From:
rezgrrl@netzero.com
Date: 2005-03-22 17:42:55 UTC
Subject: RE: NEW mexico ferret vet
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <2909138.1111513375479.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Crystal,
He's not aggressive, he's a baby. That's how they play (think of a kitten p=
ouncing), and he doesn't know it hurts you. Also, strange as it sounds, you=
're so big and babies are so silly tha they often don't realize that those =
ferret sized creatures chasing eachother across the floor (your feet) are p=
art of you. He just wants to join the chase. It even takes a while for them=
to realize that your hands aren't seperate animals, especially if you play=
wrestle with them. Try picking him up and holding him still, gently, until=
he stops struggling, then petting him and putting him down. Or try giving =
him an alternative, like waving a washcloth in front of him and letting him=
go after that instead. If he grabs your hand, freeze that hand while you p=
ick him up with the other. He'll probably realize that something is wrong w=
hen you go still. With the ferrets I've had, it usually seems like nothing =
is sinking in until one day they just suddenly seem to get it. So patience =
really is the key--don't assume that something isn't working. (And really--=
with very few exceptions, the bites don't hurt THAT much.)
As for deafness, I had three deaf ones, and it really doesn't seem to be a =
handicap for a domestic ferret once they figure out floor vibrations. (Befo=
re that, they startle easily if they don't see you coming but that's it.) M=
y main concern with them is that I can't train them to come to a specific s=
ound. They will respond to tapping the floor, but that won't help if they e=
ver (God forbid) get out. I'm trying to train my two now to come to one of =
those blinking flashlights, but it's slow going. Anyway, ferrets are smart =
even when they don't train right away and floors vibrate. So his deafness s=
houldn't be a concern at all.
Clover
> As to that, I'm not so much exasperated with the activity as with how agr=
essive he is. I was reading up on the Waardenburg(sp?) gene and how it lead=
s to deafness in ferrets. I'm thinking that's something else he has and so =
telling him "No!" is not working, and of course the smacking of the nose ju=
st makes him more willing to chomp down on any skin available. He has no fe=
ar of hiding under something and grabbing a chunk of your foot as you're wa=
lking by either. Do you have any ideas on how to train him not to bite so h=
ard?
> Again, many thanks,
> Crystal
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