Advice on correcting a ferret kit for biting.?

Question

I've got two 7 week old ferret kits. 'Hummer' is sweet and will happily sit in my hand but 'Diesel' bites me. He dosen't attempt to bite me when I pick him up but when he's in my hand he bites my fingers. He has started to draw blood. It's not just a nip, he hangs on.. I have tried to tap him on his nose and scruff his neck while saying "NO" but this just makes him worse. Will bitter spray stop him.? I know they do grow out of it but I'd rather he grew out of it sooner rather than later. I know he's going to be a challenge, he's just got that cheeky look in his eyes.. Any advice would be great.

NO STUPID ANSWERS PLEASE. If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all..

Answer 1

Please don't tap them on the nose. I know it's "just a tap" but he's a little guy and this actually could hurt. Bear in mind that 7 weeks is VERY young. Kits are nippy by nature and especially when they've just been weaned.

Scruffing and saying "no" - that's the right thing to do. Also drag the kit gently on the ground - as this is what his mom would do if she was reprimanding him. You can try some of those sprays but remember they're only going to go on YOUR hands - not squirted at the ferret (yes - I actually heard someone do this) I've never used them as I don't a good idea to associate your touch with something bad.

I've had ferrets for over 10 years now and only two that were biters. Both quickly learned that biting was not acceptable. I also would give the ferret a "time out". If it bit me right after coming out of the cage, back in the cage it went for a little while. I also would give him a little bit of Ferretone placed in my palm - letting him know my hands were a place of yumminess - not something to attack.

If you want some more info on ferrets or just want to show off your babies come join my ferret forum at http://ferretocious.hyperboards.com

PS: love your "cheeky" comment. I can just see his little smirk. Are you in the UK? Love that word but it's not used much here in the States

Answer 2

Ferrets are NOT good pets to get for households with children THAT young. You should've done your research better. It takes a lot of patience and time to train a ferret not to bite and sometimes it doesn't work anyway. Whatever you do, do not physically punish your ferret by hitting it or by "flicking" his nose or muzzle. It only makes the ferret associate the human hand with pain and may actually make him bite more. When your ferret bites, scruff him(grab him by the skin on the back of the neck). It doesn't hurt them and actually results in the release of a hormone that relaxes the kit sometimes to the point that it starts yawning. Look him straight in the face and with a stern loud voice say something like "NO!!" or "NO BITE!" Then put him down. Repeat........often!!! If he does it again, repeat and then drag him on the carpet or the couch for foot or two, easily. You can hiss at him while you do that. That's what an older ferret or the kits Mom would do to discipline the youngster. Make sure your ferret gets plenty of out-of-cage time, about 4hrs a day during which you must play with him part of the time. Play high energy games so he can run off some of that excess energy. He's just a baby yet and like young in most other species explores his world with his mouth. He just has to learn that human skin is much more delicate than the tough ferret skin of his playmates he is used to biting. Another word of advice: do not ever leave your ferret unsupervised in the same room your son is in. That's just asking for trouble. The ferret might consider your son a nifty little play thing and decide that the baby needs to be hidden in his stash. He'll then try to grab and pull him to a hidey hole.......with his teeth of course. I've seen it happen so many times. The best thing in your case would probably be to take the ferret back to where you bought it and to wait a few years until your son is old enough to withstand a good nibble. You'll have your hands full with your baby anyway....for a long while yet. Think about it, please. I didn't mean to come across as being rude, I just want the best for you, your baby AND the ferret. Good luck.

Answer 3

Ferret Kits

Answer 4

Ferrets must be nip trained when they are young. There are correct and incorrect ways to do this. Hitting, yelling flicking the nose do not work and may lead to an aggressive and hand shy ferret. All ferrets nip, there is no way to completely stop, but it should be controlled. They should know not to bite you too hard, often, ect.

The proper way to do this is the scruff him by the neck, tell him "no" and lightly drag him on the ground. This is how his mother would let him know that what he is doing is not acceptable.

What you need to remember is that ferrets have much tougher skin that people do, so he is simply doing what is natural, which is to play, and with another ferret it would not hurt. Baby ferrets are going to nip, as they get older it will lessen if you train properly.

My ferrets were all nip trained, some are more nippy than others but they all mouth a bit. If he is hanging on, be sure you lift him off the floor, but support the body(if he is hanging on he wont let go). If he is really hanging on you can press the ferret's lips against his molar teeth he will release his grip long enough for you to free yourself. Never try and pry the jaws apart as they are very strong, especially when determined.

Answer 5

At 7 weeks old this kit should still be with its mum, 12 weeks old is quite an adequate age to be taken away from the rest of the litter and by the this age they will have learnt a bit better who and who not to bite.
You must have very tender skin as these kits are still only babies.

Each time he sinks his teeth in rattle a plastic bottle with stones in or use a baby rattle.

I have 14 kits up to the age of six months old and as yet none of them bight, this is because each litter is still living with mum and in some cases dad

Try this site http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/intact-ferrets/

Answer 6

Thump him on the nose.

I used to breed ferrets before they all had to be spayed &/or neuter before being sold as pets.

How hard depends on how stuborn he is. You can also pinch his nose. Sometimes one would come along that just wanted to bite everything & everybody. & it taks a little more force to get your point across to a biting ferret.

Thumping their noses worked best, the harder the bite the harder the thump. Repetition, over & over again, consistantly, not letting him get away with it one time.

They also understand instinct behavior so if you choose to bite him back like his mom would or his play mate. This is a good correcting cause they bite so hard & when they see your teeth biting a flew or nose they understand the meaning of that. But some people will tell you it is creul but I know where you are coming from & what is necessary for you to condition him to stop that behavior.

Also stop nibbling on toes. If you don't you will regret it in the futher.

Yes, a spray bottle may help but you'd have to have it sprayed the instant he bites so it may prove impossable to do. But it will work great as a long distance correction tool. Adjust it so it spays the fartherest away from you.

Shoot that ferret climbing the curtains from your arm chair. Getting into the trash, shoot that ferret. They are so funny.

Just remember the harder he bites the harder you thump. They are very very very tough so ajust your corrections according to intensity of his behavior.

Answer 7

Yes, bitter apple spray works well. Coat your hands with it and let him taste. This cure many of them from biting. Also, when I had kits and they latched on, I kept flicking them on the nose with my finger until they let go...not hard enough to damage them, but irritating enough that they didn't like it and let go. They learn fast. Train him well now or it will get worse...and yes, most grow out of this nippy stage.

Answer 8

When my kits nipped I used to lightly flick their noses. They are intelligent animals and soon get wise.

Answer 9

tap it on the nose and tell it no!!