Teaching your ferret tricks

[Forum Administrator]

One of the topics that will be covered on the Holistic Ferret website when it opens will be Enrichment. A sub-category in the enrichment section will be "Training and Tricks".

Teaching your ferret tricks is a great source of mental stimulation for your fert. It also provides you with an oppourtunity to bond with your baby.

Unlike dogs, ferrets want a payoff every time they do a trick. This payoff can be whatever your ferret enjoys: treats (if they are food motivated) snuggle time/belly rubs or toys (if they arent food motivated).

As I said earlier, this topic will be covered more in depth when the HF site opens, but until then here is some basic info (from other sites) on how to train your ferrets.

First, here are some cool videos of ferrets doing tricks to get you pumped up!

Ferret Heelwork to Music:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdkEivFwBAU

Ferret Tricks:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXUr-wM40ZE

More Ferret Tricks:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RSvjUzkikE

Training Basics:

For training you'll need:

1. Some treats (or a toy if your ferret isnt food motivated). For natural treats you can use pieces or raw or cooked chicken, freeze-dried treats, or a few drops of fish oil on a popsicle stick (for them to lick off).

2. A "Clicker" ( or a light if your ferret is deaf).

3. PATIENCE!!! Training can take time!

4. Verbal command and/or hand signals

Here are some websites that can teach you the specifics of various tricks:

www.ehow.com/how_2067170_teach-ferret-tricks.html

www.petplace.com/small-mammals/teaching-your-ferret-tricks/page1.aspx

www.clickertraining.com/node/839

www.clickertraining.com/node/839

I am teaching Fugue some tricks right now. He knows "Prairie Dog" (where he stands up like a prairie dog) and he's learning "Turn" (where he spins around) and "Roll Over". I'll keep you posted on how his training goes. I use finger nail sized pieces of raw chicken when I train him, patience, and my clicker (I click it every time he completes the trick, then I give him a treat).

Please feel free to offer any training suggestions you may have! I would love to have some new ideas for the "Training and Tricks" section of the HF website!

[buzzonesbirdie]

thats cool let me know how it goes. i dont know if i have the patience to teach 9 ferrets tricks but maybe...

[pear2apple]

I've been trying to clicker train for a few weeks now. As far as I can tell, not working. Instead, I've started to train him with just a treat to sit on my lap, because he seems to be scared of that a little. So I sit on the floor and he will come up to me and put his paws on my legs, I give him 1/2 a piece of Evo every time he inches closer to me/on me. So now he more readily comes up to me and sits on me without me having to pick him up.

I think its a good step so far. I really want to teach him some tricks, and to come when I call him. He's slowly paying attention when I call his name now, mostly because he sees his food dish I think! But its better than nothing, and I give him lots of love! He is loved by many people, but I'm the only one he owns!

I'll update you on my progress if I make any!

[Forum Administrator]

and when do we get to see pics of Apple, by the way? I need pictures!!!

[meli]

lol good luck sounds like fun

[pear2apple]

I don't know where to add pics? Do I have my own section or something?

[Forum Administrator]

Just post them in this section. Make as many new threads as you want.

holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi?board=ferretpic

[gan]

I'm buying a clicker this weekend, I've heard of it used to help with litter box training, mostly because if you click while they're in the litter box, they have a marker, otherwise they could do have a snack and drink some water before you scramble over with a treat and have no clue which 'task' deserved the reward... and it looks like a great way to get really interactive with my baby, poor thing's bored!

[Heather]

I used clicker training to train Mad Max not to bite...It worked fantastic...I wonder if I could use it to train the little sods to use the litter box. Why not Good idea. I just got a dehydrator so I'm going to start making some treats (I was going to use it for the dog but hey why not the ferrets too )
ciao