From:
maja.conc@volja.net
Date: 2004-10-28 18:22:52 UTC
Subject: RE: Biting ferret
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <144560.1098987772467.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Hi.
I had the same problem with the little girl (she supposed to be around 2 years old) I adopted in the beginning of August. I took her (and a young albino male) out of a really nasty place. Tidra (the girl) was a real biter. She was not used to humans, because the previous owner was affraid of ferrets and only (when she remembered) gave them food and water and sometimes changed their litter.
I have to admit, that the past 2 and a half months were hard. Really hard. Both, me and my boyfriend still have markings from her teeth on our hands (ferrets have sharp and long teeth and skin on human hands is really thin). There were moments when we were bloody and crying. She was better after two-three weeks, but then got into a heat and her hormons got wild after the castration. It was even worse than on the beginning. She was literaly attacking us. She jumped on you, bit really hard (right to the bone) and started shaking. In a month or so (with a lot of help from our side) she calmed. Now she is almost the sweet litlle ferret.
I was working with treats - vita paste from Gimpet (she likes it a lot) - while she was licking it, I talked to her in a calm voice, I cuddled her. Actually at first this was the only methos when I was able to lift her. , I always tried to stay as calm as possible (which sometimes was the hardest part), I took her out on the yard (on a leash of course),..
good luck.
m.
(special thnx to Tanja who was supporting and advicing me in those hard days :) )