First Tantrum ;)

[kristinb]

So Jinx had her first tantrum last night and I couldn't help but laugh.

Now that she's feeling better, she has lots of energy and she has been getting a bit nippy for some reason. Not hard, but she will get really wound up while we are playing and will occasionally put her teeth on me. It doesn't hurt, but I dont want her doing ti all the same. So she did this last night while we were playing in her playpen together, and I took her off my shoulder and placed her on the other side of the playpen. She came running back over to me with her mouth open, so I scruffed her and pulled her a little and then, she came right back again and i did the same thing and placed her as far from me as the playpen would allow.

Well, at this point she grabbed one of my slippers she had been playing with and proceeded to complete throw a hissy fit and take it out on the slipper. I have never seen something so funny in all my life. She was like a toddller throwing a fit. What a little snot

[Heather]

Oh, yes. They are just like a 2 or 3 yr old. Just make sure it's not a part of you she has when she throws her "hissy fit", that's when it really hurts. At that point they do want to hurt you . That's why I use a time out cage. That way they can shred the small towel that's in there or throw litter all over the place but it's not taken out on me. That also means I don't have to discipline for some other infraction that occurs during the tantrum. I used to love Porthos, he was smart enough that he knew that he would find himself in the "sinbin" so he would run off and throw his tantrum in the bedroom or the ferret room. You could hear litter being flung off walls, litter boxes being dumped....so he would find himself in the cage anyway. He would then shred the towel. A few minutes later would find him hanging on the door wanting out. A quick kiss and a snuggle and he would be off playing again.
ciao

[taratee]

putting her teeth on you doesnt sound like shes biting you, it sounds like shes playing with you. all of my ferrets bite me when im playing with them. she was probably playing with you.

[katt]

Mar 1, 2011 15:58:31 GMT -5 @taratee said:

putting her teeth on you doesnt sound like shes biting you, it sounds like shes playing with you. all of my ferrets bite me when im playing with them. she was probably playing with you.

Some people do not tolerate mouthing. I personally love it when my boys play rough and mouthy, but when they get overexcited and Bite they get a loud NO and are removed from play.

Kristin that is too funny, I wish you had caught it on video.

[kristinb]

she generally mouths me while we are playing, but sometimes it's harder than just playing around, it's got some force behind it and is just one degree away from really hurting. That's what she got timed out for, she was all wound up and got the end of my finger and it was definitely more than mouthing. I just didn't call it biting because I guess in my head biting = blood. And she didn't get me hard enough to draw blood.

And yes, she had me just laughing. I've read other people saying their ferrets have had a tantrum about being disciplined but I hadn't realized how funny it looked until she did it. I caught myself covering up my laugh like i would with a little kid so they dont catch you thinking it's funny Then i remembered she can't hear me anyways and laughed until she quite. Then I picked her up and snuggled her and we were all good again. But when I put her on the other side of the playpen she honestly gave me a look for a split second like "How dare you!"

[Deleted]

That sounds sooo cute! Too bad you didn't get it on camera

[katt]

I think the term you are looking for is nipping! IMO the progression is as follows:
Sophie Ann ->Biting -> Nipping -> Mouthing. At least that is how I look at it. hehe ;D

[Deleted]

Too funny Katt

[Sherry]

I also find tantrums hilarious ;D Suki is really good at the tantrums if she thinks it's time to come out of cage Litter box dug out, water dug out(yes- I use high croc-locs), food dish dumped, feeding den turned on it's side, etc., etc., etc., ;D
And Heather is right- do NOT let them get hold of you right then. They really DO want to hurt you ;D

[shilohismygirl]

Fiddler throws tantrums like you wouldn't believe (no wait, you would)! He protest poops outside of his litter box, digs/overturns his water and food bowls and is all around naughty. I can't say I blame him though-he does it in response more to stress (moving, trips) than anything else.

[kristinb]

Jinx is very good with most things, but apparently not being told to stay away from me. (awww maybe she loves me or something? ) She and I went for a car ride today to visit her grandpa's house just because I want her to get the smell of it in case he ever needs to babysit her. And so i had her on her leash and she spent 40 minutes going over EVERYTHING in the house. She also went for the car ride to the bank and to pick up my paycheque and was totally non-phased.

Her marshall's playpen also showed up today so hopefully that means she can get out of her cage to play even when I am stuck doing homework or reports. Woo!