From:
"Dan Muldoon"
Date: 2002-08-09 20:11:11 UTC
Subject: Re: My little biter
To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <005e01c23fe0$e87a0450$269a8693@URD0020647421>
<snip> if I do not pay attention immediately upon request
> (for example, I am washing dishes and need to dry my
> hands before picking him up and giving a treat or
> putting him on the counter to "help") -- he will bite
> HARD. Is it possible to teach him patience? I feel like
> I have created a spoiled brat! And when he comes,
> bulldog plants his feet and looks up at me, I move -
> because he will draw blood! So - we are doing well ---
> but seem to have reached a hurdle that I can't seem to
> cross. Any advice?
Thanks -Sandra
My year-old MF sable boy Felix was a pretty hard biter. He
would clamp down hard and refuse to let go. Even the old
nose-pinch trick didn't work. I bought him as a kit from a
well-known pet store and I'm certain he was never abused-
and certain that he would have been abused if he ended up
in the wrong home. The biting got worse as he grew older
and stronger; I couldn't even reach into his cage to get
him out. I was always afraid someone at work would ask how
I got those "wounds" on my hands. I went through a lot of
Band-Aids until he got better! :-)
I should point out that he was an equal opportunist. My
S.O. was fair game, too. I should also point out that he
plays well with the other ferrets.
I eventually took to putting bitter apple (the kind from a
tube that has the consistency of petroleum jelly) on the
end of cotton swabs. These armed Q-Tips were kept handy (in
old baby-food jars) around the apartment. When Felix would
chomp down on me, I'd stick the bitter end of the swab in
his mouth, between his molars. He backed off instantly.
(indeed, he looked like I hurt his feelings, especially the
first time). But he learned quickly. One note here: during
his learning curve, he would take to biting hard enough to
break skin, and let go before I could "swab" his tongue. So
I learned to have one in hand before picking him up. If you
do this, everyone who handles Ricky needs to do the same so
he never thinks that certain people are "OK to bite!" Once,
when my S.O. was holding him, Felix was trying to find a
place to bite her arm and I was "chasing" him back and
forth with the bitter-appled Q-tip. It was obvious he knew
what the bite would "earn" him.
It now is very safe to hold the little fellow. Felix still
nips my legs (after give me a few "warning" licks) but
rarely breaks skin anymore and lets go quickly. From time
to time I treat my legs with the spray-on bitter apple and
that discourages him effectively. Unfortunately, it also
deters my non-biting ferrets who sometimes lick or "nose"
my legs to get attention. But I do use it when I can't pay
attention to Felix--e.g., when I'm washing dishes.
Hope this helps!
Dan and his crew (Oscar, Felix, Natasha) and long-
term house guest (Lakota)