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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 2:37:58 GMT -5
I wouldn't scruff for biting. I've had multiple baby biters and they stopped biting within less than a week using trust building exercises. They would bite hard, draw blood. But who could blame them? Getting ripped away from mom so young, spayed/neutered, shoved in crates, shipped to stores... Of course it hurts when they bite, but I calmly detached them from me and initiated play. I'd give thrm a toy and say, we don't bite me, we bite this. It takes patience. I only scruff for medical procedures, never for discipline.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 2:44:04 GMT -5
My baby Beethoven was a very young kit I recently got from a pet store. He would hiss and shove as much food in his mouth as possible when I brought him home. I just let him be. I didn't discipline or correct this behavior because it's a behavior based on fear. The pet shop wasn't feeding these babies properly and he was underweight. The hissing and food aggression has subsided, because now he knows he has food available at all times, whenever he wants it. I've never been big on discipline or punishing or even the sin bin on kits, especially the very young store bought ones. Most of their bad behavior is because of the trauma they went through at such a young age. I provide an environment they learn to feel safe in, I build trust and they come around.
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Post by Sherry on Apr 21, 2016 9:57:47 GMT -5
What angry noise do you mean? Only angry noise I have ever heard from ferrets was a low staccato dooking, or a very sharp bark, and that last one is more surprise? He doesn't understand what he did wrong to get a time out. Those should be reserved for unrepentant biting when you have tried other methods first.
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Post by Sherry on Apr 21, 2016 9:58:46 GMT -5
and I agree- never punish by scruffing. it simply teaches them a scruff means they are naughty, so when being vet checked or ear cleaning or any other reason they are scruffed could well have them trying to get away.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 11:16:03 GMT -5
My two gibs will make this noise when they have a hold of something ( a toy, a treat) and they don't want to let go of it. But like I said before, there was nothing around him to act that way over. He just seemed to be acting randomly aggressive towards me
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Post by Heather on Apr 21, 2016 11:19:12 GMT -5
Could the sound be honking? or at least similar? The only reason is that it's a sound that Tico makes when he's annoyed, he doesn't do it often. Usually it happens after we've disrupted his close conversation with a jill. The only time I've ever heard it is when a kit is following their mom around and I noticed that Lady Merida was doing it the other night. You have to be careful when that sound happens because they're annoyed and their response is entirely unpredictable. With kits they will follow their mom around after she's chosen to lay the "ignore" on them. If you grab them at that time, you will stand a good chance of getting bitten. Some have mentioned infant marshals kits doing this, but the human response is to pick them up and therefore they get attention. Have a listen to this. It's not very good quality and you've got to turn the volume up a bit. This is Tico talking....but it's similar to a baby's honking. The only reason I thought of this was because his daughter, Lady Merida was sitting in my lap doing this very same sound. It's not a common method of communication or at least not one we hear a lot ciao
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 11:24:00 GMT -5
My Flash was like that. At 8 weeks old he wanted nothing to do with people. His mentality was, "I'll hurt you before you hurt me." He would bite, latch on, and draw blood. He took a nice chunk out of my hand. Ignoring him didn't work, because that's what he wanted. He had no desire to be around people. It took time and patience and I never disciplined him because it would make it worse. I did nothing but positive encounters with him all the time. Now at 16 weeks he is one of the best ferrets I have. He loves people, is friendly towards everyone, and I couldn't ask for a better ferret. You wouldn't know that he had come from a bad pet store and that he was a draw blood biter. His turn around was really amazing. It takes time, patience, and lots of love.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 11:52:29 GMT -5
It sounds similar to the video at 0:32! Just angrier lol. So I was annoying him...? And just now I was playing with Tyrion to see if he would make the noise but he was just hissing (which he's never done before) and actually nipped my hand. What should I do in that situation? Take the toy or just leave him alone ?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 12:16:37 GMT -5
I wouldn't take the toy, because he will view you as a taker, not a giver. Flash's biggest motivator is a toy that squeaks so when he'd be biting or chewing something he shouldn't I'd squeak the toy and say, "we chew this instead." They're smart, they learn quick. Find whatever motivates them. I'd also use wand cat toys that would tire them out. And they love ping pong balls. How many hours a day does your ferret get outside of his cage? I learned the name of the game is too tire them out, then they're too tired to misbehave.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 12:18:23 GMT -5
I forgot to add, taking toys from them can make the issue worse. They'll start guarding their toys and become aggressive because they view you as a taker.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 12:23:49 GMT -5
That's what I figured about the toys but on the other hand I don't want him hissing at me because I try to play with him They usually get out about 4 hours every day, broken up. And yes, they usually get put back in the cage because they all fall asleep haha. Ghost (the youngest who bit me yesterday) actually only plays for about thirty minutes and then curls up in a hat I leave for him behind my bookshelf. So I guess just let them have the toys?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 12:24:28 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 12:40:37 GMT -5
Is your ferret nipping in an aggressive or playful manner? It's normal for them to nip during play. As far as the hissing... I have a deaf ferret who hisses and makes strange noises because she can't hear and she doesn't know what she's saying. My ferrets sleep in their enclosure at night and are free roam during the day. In the morning when I let everyone out its like crazy town! There's jumping and hanging on pant legs, nipping, etc. They have their own room so I just get outta their way until they get some of their energy used up.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 12:55:27 GMT -5
I feel like it's aggressive...I don't mind if they nip me playfully, but the times I've mentioned them biting/nipping it has drawn blood. I don't trust mine to free roam they're 100% litter box trained in the cage, but about 0% out of plus no matter how much I ferret proof, they always get a hold of something they shouldn't
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 13:46:08 GMT -5
Ferrets are rarely 100% litter trained outside the cage. I use puppy pads in front of the boxes. They will get better when they get older, though. They're still young.
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