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Post by njcrouth on Jan 6, 2020 10:09:18 GMT -5
I got Mocha a few months ago from someone who wasn't able to keep her anymore. She'll be 5 at some point this year from what I understand. I don't think she was kept well prior to me getting her - small cage, little handling, no training, etc.
She's an incredibly bad biter. I want to play with her, but as soon as I do, she immediately and aggressively and obsessively starts to look for skin to bite. When I'm down on the floor cleaning up toys or changing litter pads, I have to be vigilant to make sure she doesn't sneak up on my because if she does she tries to tear my flesh off. When I'm careless and she gets a good chomp in, she draws blood, leaves welts, and leaves bruises. Scruffing her to get her off has minimal effect. She usually gets another one or two really good chomps in before she lets go. When she does bite, she immediately goes in the empty carrier for a 3 minute time out. I feel up to this point it has taught her absolutely nothing.
I've had other ferrets that would bite, but there was always warning and it wasn't like a seek and destroy mission for them. I do hold her sometimes on my arm and kiss her head and pet her down her back, and she doesn't fight it or anything, but I honestly can't tell at this point if the biting is because she wasn't taught to play properly with people or if she hates me.
Mocha came with her pal Charlotte, who when she plays is also a bad biter, but not in the aggressive way Mocha is. The time outs seem to be more effective with her as she has calmed down quite a bit since I've gotten them. Mocha also gets along well with the other ferrets I already had.
I've had Mocha implanted for adrenal disease due to the aggressive behavior as well as slightly thinning hair on her tail. It appears to have had no effect.
Any insight, guidance, or encouragement would be appreciated. I feel completely out of my element.
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cockneyferret
Adolescent Member
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder
Posts: 253
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Post by cockneyferret on Jan 6, 2020 12:30:01 GMT -5
Hello, and welcome.
Biting can take a good while to train out of a young ferret, let alone a 5 year old that's had a failed home already.
Was the biting part of the reason why she came to you?
I know that in the UK, ferrets have a bad reputation for biting and as such people expect to be bitten, so they act accordingly around them.
One of our girls (only 7 months old) is a bit of a biter, but has improved since she first arrived with us at 8 weeks old. I used the time out method and it worked very slowly, but did eventually work. She still bites, but now mostly other people who handle her. I am generally safe now, and only get firm holds and the occasional excitement nip when playing.
What really helped for me, was letting go of the fear of being bitten. The very idea made me act differently around her and she capitalised on it. Ferrets are incredibly clever and can pick up on your emotions very easily. Once I decided that I knew she was going to bite me, things changed overnight.
Hope this helps, but it is just perseverance.
Cheers
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vivi
Junior Member
Posts: 226
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Post by vivi on Jan 6, 2020 13:19:58 GMT -5
I am sorry for this situation . I am sure here you will get some good advices from more experienced members. When we got Luna at age 1, she was Bitting too. I used to wear gloves ( leather ones ) in order to approach her. Of course we used the scarfing and 3min cage methods.
Wearing the gloves I started to feed her food, or some salmon oil...few times a bit of honey.And a lot of interaction and play time with her toys. Progressively she calmed down and now I hold her and give her a lot of kisses in her face.
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Post by Sherry on Jan 7, 2020 6:49:55 GMT -5
Have you tried positive reinforcement? Does she have an oil she likes, or a particular treat? If it's a oil even better. Start by offering her a lick from a bottle while she's on the floor. As soon as she goes to bite, stop. If she doesn't, continue to offer her a couple more licks then walk away. Do this for 3-4 days, a few times a day until she's used to it. Next step is while she's licking from the bottle, pick her up(keep the bottle in her face). Put her right back down not moving the bottle. Do that for a few day, a few times a day. What you are getting her used to is handling, and being rewarded for permitting it. She will learn hands only hold good things, and if she doesn't bite she gets a treat.
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Post by njcrouth on Jan 11, 2020 11:43:21 GMT -5
What really helped for me, was letting go of the fear of being bitten. The very idea made me act differently around her and she capitalised on it. Ferrets are incredibly clever and can pick up on your emotions very easily. Once I decided that I knew she was going to bite me, things changed overnight.
THIS!! I had been slowly working on not being afraid when she was around. I was trying to train myself to stop and breathe and step back and let it go in the moment. This morning I did really well, and I was amazed at how well she did. I could tell in that moment of calm for both of us that I when I do get nervous or scared around her I'm definitely reactionary which makes her reactionary, even minutely. Thanks so much for confirming this.
Definitely working harder also on positive reinforcement. Over the last few days alone these two things I can tell are really helping. Thanks so much for the input.
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Post by Sherry on Jan 12, 2020 10:40:43 GMT -5
So glad to hear it!
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