Ferret mum again after many years

[moondaisy]

Hi. My name is Dianne and I live in southern Ireland.
I have just become a ferret mum again after many years. Back then I didn't have a computer never mind the internet, so information was limited. Also ferrets as family members (where i live) was seen as odd to say the least.
Pheobe and Frankie (both females and sisters) lived to be just over 10 years old. Pheobe passed first. No illness or pain, she just became slower and slept for hours in the ruffles of my jumper. Frankie woke me one morning rattling the cage, and I found Pheobe had passed in her sleep. I was heart broken...but Frankie took it so badly. I ended up letting Frankie live free roam entirely as she became distressed in the cage...understandably. Frankie became so depressed and I tried everything. I took her everywhere with me around the house, hand feeding, vet visits, she slept with me. She passed a month after Pheobe. It may sound strange but im so sure she died of a broken heart. Loosing them was devestating. Ive been lucky enought to have a good few animal family members, but ferrets...ferrets are special.
It's been 12 years. I didn't specifically avoid the thought of looking for ferrets again...the time just wasn't right.
I recently started watching ferret videos on you tube, looking at all the information now available on the internet. And I'm so happy to have found this site!
2 weeks ago I was selling at my local market (I run a plant/flower nursary) and I noticed a small crowd around a man. Been nosey I wanted to see what the fuss was about. Would you believe it...ferret kits! Well, I melted. Their wee faces, hearing the grunts again...i was done. The time had come. So I brought 2 females home. My daughter (5) named them popcorn and peanut.
The seller said they were 9 weeks old (11 weeks this sunday) that they were fed raw meat (chicken, lamb etc) and an egg every so often. (After reading this site I am very lucky they are already on a great diet, I just need to tweak it...with your help)
At first I felt very confident handling them. I was calm, no jerky movements, baby talk etc. I have a large multilevel cage. Lots of toys. I have them out every morning for an hour, every afternoon for an hour and every evening for 4/6 hours. I eventually will have them free roam all day downstairs.
I bought a small bag of kitten biscuits (kibble) but they didn't even try it (this is good I have realised!) They love chicken wings, lamb, beef, chicken and they have had a whole egg each.
They are now quite settled in and play happily and confidently. The spend hours investigating. The play with me and seek me out...looking at me with their adorable butter wouldn't melt faces 😁
I have a few points/questions:
After reading this brilliant site I am going to try following the weekly raw diet as I want a really good balanced diet for them. Is it ok to give them tinned sardines? (With bones in olive oil) if yes how often is ok?
Also diet wise (probably a really silly question sorry) but when it says heart/liver etc...from what animal? Chicken, sheep? (sorry again I know that sounds so silly)
Both girls are very playful with each other and my partner and me. However we have both been bitten. Some bites are not too bad at all, but I have received 5 proper bites and my partner 6. All drawing blood, latching. I realise now we made it worse by pulling our hands out. And also by shouting in pain. It was just a shocked reaction. I have started using a sin bin for time outs as advised on this site.
My question is...it seems popcorn is a lot worse than peanut. She will seek you out and immediately bite...no warning and not during play. Is this a fear bite? I don't want her unhappy or afraid, I only want the best for her. How can I give her more reassurance?
My first two ferrets didn't bite me hard once in all their lives. So dealing with this is new for me.
Unfortunately I have taken to wearing garden gloves. I know deep inside it is the wrong approach, but my hands are so sore. I can hardly move my thumb from yesterday's bite. I have lost my confidence. I know she's not been mean and she's only a baby and everything is still brand new for her. I don't want my actions to be detremental to her, but I also like my hands 😁
So sorry for the long post. I tend to waffle. Also I hope I put this in the right place.
Thank you for reading my novel.

[mermaidsirena]

Welcome, Dianne! I completely understand your two heart ferrets. I had one- my first one. He stole my heart and lived his whole seven years as my best buddy. I had six after that and then took a decade off because of where I lived (the are illegal in California).
Happy to hear your two are already comfortable with meat. You are in the right place to get it balanced. The heart and organs can be from any animal (pig, deer, quail, duck, cow, etc.). The more types of animals the better for them. The sardines are most likely not good for them. The olive oil is a poor choice and I am sure there are other byproducts with the packaging.
The biting is a part of baby ferrets and they are testing you out as a playmate. They bit their fellow ferrets that hard so they don't see you as any different. Luckily ferrets are smart and can be taught. The sin bin is a great start. Every time they bite they go in. Gloves is not wrong; there are some that have found that was the way to start. Have you tried offering a stuffed toy to bite and tussle instead of your hand?

Keep posting! We are here to help!

[abbeytheferret6]

Hi and welcome to forum. I enjoyed your story and congrats on new little family.I wished my babies would live to 10---although here in the states they are spayed and neutered as babies. Most are fed kibbles all their lives too.

But anyway---I have used gloves with little ones before. However my recent baby at 3 now--- was constantly after my big toe. Still does on occasion when she wants my attn while  at computer. I do not have to  look down to see who it is. I know her needle teeth. My baby loved gnawing on chicken wings .Have them handy for the calcium they need and maybe to lessen that biting tendency----I do say, maybe:))).They will grow out of constant biting. I know you probably wished sooner than later.

Here is our raw feeding site. You get to bypass the soupie stage as that is basically for older ferrets that are hooked on kibbles. holisticferretforum.com/natural-diet/
There are subtitles under this heading that are great readings for raw feeding. Continue to ask questions--- someone will always be glad to help you.

[Sherry]

Hi So glad to see you found us! For the sardines, while they won't actually hurt as a treat, why not use something healthier like raw ones For mine, any hand fed slivers of meat are considered a treat- the key is the "hand fed'
For the biting, you can use ignore or sin bin for drawing blood. And that isn't a fear bite, she is testing her limits with you
Also, here's a fb group you may enjoy www.facebook.com/groups/380891022312051/