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Biting
Jan 28, 2012 3:55:59 GMT -5
Post by slinkytiger on Jan 28, 2012 3:55:59 GMT -5
HELP! What do you do about biting. When the young ones were little (like 2 weeks ago) they were small & abit nippish when wildly playing - but it wasn't a problem. Now the boys are HUGE & when they bite it hurts & draws blood. Its not all the time & Its not a game - because they get a menacing look on their faces. (Now I sound crazy) They are sorta bulshy - strutting their stuff & kind of intimidating. Stroppy Teenage Boys??? Pkia (girl) does the nippy game thing if shes rarked up - but shes a sweetheart & tiny (half size) campared to the boys. She does hiss at us alot though.
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Biting
Jan 28, 2012 7:11:33 GMT -5
Post by slinkytiger on Jan 28, 2012 7:11:33 GMT -5
Found Bite Hold on Enrichment thread. Woops.....We will give the techniques described a go.
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Biting
Jan 28, 2012 9:45:35 GMT -5
Post by Sherry on Jan 28, 2012 9:45:35 GMT -5
That's ok! The bite hold doesn't always work. I've got one who can do the whole 180 degree thing with her head, and bite no matter the hold . Which is why I do time outs. The most important thing is to pick your method, and stick with it. It's going to get worse before it gets better, but keep doing it, even if it seems like it's not working. You can also combine time outs with gently sweeping them away if they look like they are about to bite, along with just walking away and no longer playing. They don't get time outs unless teeth actually contact skin, even if you are the one preventing it
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Biting
Jan 28, 2012 16:35:04 GMT -5
Post by slinkytiger on Jan 28, 2012 16:35:04 GMT -5
Thanks heaps Sherry. Bites really hurt Bandit has bitten 2 of my kids for a total of 5 bites this morning. He runs up stealthly & latches onto fingers + he won't let go. He could be really #@*! (angry) because they weren't let out for their 6am - 8am + playtime due to human oversleeping. OMG their running the show. But then again he was biting yesterday - not so many & but still biting & not letting go. Tried the bite hold already three times. It works. He eventually submits but not before alot of eye contact, hissing & baring of teeth.
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Biting
Jan 28, 2012 22:38:35 GMT -5
Post by Heather on Jan 28, 2012 22:38:35 GMT -5
Do you mind me asking...how old are your fuzzies and are they farm ferrets? If so, which farm? ciao
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Biting
Jan 29, 2012 2:02:11 GMT -5
Post by slinkytiger on Jan 29, 2012 2:02:11 GMT -5
LUV the Smilies!!! Our young ones are 9 weeks old - almost 10 weeks. We got them at 7 weeks old. They were neutered at 8 weeks. We live in the Southern Hemisphere - we don't have 'farms' here.
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Biting
Jan 29, 2012 2:39:21 GMT -5
Post by Heather on Jan 29, 2012 2:39:21 GMT -5
So you have breeder's ferrets. Ok. Kits of this age go through a bitey stage (I know from helping out at a couple of petstores :(better to work with them so the wee ones have a fighting chance at getting a good forever home). If you're gentle with them and offer them alternatives to chew on (they're just discovering their teeth it seems), within a couple of weeks they're usually fairly sensitive to your soft skin. That being said, when they hit their terrible teens they have to be reminded that they still have to behave themselves ciao
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Biting
Jan 29, 2012 3:37:45 GMT -5
Post by slinkytiger on Jan 29, 2012 3:37:45 GMT -5
Thanks heaps. We luv our young ones dearly & will persist with patience & consistency. Hopefully this is just a phase. We are also giving lotsa luvs & cuddles - like on the other thread - by scruffing, laying on our legs & stroking their faces. Especially when they are sleepy & more open to cuddling. We also make sure they are full of food or put them back in the cage to offer them nibbles & drinks during playtime.
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Biting
Jan 29, 2012 12:45:20 GMT -5
Post by Sherry on Jan 29, 2012 12:45:20 GMT -5
We also make sure they are full of food or put them back in the cage to offer them nibbles & drinks during playtime. Very good idea! Hungry kits = nippy kits ;D
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Biting
Jan 29, 2012 17:36:22 GMT -5
Post by Heather on Jan 29, 2012 17:36:22 GMT -5
We used a batch of chicken wings, donated by the butcher who used to operate next door. It worked not only as a distraction but provided them with something to chew on while they were cutting teeth (instead of our fingers ) ciao
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Biting
Jan 31, 2012 6:24:24 GMT -5
Post by slinkytiger on Jan 31, 2012 6:24:24 GMT -5
Yay!!! Young ones are heaps better behaved with hardly any biting. The 'Bite hold' position by hurricanekatt works really well - especially with the boys. The scruffing & stroking their faces is making them much more cuddly too. Thanks for all the help.
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Biting
Jan 31, 2012 10:30:48 GMT -5
Post by Sherry on Jan 31, 2012 10:30:48 GMT -5
I'm so glad you've seen results already That's wonderful!
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Biting
Feb 4, 2012 20:58:26 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2012 20:58:26 GMT -5
As a sidenote, Artie used to bite too hard until the bite hold taught him how hard he could bite human skin. This morning he woke me up by licking, snuffling and nibbling (barely skin contact) my toes and then slid on down under the covers to nibble on my belly-he was hungry and it was time for breakfast. So bite hold and the bonding behaviors really worked with him.
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Biting
Feb 5, 2012 0:42:37 GMT -5
Post by slinkytiger on Feb 5, 2012 0:42:37 GMT -5
Boojum01 - Thats great! I look forward to a time when its all licks, nibbles & kisses! Their behaviour is improving all the time. I trust them much more & they probably know I'm more confident when handling them.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2012 1:01:23 GMT -5
As a sidenote, Artie used to bite too hard until the bite hold taught him how hard he could bite human skin. This morning he woke me up by licking, snuffling and nibbling (barely skin contact) my toes and then slid on down under the covers to nibble on my belly-he was hungry and it was time for breakfast. So bite hold and the bonding behaviors really worked with him. Aw that's so sweet!
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