From:
jblivingston2003@yahoo.com
Date: 2004-01-21 04:31:08 UTC
Subject: RE: Worried about biting.....
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <6613606.1074663839477.JavaMail.nobody@chromium.smartgroups.com>
Dear Buffy,
Four years ago I "saved" a ferret, Buddy, who was about to be put down at the
Animal Shelter for aggresive biting. Like Gomez, he was extremely aggressive
and I had no way of knowing his background. He would latch on and break the
skin - I had to practically break the poor little guy's jaw to get him off of me.
The angrier I got the meaner he got. Baths and nail clipping became a physical
assault for the two of us. (After the intitial bath, I waited a month before trying
it again.) It took time but he came to trust me and the five other ferrets that
were in the house. It was a combination of fear, neglect and mistreatment plus
an undiagnosed health problem that led to his extreme biting, but he did
eventually turn up sweet (took about six weeks).
Unfortunately, Buddy only lived five months with me. It turns out that he had a
non malignant tumor that went from his brain to his stomach area. This was
discovered after I put him down. I did not put him down due to behavioral
problems - by that point he was extremely sweet and trusting.
Have you had him checked by a competent Vet? I have had the sweetest ferrets
in the world become quite aggressive due to adrenal cancer. I suggest
bloodwork. If he's clean, just give him some time, patience and love. Who
knows what has happened to him in his life. Good luck. Julie Livingston