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Post by Guest on Sept 28, 2012 21:33:32 GMT -5
mustelidmusk thanks for the reply. I am going to try my best to cope hehe! Ill try to be as consistent as possible  Just an update.. She got my thumb again!  this time she was playing. I can see she was shaking her head when she bit me, so its definitely play bite. BUT it was hard and drew some blood. My thumb has 2 little punctured marks, seems like a vamp bit me hahaha! Maybe she doesnt know her strength yet? She now also likes to go under my butt, sniff and walk away.. i know it sounds gross but lol.. she did that a couple of times. Coz i sometimes like squatting down when trying to interact with her. She likes getting my leg  and playing rough. Lucky i play with her with sox on! I need to stop wearing leggings when playing with her. Maybe jeans? Seems like she likes to nip everywhere.. even my thighs. Seems like in this case i need to be prepared to be clothed in combat clothes before i let her out.  |
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Post by Heather on Sept 28, 2012 22:55:29 GMT -5
If she's biting too hard (drawing blood is too hard) then put her in time out. She's making merry and you're getting scared. Don't let her run all over you. She's playing, but she's treating you like a fellow ferret, she has to understand that's not how she plays with you (unless you want her too). Put her in the sinbin when she bites you. You shouldn't be having to put on kevlar suit to play with your ferret  ;D ciao |
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Post by Sherry on Sept 28, 2012 23:18:49 GMT -5
 d! And as she gets bigger, her bite will naturally get harder unless you stop it while she's young. Since she's interested in playing, her biting is no longer from fear, so this is a good time to start "yipping" when she bites too hard, as well as doing time outs in a small, empty carrier. No more than 3 minutes, or she'll forget why she's in there
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Post by darlene on Sept 29, 2012 1:14:03 GMT -5
Thanks Joan for your imput,I found it very interesting. |
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Post by Thérèse on Sept 29, 2012 4:39:25 GMT -5
She thinks it's all fun. You need to let her know when it's not fun for you (ie she bites too hard). Other ferrets also let each other know the limits for play, the only difference is you have softer skin so your limits will be reached sooner.
I've found ignore or timeouts to be effective and in special cases the bite hold.
Hope you soon reach a point where you are both enjoying your time together
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Post by Guest on Sept 29, 2012 8:17:59 GMT -5
d! And as she gets bigger, her bite will naturally get harder unless you stop it while she's young. Since she's interested in playing, her biting is no longer from fear, so this is a good time to start "yipping" when she bites too hard, as well as doing time outs in a small, empty carrier. No more than 3 minutes, or she'll forget why she's in there Lol okies. Got ya.. No more than 3 minutes |
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Post by Guest on Sept 29, 2012 8:19:01 GMT -5
She thinks it's all fun. You need to let her know when it's not fun for you (ie she bites too hard). Other ferrets also let each other know the limits for play, the only difference is you have softer skin so your limits will be reached sooner. I've found ignore or timeouts to be effective and in special cases the bite hold. Hope you soon reach a point where you are both enjoying your time together I wanted to try the bite hold. But everytime i try to reach her she goes aiming straight to my hands lol. |
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Post by Guest on Sept 29, 2012 9:09:53 GMT -5
It's definitely a game. Your hands are toys!
At least you can take some confidence in the fact she's not doing it out of aggression or mean spirit. Doesn't make it hurt any less, but you can understand it better.
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Post by candykittten on Sept 29, 2012 9:11:49 GMT -5
If my ferrets ever get too rough while playing, I squeal ( a highpitched "eeeee" sound) at them. Ferrets squeal when they are in pain so making a similar sound helps them understand that they are hurting you. They don't realize how thin our skin is  |
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Post by Guest on Sept 29, 2012 9:26:34 GMT -5
I've done that with my ferrets, candykitten. I made a whining sound, I didn't want to make it too squeal-y though... for fear of kicking in their prey drive. With my previous, they would stop... my last girl would immediately stop and then lick my skin as if saying 'I'm Sorry! All better?'.
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Post by Guest on Sept 29, 2012 10:08:12 GMT -5
It's definitely a game. Your hands are toys!
At least you can take some confidence in the fact she's not doing it out of aggression or mean spirit. Doesn't make it hurt any less, but you can understand it better. Confidence is hard for me right now.. Im really looking into getting gloves atm >.< If my ferrets ever get too rough while playing, I squeal ( a highpitched "eeeee" sound) at them. Ferrets squeal when they are in pain so making a similar sound helps them understand that they are hurting you. They don't realize how thin our skin is I tried that, she doesnt seem to care. Maybe i should make it a little louder? LOL~ my last girl would immediately stop and then lick my skin as if saying 'I'm Sorry! All better?'. Thats so cuteeeeeeee!  |
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Post by Guest on Sept 29, 2012 11:25:56 GMT -5
I *know* it's difficult. Try adding louder squeals, enough to shock or distract her... with instantly stop 'playing'.
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Post by Heather on Sept 29, 2012 17:12:35 GMT -5
Even yelling loudly would work, anything to distract and to startle. For example, I won a bonus today with Lady Morgain, she was wound...just crazy running around like a little mad fiend, dooking, war dancing, leaping....I bent down to catch her up and she bit me, but she didn't. For the first time when she bit and I yelled hey, she didn't bite down. She stopped, my finger in her mouth and she let go. I, of course gave her, her bonus which for her was a dropper of seal oil.
I very strongly suggest "not" using gloves. It has in the past had a poor endings. I understand that you're afraid, I'm not into pain either but I do know that when using gloves it creates a relationship of distrust from both parties.
ciao
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Post by Sherry on Sept 29, 2012 18:59:11 GMT -5
I have to second that one. Willow had nailed me so many times so hard that she'd actually done some pretty serious damage. I did use one glove on that hand until it healed up. And then it came back off again. Best advice I can give you if she bites and doesn't let go is to simply close your eyes, grit your teeth, and remove her from your hand ;D In other words- you have to force yourself NOT to react to her biting. That is also part of the "ignore". It can take practice, and it's never fun, but it can be done, and you CAN help your little one get past this point |
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Post by Thérèse on Sept 30, 2012 6:46:02 GMT -5
One thing to try is ways to interact where you can both have fun and you can maybe get a bit of confidence and she has an outlet for her sense of fun, so that when she isn't allowed to bite you she knows there are other ways to have fun. I used to have a denim tunnel (just the leg cut off an old pair of jeans). I could let the ferret crawl in then drag it round, rough them up, tumble them and they loved it and the denim meant that I didn't have to worry about their teeth, and it doesn't send the same message of mistrust as gloves because it's just a toy. Just a thought
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thank you to stivsferretbiznus for the signature of my fuzz!