Killer ferret - biting help please!

[crichton]

Also I may want to point out in the ferrets for dummies book thay have a wonderfull chapter on biting. I just bought the book an Icant seem to put it down.

[pear2apple]

I was just searching for new ferret stuff to read (it seems I've read it all!) and I came across this thread on Ferret.com that has a "bite hold" and then a follow-up cuddle that I've never heard of before. It looks like it might work really well, so I've decided to post it here for everyone else to check it out!

forum.ferret.com/tm.asp?m=52952

[josiesmom]

Hi P2A,
That's the "harness hold" I speak of using. It does work for most ferrets, and is working somewhat for Roman, too.

But something really bad has happened in Roman's past and he'll yawn, sigh and totally relax. I can stroke him even until he falls asleep in my arms. But as soon as he wakes up and finds himself being held he goes ballistic and latches onto the nearest hand he can find!

I'm still working with him, he's got a ways to go yet, but with patience and persistence he has no choice but to get used to being held.

Good luck with yours!
Cheers,
Kim

[suds]

This is why I love this site always so many differnt opinoins and ways to try and solve differnt things , there are many great things in this thread to try with biters.! It seems its a big subject on many boards I read. and as everyone knows every ferret and household is differnt what works for one mite not work for another. its gerat to know there are several things that can be done . But remeber it takes time and concistency for anything to work. I am going copy and pasteing 1 of my rants I posted on 2 sites it seems instead of sticking to one thing they kept trying diffenrt things each day and never realy stuck with one thing , and on one site the wife would do one thing and the husban would do something differnt . please remember all partie's have to use the same tactics or all it wil do is confuse the poor thing.

have they been tested for adrenal? From what i understand agression is the first signs of it. I had a biter I started out with a glove then went to a towel holding him , feeding him and talking to him in a com voice several times a day as well as always having a toy inhand or pocket to divert his attention , if did catch me with a nip or bite he went straight into the time out cage for 5mins. it was constent evryday. and now all i get are kisses and snuggles he climbes up on my shoulder gives me kisses and falls asleep all the time now.

the key to any behavor training for any animal is paitents and concistency if you keep changing tactics it confuses them and nothing happens over night so paitents is a must.

but also its very important to rule out adrenal or any other possible medical problems that mite take more then 1 visit to the vet to find.

once you know for a fact you dont have a medical reason for the behavor then the next step is to try and find out what triggers the problem . could be many things , untrust, thinks he is dominent over you ,scared, rough play , wanting attention and so on .
then everybody involved need to come up with a plan to disapline for bad behavor and give praise and treats for good behavor in the same manor each and every time , eventually in time it should show results .

P.S. some food for thought , lots of raw and whole prey feeders say that ther agressive biters calm down alot and take out there agression on the natural foods instead of humans toe's

[valkyriestorm]

Glad I found this. I am having trouble at my job. I work in a pet store where we sell Marshalls Ferrets and I have a little girl that is a bitter. I have untill Thursday to get her to stop biting. I have been working with her everyday. She is just crazy. She hisses and barks when she is biting. We have had others like this and had to return them. But I am sick of it. I dont even know what they do to them once they are returned, I can only imagine. I am determined to save this one. Even if I have to take her home to train her, if my boss lets me. But tomorrow I am going to try some of the suggestions in here. Anymore info would help.

[Heather]

Could your little one be deaf? The reason why I ask (other than her rather violent perseption of life) is that Marshalls usually pride themselves on some of the calmer ferrets that I've had the pleasure of knowing. I presently have 4 ferrets who are deaf. The recent adoption of Fang, now named Mr. Fun-go Squiggly is a perfect example. He is a terrible biter, but only if startled, he's also very deaf. He hisses, barks and poofs up his tail. He doesn't respond well to a scruff (in fact he attacks when you release him). He's also the sweetest snuggler and gives wonderful kisses.
I wish you luck with your little one. Most deaf ferrets are not good "beginners" ferrets and I don't think there is much of a life for a fuzzy returned to Marshals as they also supply lab animals I hope you can find a way to convince your manager to let you work with this little one.
ciao

[valkyriestorm]

Thanks. I thought only most Albino ferrets are def or blind. The one at my job is a very light colored sable, almost cinnamon. I will check to see if she is def tomorrow.

[Heather]

My Odin, is my only albino ferret. He hears as fine as any ferret, the sunlight bothers his eyes but other than that he hears ok. Attila, Lady B, Aremis and now Mr Squiggly are my deaf ferrets. Mr Squiggly is a DEW, the rest are exotic marks or mutts (as breeders prefer to call them) I'm no good with colours. I suspect that Attila is probably a neural crest disorder but I really don't know that for sure. Both he and Aremis had or have blazes. Aremis had a very distinct blaze but it's since disappeared Lady B has a distinct "M" on her forhead (dh claims it's an inverted "E" for evil ) and a black tail. Attila and Mr Squiggly only bite when startled....Lady B Itchy and Aremis bite because it feels good I've not figured out a reason for those two, sometimes they just come up to you and bite They both bite a lot less now that they are free roaming and on a raw diet. It's almost like they want you to remember they're there
Good luck with your little one.
ciao

[valkyriestorm]

She's doing better every day. Im so happy I might not have to send her back, my boss said we can sell her at a discount.

[Heather]

You know, I know where he's coming at about the discount, that being said I wish he woudn't. She needs a special home. Not someone who's never had a biting ferret. She needs someone who knows how to deal with fuzzies. At a discount she will probably find herself in a beginnner's home who has no clue how do deal with a biter. Oh well, we can't have it all ways...at least she's not going back to Marshal's to become a lab animal. Good luck, and a special kiss and a prayer to your little one, may she find a loving and understanding home.
ciao

[amyj1979]

My Vixey goes after feet. I have used a squirt bottle and it helped. Oneday I noticed that my hubby never gets his toes bit unless she is sleeping in his boots and he tries to but them on. So I sat on the floor and she would go after my feet and not his. It took me a few months to realize it was because I wore socks or slippers and Steve is always bearfoot. I always wear my slippers because it doesn't hurt when she bites them. I did go bearfoot and she never went after my feet but my feet were cold. She just hates my sock and slippers.