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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2016 18:48:06 GMT -5
Hi everyone!
My girl has an obsession with feet.. she will latch on to our toes / socks.
I have tried ignoring it, I've tried a loud PSST. I've even gotten slippers so I don't have to feel it.
So I guess I have two questions:
1. What can I do to get her to stop grabbing onto our feet?! I don't make it into a game..so I'm not sure what her deal is!!
2. She is constantly underfoot, Is there a way to get her to stop?!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2016 19:36:35 GMT -5
I've had this happen before when my guys were kits. They are trying to get you to play with them, and every time you ignore them they will nip you harder. It's kind of like they're saying "Hey, Hey, Play with me..." but you ignore and they think "Oh.. Maybe she's not hearing me, I'll try louder" etc. I find the 'psst'ing doesn't work, especially with repeat offender rofl. They'll think of that as a reaction. "Oh if I do this, she'll react, so I'll do it again until she gives me what I want." As for the socks/shoes what ever, I find that my guys especially were attempting to take those from my feet. I mis interpreted them from attacking my feet, but really they had this obsession for certain slippers, certain socks etc. If they do this when you have socks on, try removing the socks.  Ferrets have funny little minds. They're quite smart and figure you out very quickly. The best way to deal with this is not to react int he way they want you to react. So if they go for your feet, turn around and walk away/ ignore them completely. If they continue, okay then give them time out for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes bring them out again. If they go for your feet, back into time out. Keep repeating the ignore and time out thing and they'll get the idea. What do you mean under foot? I assumed that your ferret keeps getting under your feet, and well thats what ferrets can do lol. Nothing much you can do, but shuffle around lol. My little girl does it, She doesn't mean to, but she does and almost gets stood on. These days we have to become more aware for them, because thats something that can't exactly be trained out of them. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2016 20:16:00 GMT -5
Until this winter I've had to wear thick big slippers that were wrapped with gorilla tape.Now I wear 3 layers of socks an as long as they aren't white socks they seem to not be bothered with my feet  |
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Post by Sherry on Feb 15, 2016 21:03:16 GMT -5
Machan has it dead on If your girl is a baby, she is trying to get you to play the only way she knows how. Literally get up and walk away and if she continues do a time out. When she ISN'T biting your feet initiate playtime. Everyone has to do the exact same thing though, for consistency. Otherwise she will actually learn she can get a reaction from one, but not another and will continue to up the ante :heehee: |
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Post by msav on Feb 15, 2016 23:30:07 GMT -5
Otto does this as well but only when he is hyper, He also dooks the whole time he is doing this.
He is trying to play, It is getting to the point where it is annoying and painful we are going to have to start correcting that behavior.
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Post by Heather on Feb 16, 2016 1:03:56 GMT -5
It's a play thing and exactly what everyone has mentioned here....I only have one thing to add. For whatever reason, my wee brats either love or hate white socks...you can wear any stupid colour you like but white sends those wee brats into overdrive play mode. I used to go barefoot, I developed a callous issue and had to wear slippers. I wear Birks now but I still make sure, I'm barefoot in my sandals. They don't bother my feet. Feet are just little animals in their opinion, worthy of hunting.
ciao
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2016 6:05:48 GMT -5
It's a play thing and exactly what everyone has mentioned here....I only have one thing to add. For whatever reason, my wee brats either love or hate white socks...you can wear any stupid colour you like but white sends those wee brats into overdrive play mode. I used to go barefoot, I developed a callous issue and had to wear slippers. I wear Birks now but I still make sure, I'm barefoot in my sandals. They don't bother my feet. Feet are just little animals in their opinion, worthy of hunting. ciao Yuki helped me remove my socks the other day and they were red (he went ... well... ferret rofl) Word of advice for everyone. I learnt this from experience, but never leave your arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes, outside of bed, couch, chair, unless you're willing to subject to sudden surprise attacks from carpet sharks. *Shivers* I can relax when they're out, but only so much!! :heehee: |
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Post by Heather on Feb 16, 2016 12:11:41 GMT -5
Lets face it, it's all about the hunt. What do people usually do when a ferret attacks their socks or their feet. They shift their weight, move their feet, better (in ferret's mind) they jump around or even better run. It's all about the hunt. Bert fell asleep one night with his arm hanging out of the bed (note bed is at a huge height from the floor, it's on a pedestal, with those stupid deep mattress and boxspring. I need a ladder  ) . I woke up to this weird noise....thump...patter..patter...thump...heavy dooking...thump..scuff, patter..patter. There was Lady Lola and her daughters taking turns at trying to grab his fingers that were dangling over the edge. It's not malicious, it's a game....it's hunting. And, no, I removed his hand before there was much screaming and swearing and serious injury to both parties. It didn't matter anyway because a few minutes later Lady Boudicca jumped down on him from the shelf at the back of the bed. That was the night the ladies got banished from the bedroom during the night  ciao |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2016 12:37:53 GMT -5
heavy dookingThat cracked me up. 
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Post by msav on Feb 16, 2016 13:18:50 GMT -5
I have a mix.
Otto Likes bare feet, does not bother if you are wearing socks
Al like socks does not matter what color
Taz Likes black socks
Cassia likes socks no color preference
Bleu does not care socks, no socks But he does not bite He scratches hard at the top of your foot
With this group. I can't win.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2016 13:34:50 GMT -5
Thank you everyone for your replies! I started with a time out crate, it has made quite the difference, and it has only been a few days!! We got my girl some easter eggs and filled a little bucket with them last night, she had a BLAST! She would get one out of the bin and chase it all around the house, I found one in my shoe this morning :heehee:. What a blast of an animal ferrets are though, SUCH personality packed into such a little critter! She has mastered how to go up / down the stairs, shes so quick now! Her and our cat our best friends also, it's interesting to watch them play  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2016 15:26:04 GMT -5
@jesss1018 Great to hear that it's making a difference. Keep at it, some days you may notice they behave well but then another day they go completely into tantrum mode. Persistence is the key. I had my latch biter trained through this method in under 3 weeks. ;u; I love the egg idea. I might get some plastic eggs and give it ago too. I only have a rice box and a peanut pit Ferrets are so intelligent. They're fast to pick up on things and are so much fun. ^u^ |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2016 13:48:36 GMT -5
My boy Lee did it too when we brought him home. He looked very wild and very active, he was 3 month old. Every time we told him ,,no bite" and pushed him away. It took almost one week but he stopped to bite. I know he is still a baby and wants to play but we have rules :-)
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2016 0:54:54 GMT -5
I'm glad I found this thread! I have the same issue lol my boyfriend and I do believe it's a play thing and not aggression, but have having to just HOPE one doesn't decide to bite lol
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Post by natalieoh on May 28, 2016 12:00:37 GMT -5
With my first ferret Beo, he would bite my feet as I got ready in the morning, so I started putting coconut oil on my feet as that would keep him to licking rather than biting. He ended up only ever licking my feet but would still bite my husband's every once in a while. Did the same thing with the second ferret Ody, and he hasn't bit me since Beo passed away, but does often run up to me while I'm getting ready and licks my feet to ask for his morning treat (;
Now one of my youngest babies, Atlas, is the WORST. He bites with socks, without socks, bites at the bottoms of my leggings and will literally hold on as I try to (carefully) walk away. I'm hoping he will grow out of it in time but it is very frustrating trying to get ready and having someone constantly nipping my feet, usually during the more complex tasks like while I put on mascara (I have stabbed myself in the eye more than once as a result of his biting |: )
Good to have found this thread for sure!
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