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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2011 18:14:35 GMT -5
I really want to try and train my ferrets to do some tricks! I think it would be a fun way to test and exercise their intelligence and demonstrate it to my friends and family.
Some of you have taught your ferrets tricks. How do you do it? Is there any guide you can recommend, or anyone willing to give some tips?
One specific question I have is, do you give them treats? If so, what is a healthy treat that they will crave enough for it to motivate them? Also, it seems like this should be a treat that isn't too filling, otherwise wouldn't they get too full for any more treats pretty soon?
Another question: With my dogs, I have taught them tricks by first somehow making them perform the behavior, then rewarding them for it. Once they understand the cause and effect relationship, then it's not hard for them to continue doing it for a reward. However, it's not always easy to figure out how to make the dog do the trick the first time so you can reward him. I have heard that with some dogs for example you can position them in the sitting or lying down position then reward them. This didn't work with my dogs, they seemed to just learn that if they allow me to push them down, they get a reward. Only doing it themselves made them learn the trick, if that makes sense. Is it like this with ferrets? I'm not sure how to deal with this with ferrets OR dogs frankly. With my dogs I have been lucky enough to be able to find creative ways to make them do the trick of their own free will.
Anyway, I would appreciate any advice on this subject!
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2011 19:44:47 GMT -5
this vid taught me how to teach my ferrets to roll over www.youtube.com/user/otterwoman?feature=mhum#p/f/48/PWI_KMglrL8here's my dipsy doing his tricks: I use olive oil as a reward now, a dab on my finger; I used to use hair ball stuff, but it's too sweet and I switched my ferrets over to healthy eating (raw, no more sugary things). |
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Post by shilohismygirl on May 11, 2011 21:57:36 GMT -5
Roll over: Say the words roll over, let your ferret smell the treat, roll ferret physically over, give treat. Do this for a week or so, and then say roll over, smelling the treats and try to lay them down and get them to roll over. They will eventually progress to doing it on their own.
Shake hands: Say the command, let them smell the treat, shake their paw, and them give them a treat. I start with that and progress to using your hand as a stepping stone to get to the treat while saying the command, shaking their paw when they step on it, giving them the treat. They eventually make the connection.
Stand, Turn: This and turning in a circle are pretty much the same concept. For stand, you hold the treat up in the air while saying stand. Give them the treat when they stand to get it. Eventually, you won't have to hold the treat up. Turn, same deal. Lead them in a circle with a treat, while saying, "turn" and give them the treat.
Play dead: This has been the trickiest. Two of mine know this one. Say "play dead", gently push them onto their side. Mine usually try to roll over because it's the first trick they learned. Before they roll over, treat them. This one takes awhile to learn, depeding on how treat motivated the ferret is.
with all tricks, be patient, only do a few short sessions a day repeating the same trick 1-3 times before you let them go play. The younger they are, the less patience, so it's good to let them get to at least 5 or six months old to teach them, though it doesn't hurt to start young if they will sit still for you. It's wonderful bonding time.
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Post by shilohismygirl on May 11, 2011 21:59:44 GMT -5
This is my boy Fiddler rolling over.
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2011 1:11:31 GMT -5
Awesome, thanks guys!
Just need to figure out a treat for them now. Tried olive oil and they don't appear to like it, also tried Marshall Bandits treats and they won't eat them!
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Post by katt on May 12, 2011 4:47:48 GMT -5
Stand is usually the easiest one to start with, but you have to wait until the are developed enough (physically and mentally lol) to stand on their hind legs on their own. Koda knows Stand to perfection, and is working on Roll Over (he picks it up fast but I have been inconsistent). I have other tricks up my sleeve too, but haven't had the time to work with him consistently. I need to get on that now...   For treats, try licks of Ferretone or Ferretvite, or even tiny bits of freeze dried food. Or fish/salmon oil (good for their coats). |
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2011 5:21:40 GMT -5
If your ferrets are deaf, you can do tricks with hand motions. In my video I speak, but Dipsy is deaf and he actually does the trick by seeing my hand motion.
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Post by shilohismygirl on May 12, 2011 5:22:09 GMT -5
Freeze dried morsels are my furs' favorite treats. Try some of those?
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2011 9:00:19 GMT -5
One trick I love is KABOOM!  Teach the ferrets to when you say kaboom dance like crazy and smack into the wall! If your shure they won't get carryed away. This trick is listed on the old forum to. |
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Post by starshineferrets on Jun 10, 2011 9:44:41 GMT -5
I use clickertraining to enrich my kids days... not so much as to make them do tricks (although making me coffee in the morning wouldn't be half bad!) but more of a way to make them think and socially interact with me in a more focused way. It's also very handy when you want to get rid of unwanted behaviours. Reinforce whats good.. ignore whats bad  If one can use it to make an hermit crab ring a bell for food.. what can't you teach a ferret Fx. this little girl would attempt to gnaw your hands off if you tried checking her teeth, ears or nails... 3 x 2 minute clicker sessions made this possible: Target training is an easy thing to start with |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2011 16:30:46 GMT -5
Remember, what one learns do do for others, they learn to do for them salves:) imagin ferrets on coffy. I use clickertraining to enrich my kids days... not so much as to make them do tricks (although making me coffee in the morning wouldn't be half bad!) but more of a way to make them think and socially interact with me in a more focused way. It's also very handy when you want to get rid of unwanted behaviours. Reinforce whats good.. ignore whats bad If one can use it to make an hermit crab ring a bell for food.. what can't you teach a ferret Fx. this little girl would attempt to gnaw your hands off if you tried checking her teeth, ears or nails... 3 x 2 minute clicker sessions made this possible: Target training is an easy thing to start with |
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Post by jadewolf on Jun 11, 2011 12:57:58 GMT -5
I taught my first two ferrets stand up, circle, and roll over (I didn't find the youtube vids, so I approached it in stages by leading their nose with the treat, first got them to lay down which was the hardest part, then start to roll over, then roll all the way). I mostly did it by leading their nose with the food, but I haven't been able to transition to having them do the trick and *then* get food.
Wysong Daily Dream are freeze dried treats that all of mine (except one) love. I generally let them play till they're no longer bursting at the seams, then ask "who wants to learn?" which they know means treats. They come over, practice tricks as long as they're interested/hungry, and wander off when they're done. Jack only ever had 2-3 minutes of training in him, Will does tricks for a good 10 minutes.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2011 8:11:23 GMT -5
My Josie was deaf and she learned many "tricks" to do by hand signals. Before she passed from JL she was learning to run an indoor agility course.
Keep in mind that we really aren't "teaching" them to do anything they cannot already do. All we are doing is connecting a communication signal to an action they can already perform.
A real trick would be say getting them to hold a pen and write their name.
All ferrets know how to sit, stand up, dance about, roll over, crawl, play dead, run backwards, tunnel, dig, spin about etc... but the specific response to a specific CUE is what the human's goal is.
SO you have to be very patient and very specific and repeat repeat repeat with rewards the ferret enjoys.
Josie worked her heart out for bits of raw salmon or hamburg.
Make your cues definite and distinctive. If using voice change your tones, draw out syllables, amplify accents etc. Hand signals need to be specific and definite too. Each one distinctive from another. As the ferret progresses you can reduce the motions or the volume of the cue but at first it's easiest to exaggerate.
Ferrets tend to think a bit like dogs without the "oh gosh I love you so much I'll die for you master" thinking- they want to play , interact, be part of a group, look to a leader and thoroughly enjoy food rewards. But once their belly is full they'll want to snooze. SO make the rewards just small tiny bits. You know what the size of a raisin is or those bandit treats? Divide that size morsel into quarters and each quarter is a reward. No, do NOT use raisins or Bandit treats as rewards! I am just using the size as a visual aid.
Hand signals can build on each other easily and I simply used several common dog training signals. Started with Come Here & stop, then sit & stay, sit pretty, then down & roll over, at the time of her passing Josie was learning forward, through and weave.
These guys are amazingly attentive, love the interaction of learning and learn very quickly.
Here"s Josie in her 4th "training" session with about a half hour total time of training:
What ever you do make it fun, NEVER punish - only reward. Start out with small expectations and build on it.
Teaching roll over was easiest for my guys by simply teaching them to sit first, then down, then I took a treat bit and had their nose follow it around their neck. as their head turns their body lays over and when they roll over they immediately get the treat.
In just a few moments they put two and two together and you can back your hand away from their nose and just use the hand signal!
Have fun!
Cheers,
Kim
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2011 9:36:00 GMT -5
Most ferrets are very easy to train for food/treats. You'll probably find you can train one ferret, and the rest will learn by watching. Most ferrets respond more readily to visuals and "extreme sound" (clicker/squeaker) than they do to voice. The easiest trick is to teach them to sit up. This is also a very healthy trick since, as ferrets age, they tend to lose muscle in the lower back, which makes them more prone to injury as they get older. Simply holding they treat above the nose and raising the treat as the ferret rises works. Give the voice command at the same time. After doing this a couple of times. Hold the treat high to begin with and give the voice command. Depending upon how thoroughly you want to train your ferrets, you can get them to respond by voice only. The coolest part about ferrets is that they learn to use tricks as a means to ak for something (it may not even be food). My kids will come by and "sit up" when they want something. They sit up when... * they want food / treats / toys * they want to be picked up * they want to be let into the other room. * they want to play a game When they hear the treat bag, they all come running. They all sit side-by-side, and sit up before I cane even get the bag open  . It's so CUTE!!! Because I use voice, 2 of my kids (my girls) will also ask for things by vocalizing - they sit at or on my feet, look up and SQUEAK at me. My girl are more vocal than my boys in every aspect. Different ferrets have different likes/dislikes, but here are my favorite treat for training ....because: Bravo Training Treats AND Bravo bonus bites: www.bravorawdiet.com/product/bonusbites/index.html1. they are 100% meat - healthy (grass fed, antibiotic-free, etc) 2. My kid LOVE these treats 3. they're small/ferret-sized bites 4. Lots of variety (even lobster - LOL!!!) but a HUGE favorite in my house - and a REALLY healthy one - is the freeze-dried tukey heart! Have fun -jennifer |
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. It's so CUTE!!!