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Post by joe on Mar 5, 2018 0:58:37 GMT -5
my ferrets come to me, sniff all around my hands, lick my hands, all cute until they bite down a little more than im okay with. not sure if its for attention or out of boredom, but its definitely not playful. and i have to put them in time out for 2 mins, and i hate doing it. in this sad cardboard box all just to condition them to stop biting. and they're getting better but before i know it they bite down again and i scruff them and bring them to the box. i've been a ferret owner for maybe 4 days now and i just want to know what to do about this. i don't want them to antagonize me.
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Mar 5, 2018 3:51:15 GMT -5
I know places on the internet will tell you to scruff ferret, blow in their face, use bitter apple, yell at ferret-- no! The list goes on of no-no's to teach ferrets not to bite. Members here use scruffing mainly for just giving medicines. The time-out box is used here---but you have to be consistent and patient, which is the reason I never did that.
Are your new ferrets babies? They are notorious for biting. However,I got a girl off craigslist(1 year old) that would not let me change blankets in her cage without biting me--she seemed hypersensitive to movement. I was sanding new baseboards in my home and the sound woke her up and here she came--and yea she tried to bite me. I just took her out of the room and closed the door. She has calmed down significantly(4 years old), but has a tendency to use her teeth when excited while playing and will gnaw. So what I do is redirect by changing the situation. You can just walk away or do something like offering them a bowl of gadgets to investigate. I am sure u will get other ideas from members here. Some r more bitey than others, but they will calm down with time if always treated in a positive and loving manner. You may want to warn friends and even keep them away from children.
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Post by Sherry on Mar 5, 2018 7:16:41 GMT -5
I would stop the scruffing and just use the time outs. Personally I use 3 minutes in an empty closed small cat carrier. And yes some days it seems they no sooner come out then they are right back in again. But it DOES work.
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Post by Sparrow on Apr 10, 2018 18:11:13 GMT -5
I just gave my ferret a very firm "NO" to get him to stop. It only took a few weeks for him to stop. I tried the spray first and it didn't work. Scruffing I just refuse to do so I never do that with any of my pets.
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Post by Charlie on Apr 11, 2018 9:01:24 GMT -5
My ferret has a room to play in. If he is out playing with me and he bites me hard while playing I leave the room. He didn't like me leaving and no one to play with, so he eventually stopped biting. Now I get kisses!
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Post by unclejoe on Apr 11, 2018 20:53:21 GMT -5
young ferrets bite a lot like kittens and puppies, but usually grow out of it. they get sold so young they're barely done teething, and sometimes still are. Patience is key with ferrets. I have a couple 2 year olds that can still tick me off.
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Post by raven on Apr 14, 2018 14:05:30 GMT -5
Don't give up! I have a ferret that also bites me and I've also only had them for a little over a week, I can't pin point why either. They are in a new environment, you are new to them as well, Give them time. Time out is no fun but that's the point they will figure it out that it's more fun to be nice. Speak kindly to them when they are doing well. I think mine is kinda getting better with the biting she still has her moments but the need for time outs seem to be getting less.
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DanaW as guest until acct verf
Guest
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Post by DanaW as guest until acct verf on Apr 15, 2018 12:14:28 GMT -5
What we did was to have a stuffed toy handy. Every time they went to bite we would quickly divert their attention to the toy and say a firm No. The ole bait and switch (trade ya my hand for this toy!) Within a week or two they got to know that it was ok to bite the toy but not the hand. Worked great for 2 of ours but our 3rd and newest one is taking a bit longer to learn. She is way better than she was but I still don't fully trust her not to bite yet.
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Post by Leah S. on Apr 18, 2018 0:38:13 GMT -5
I’ve never dealt with any negatively aggressive ferrets, but mine seemed to go through a “puppy stage” I like to call it. Very young ferrets tend to bite more trying to initiate play, as that’s how they do with one another. With their tougher skin it doesn’t hurt them the way their sharp teeth hurt us when they bite. My first ferret grew out of that young nipping stage before she was 6 months old but some say it can last up to a year. I didn’t want to physically punish my ferrets in any way and scare them at a young age. Instead the time out method can be very effective. But generally if you get your ferret as a baby they usually grow out of this biting behavior. If it’s an adult ferret who’s biting out of fear or anger that is a completely different story, in which I haven’t had experience with.
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Post by lyles on Apr 18, 2018 5:59:21 GMT -5
Ferrets are like children, what may work for one may not work for another, and vise versa.
I remember Crystal would hiss right back at me if I hissed at her, and Nei would flick her tail at me when I told her NO!
Alice works well at the No command, if I catch her trying to back up in a corner I just tell her NO and she'll stop and run to the pads to do her business. lol Most of mine worked with scruffing, but Alice's neck is so fat and tight I can't pinch any skin. Scruffing only works with kits anyway, older they get the more negative results you'll get if you try to scruff.
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Apr 18, 2018 6:43:55 GMT -5
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Post by Sherry on Apr 18, 2018 10:20:00 GMT -5
lyles keep in mind mother ferrets do NOT scruff for discipline. They are only scruffed by sibs/other ferrets for purposes of dominance or mating.
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Post by lyles on Apr 19, 2018 5:23:56 GMT -5
lyles keep in mind mother ferrets do NOT scruff for discipline. They are only scruffed by sibs/other ferrets for purposes of dominance or mating. Most of mine were female, maybe that's why. lol
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Post by Sherry on Apr 19, 2018 10:06:35 GMT -5
Again, my females only ever scruff for dominance and to fight.
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Post by crazylady on Apr 25, 2018 12:56:46 GMT -5
Hi my females at this time of year will drag each other around (phantom pregnancies) male also like the drag game but this is two hobs playing who is girl today lol( mine are all whole ) some ferrets at this time of year fixed or unfixed will single out the opposite human for example my females will lick me then try and eat me my son they adore at this time of year ( they taste male hormone ) my males on the other hand become moms good boys while hating my son lol ( normally they love him lol) young kits will tend to bite anyone its not only teething but its a case of what can we get away with I handle my kits from 3-4 weeks of age and they find if they chomp down I gently edge a knuckle to the back of the mouth they spit it out real quick this is how I teach my kids those finger things are not nice but with adults in breeding season its each ferret and human for themselves lol Bev
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