close enough to at least get her teeth off of me.

[suds]

the attacking your feet is actualy a normal behavor its for alot of ferts a invataion to play chase you will just have to work on her biteing at them . give her a week or so to get used to her new enviroment and read this post here
holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi?board=talking&action=display&thread=592

it will give you a few way to deal with biter's each one is differnt and will react to differnt tactics but I am sure Heather will be here soon to she has a great way that she deals with them that seems to work great . She is a mentor here I am sure if you PM her she would not mind helping you .
but first give her a little time to adjust she will need to learn that you wont hurt her and it will take time. Keep a toy with you when she goes to attack your feet and legs divert her attention to the toy . It will get frustraiting and take some time I am sure you will be able to gain her trust and get kisses from her in no time .

[Heather]

Hi
Congratulations on your new fuzzy...you've certainly got your hands full She sounds like Mr Squiggly. She's young, she's been abused, it's going to take time. Don't scruff her. She will only attack and get angry...remember she's been abused at some point in time. She's going in for the bite because she looks at people and hands and feet as the creatures that attacked her before. She has no reason yet to believe you're any different. She may very well be deaf, they are fantastic at picking up clues but until she's more settled you probably won't be able to test her. As she's still kibble fed, keep some kibbles in your pockets, every time she comes near you but doesn't attack your feet give her a kibble. Show her that your hands and feet aren't her enemy. You know she was thrown, you don't know she wasn't kicked As hard as it is try not to bounce around when she attacks your feet. That's a game, even when she's not sure that it's a game...your feet are prey. Quick question, do you wear socks? bare feet? shoes? slippers? Around my house everyone has to go bare foot, even my guests if they want to walk around with ferrets about. My guys just love to attack feet in socks...it's an all consuming passion....they just can't let a sock foot go by without biting it. That's even my most calm, non-biting lovey ferts. Socks are prey. I don't know if it's the smell, clean socks get attacked too:) Smelly worn ones are the most fanastic and cause ferrets to gator roll into a bite and attack ankles I've found the best way to deal with a biter is to let them run and run and run...try and ignore them, let them watch you, try not to get agitated when they try and bite (I know easier said than done ) We've found with Mr. Squiggly that when he attacks, we slide him across the floor (not violently, just enough to get him out of the situation) It's all done calmly and with little fuss. For the first couple of weeks, he was basically allowed the run of the house with little interferrance except if he got himself in trouble. He was allowed to run himself into exhaustion, sleep where he wanted. After a couple of weeks, we started handling him. I was basically handling him only when he was tired and when he got himself into trouble. He loves to snuggle but is just now starting to look for lovins. He's still not comfortable with the whole handling thing. Either he has been roughly used as some time in his short little life or he hasn't been handled enough and spent all his life in cages. Now that he roams free, he is much more willing to be handled but he has a long way to go before he can be trusted.
Just because she bites doesn't mean she will recognise prey. Like cats, kits have to be taught. The hunt instinct is there and she may attack something that runs across the floor or your feet but she won't necesarrily recognise a mouse or a rat as food. Many on here have offered live mice to their ferrets and had them attack and make the kill but have no idea that they're food Once the mice stop moving then the ferret looses interest. The prey drive is there, but there is nothing to teach them that they're supposed to eat what they kill. You have to become her teacher, just as her mother would have taught her...the same as momma cat teaches her kittens.
Good luck, don't get discouraged. The people on the list will help you find answers. I think you will become a great ferrant, your heart is in the right place.
ciao

[wmella85]

WOW. I just read your posts. I am very impressed with your drive to save. especially as a first time ferret owner. I applaud your efforts. I hope that this experience is a rewarding one and you end up with one of the best relationships a people and ferty can have!

I have a biter, not as severe as yours seems to be. feeding her raw really did help.

also, once you can trust her doing spit feeding made all the difference. Sounds kinda gross, but it makes their infant instincts kick in. Helps with bonding. everytime i pick penny up she starts licking at my lips.

holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi?board=talking&action=display&thread=592

Reply number 10.


Please do not try this until you know she is not going to eat your face off!!!!!!! Give her awhile to get used to you.

I really wish the best for you and your little one!


Lauren

[crichton]

Hi all been a while since i posted. But when I read this i had to respond too. Were now adopted parents to 4 wonderful fur babies. "An we all know who" Anyways. Ferrets will bite is scared it natural. Two of ours came from bad homes. The man or little boy who ever abused them. An my girls would bite, shake an poop when ever i would come near them. It takes time this is not an overnight deal. You must gain her trust. sound funny but its the truth. let her know that she is here to stay. Let her out to explore her new world "but keep an eye on her" cause her first instinct is to hide an not come out I might suggest a bathroom at first but the two of u will need to be in their. it might take a few hours but ferrets are funny critters. when she feels safe in the room with u, An she know that your not going to hurt her she will check you out. But don't let her bite or intimidate you!! She need to know that you the boss, Momma an Buddie. Just time an alot of love an bribery. An soon you will have a shadow, like i do. My girls now try an protect me from everything including my boys. But in the end she can an will be you little angel/theif. because she will steal ur heart an anything shinney. Please keep us informed on how you an the baby are doing.