i have to 4mth old ferrets how just attack when u go near them . they were handled every day and lived in the house when they were tiny . no we find it difficult 2 feed them clean them out and even toget close to them . i really dont no what to do i dont want to give up on them some one plz HELP!
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o dear im sorry ………… my mum runs a ferret rescue in london and she had one perticularly nasty ferret brought in who she named “satin” she would bite an hold on dear life ………. wear thick leather gloves to handle them clean them out feed ect , dont show fear and dont back down show them that you are boss n they will behave it can be done with patence and persistance i nevr thought id say it but it worked for satin and if it worked for her it will any ferret good luck
the question is.. where they handled BEFORE you got them?? if from a pet store -they came from a warehouse breeding operation and were not handled before hand.. one of many reasons not to buy from pet stores…
maybe they will settle down if you spay/netuer them.
give them a FIRM tap on the nose when they do this.. and put back into their cages for a few minutes if it continues.. then try again
do not give treats with your hands – instead put them in a bowl.. make sure your fingers do not smell like treats
Firstly what gender are they? I would suggest taking them to a vet and getting them neutered, if you want to keep them for breeding then ask your vet about other options. Ferrets in general are known for their bites, but like all animals go through character changes when going through puberty. Other things you can do is train your ferret to know biting is bad, they are smart animals and pick up quickly.
Here are a few ways to bite train your ferret:
* When your ferret bites you, grasp it by the loose skin at the back of its neck. This is called scruffing. Hold the ferret in front of your face by its scruff, and say “No” loudly and firmly. You can also add a drag across the floor at the end of this. By this, I mean gently drag it on its back about a foot while holding onto its scruff. This will not hurt the ferret, and is how its mother would tell it to knock it off!
* When the ferret bites you, push your finger back further into its mouth. This will cause the ferret to open its mouth. Be sure not to push too hard; the point of this isn’t to jam your finger down your ferret’s throat!
* Put the ferret in a time out for 5 minutes. This should be a travel carrier or alternate cage. Never put the ferret in time out in its own cage, or it will associate its cage with punishment. Also, never do it for longer than 5 minutes, or your ferret won’t know what it’s being punished for. I usually reserve the time out method for the 3rd offense.
* Spray your hands with a bite deterrent spray such as Fooey. Bite deterrent sprays usually won’t work on their own! You must use them in conjunction with other training methods. Training a ferret not to bite is as much an issue of proper socialization as it is training. You are the alpha ferret, and you need to show your ferret that. Just using a bite deterrent spray only teaches your ferret that occasionally, you taste really nasty.
Never never hit your ferret or tap. This could result in worse biting.
Instead when they bite say OUCH and after scruff them and give a firm NO. Also scruffing and dragging them around and hissing is good too its what their mother ferret would do. Time outs are good too but in a different cage them the one they sleep in. And never put them in time out more than 3 to 5 minutes. Ferrets have very short attention spans but will learn not to bite.