Reba And Ferrets

Ferrets have a bit of a reputation as vicious, feral animals just waiting for the first opportunity to latch onto the nearest hand and draw blood. Of course, this isn't the case! Ferrets can easily be 'nip trained'.

Like many other animals, ferrets may bite. Finding out the cause will help you work out how you can stop it. There are lots of reasons ferrets bite, and in this post, I'll outline the main causes of a ferret being a bit too liberal with their teeth, and the ways you can help curb this antisocial behaviour.

Fear
Naturally, when ferrets are scared, they'll often turn tail and run. However, when escape is not possible, ferrets will often resort to self defense - the classic flight or fight response. This might happen particularly with ferrets who are being newly introduced into your home. Finding themselves in an unfamiliar setting, with strange smells and sounds, it's understandable that some ferrets are a little uncertain and prone to biting a strange hand which looms into their cage or hutch.

Ferrets have other ways of telling us they're scared - the notorious 'poof' (a.k.a. skunking), hissing, and, the most horrifying sound you'll ever hear a ferret produce - the scream. If you hear your ferret scream, they are definitely not not not happy. So. Unless you're very well acquainted with your ferret and therefore absolutely certain that they'll be soothed by your presence and touch, back off a bit. Don't disappear - just slowly back away, and sit yourself down. Wait for her to calm down a little before proceeding.

Speak to your ferret in a calming, soothing voice. Spend some time with your buddy - sit outside the cage, and make no sudden movements. Once he's relatively calm (no longer hiding, or even munching on some food), open up the cage door.

Let him come to you. Be armed with some treats - you want to make sure he associates you with good things! Chicken, rabbit, malt paste, FerreTone or other ferret oils, are great options. Oils poured into the palm of the hand are my personal favourite, as it encourages your ferret to lick you, as well as ensuring physical contact which will build trust.

If it's inevitable that you need to move a ferret which is biting out of fear, for example, to take them to the vets, then a thick pair of gardening gloves will do the trick. You can then safely handle your ferret without fear of being mauled. Of course, keep talking to your ferret throughout.

Pain
Unlike humans, ferrets cannot use words to tell us if they're in pain - if their belly hurts, or their mouth, or so on. Ferrets are rather hardy creatures, and will often hide their pain until the end (which is why it's important to get to a vets as soon as possible should your ferret show signs of illness or injury). However, if you happen to pick them up, and your ferret is pain, there is a strong possibility that they may bite.

If this is the case, calmly talk to your ferret in a reassuring tone. Run your hands over her body (if she let you) to feel for any bumps/lumps/swelling/tender spots, and check her teeth, throat, eyes, and ears.

If in doubt, call up your vet, and ask for advice.  Do not take chances - ferrets can deteriorate fast.

Keep movement to a minimum (good luck), but inevitable movements like putting them into the carry crate should be as smooth as possible. On the journey, continue talking her, and if you feel certain that it will bring comfort to your ferret, try resting your hand near her, or gently stroke her. Of course, stop doing so should you notice that she is showing increased signs of distress or pain.

When in pain, some ferrets, like people, just want to be left alone.

Deafness/Blindness
Blindness and deafness in ferrets can lead to nibbly ferrets. This is often due to surprise, or to find out what the new object probing around their house is. Ferrets with these difficulties are often temperamentally no different to other ferrets.

A common cause of bites off deaf or blind ferrets? Surprise.

I'm sure we've all had someone sneak up behind you and slap an unexpected hand across your shoulders; and whilst some of us merely jump, or shout, some of us instinctively attempt to thump their attacker.

Ferrets feel the same way.

Make your presence known - do not grab an unsuspecting ferret who does not realise you are there, as they may bite out of shock when you suddenly appear. For deaf ferrets, ensure they've seen you, by waving your hands in around 30cm in front of their face. For blind ferrets, announce your arrival - say hello. Only then should you attempt to pick them up.

Youth or Inexperience
If you've crossed off any physical cause, there's the possibility you just have a ferret with bad manners!

Some ferrets want to be let back down, and when writhing around like a furry bar of soap doesn't work, a quick bite might occur. This is bad behaviour, and by allowing your fuzzy friend to happily scamper off after a nip to the thumb only reinforces in their mind that biting = going down. If this is your ferret to a T, then listen up. Get your gardening gloves on, and pick up your ferret. Do not let them down until they've stopped biting. Once they've got the message that their teeth isn't the solution, your ferret will be a lot easier to handle in situations where being held is the only option.

Ferrets are known to be walking bundles of mischief, so of course this isn't the only teethy bad behaviour a ferret will indulge in. If you have a ferret with a habit of wandering up to you (usually while you're not paying attention) and giving you a good chomp, try remaining calm. Gently pry the ferrets jaws off of you, pick them up by the scruff (supporting their bottom), give a loud and clear 'NO' or 'STOP' (or whatever your chosen command - I use 'GENTLY' - as long as it is short), and place them down a little apart from you. If it happens again, then repeat the exercise, except instead of placing them down, depositing them in a crate for a brief time-out.

By doing so, you are teaching your ferret that if she bites without cause, she will be punished, and as ferrets are rather intelligent creatures, they will soon learn, though they may need reminders every so often!

It's important to stay calm, and to keep you're physical movements to a minimum as this occurs, as there's a very real possibility that this biting whilst you're unaware could become a brilliant game if you leap up with a yell. Which brings us to...

Over-excitement and Play
Playing ferrets. Those of us with more than one ferret has witnessed the frantic roughhousing of two ferrets playing and wrestling. Ferrets in play mode are very prone to using their teeth. Ferrets have much thicker skin that us puny humans, and as a result, ferrets sometimes find it difficult to gauge how hard they should be biting with people. Bites which a fellow ferret would shrug off could cause quite a bit of pain to a human. Bites to the backs of feet can cause some people to go down like they've been bloody shot.

Rather than fear, or pain, which is often an instinctive bite, this type of biting is a case of teaching your ferret to be more gentle with out feeble flesh.

So, there's a few solutions that I have for this problem.

Firstly, as you're playing with your ferret, every time they chomp down a little too hard, follow the same protocol as for a ferret who is biting due to a lack of handling - gently remove their jaws,scruff them (supporting their bottom), tell them 'NO', and place them down a little apart from you. On repeat attempts, place them in a crate for a time-out. They will soon learn to be more gentle. My ferrets do not break the skin whilst playing, and if they begin to get a bit too rough, a warning of 'GENTLY' usually makes them ease up.

This can also be used with ferrets who are persistent trippers - ferrets who try to bite passing feet (or pounce on dangling ones as you try to relax).

You may also choose to engage your ferret in games which do not require hand to ferret combat - using cat teasers are a great way for your ferret to burn off some energy without risking your skin.

They Just Won't STOP.
Of course, some ferrets just don't get the picture. Using a product such as Bitter Apple on your hands, socks, or whatever, will make them taste vile, and most ferrets will stop biting something which tastes that rank. It follows the same principle as that horrible tasting nail varnish people use to break the habit of biting their nails. It tastes nasty, and you soon stop. Just remember to wash your hands before wandering off for a sandwich or a smoke.

You could try going the opposite way, and try coating your hands in yummy oils which will encourage your ferrets to lick you rather than bite. Beware of ferrets who seem to think that your fingers dispense this yummy oils, as they may nibble at your fingers to get some more.

Be on your guard for the well known 'lick-lick-CHOMP'; this is a game known by ferrets and ferret owners alike. Your darling ferret will lull you into a false sense of security by giving you a few gentle licks... Followed by a harsh CHOMP. Treat this the same way as you'd treat any other unwelcome bite.

The key to a lot of ferrets is persistence. Some ferrets may get better, but are still a little bit more prone to forgetting their manners. Keep persisting with the scruffing, scolding, and if necessary, time-outs.

Ferrets can be the funniest, most loving, lively creatures ever - all they need is a bit of a firm hand now and them to keep them in line. A bit like people, really...

I hope this helps some people!

This is a question I was asked a couple of times on a different website which I no longer frequent, so I've decided to address the issue here, too.

On Saturday, I woke up at 6.45am, slapped on some make-up to cover up the sleep deprivation, and downed half a cup of coffee. Then, I packed up the ferrets into their crates (which was a lot easier than I'd anticipated, seeing as they'd both gone to sleep inside of one, so I just shut the door, and took the spare), and picked up the rucksack I'd packed the night before, and left the house by 7.25am.

Two days ago, I took Luna to the vets, so she could get her first ever canine distemper vaccine.

For a cry-baby ferret who whines if you move her when she's sleeping, she took the ordeal in pretty good spirit. Not even a whimper, or a whine, and within seconds she was already exploring the desk and computer, clambering over the very patient veterinarian, and almost falling off the table.

Having established that, now Luna is more confident and boisterous, weighing the little ferret on the small scales was out of the option, she was placed on the scales usually reserved for cats, rabbits, and other larger animals. The verdict? Luna now weighs 700g. Though shorter than Tarryn, Luna is definitely chunkier, and now, they're a similar weight, and seeing as Luna has another 4-8 weeks of growing to do, it's obvious that Luna is going to outweigh her big sister.


The above transformation has happened over the last six weeks. Still clumsy, and boisterous and overflowing with energy, Luna has morphed from a tiny ferret kit into an adolescent - her long overcoat has grown in, covering the small, softer undercoat. Her belly isn't so round and stuffed with milk-softened food, instead, she is more lithe and slender. Her feet, whilst still big, are slightly more in proportion. Her neck has widened, becoming thicker and stronger, and her teeth have grown fully out of her gums.

I feel like a mother who's realising how big her baby is getting.

So, I'll leave you now, as I'm still having a maternal meltdown.

"Why ferrets of all animals?" is a question I get asked a lot.

I can't definitively point to one reason why I picked ferrets, though I remember my older sister being obsessed with them when we were younger. When my mother approached the possibility of getting a new pet for me (my pet rabbit, Lily, died of lung cancer the previous year), I took my time to look at all my options.

The only constraint I had was that it had to be a small pet; one which could live within the space we had. This was established after I asked (jokingly) if I could have a pony. I also knew that, as I would be living in student accommodation, I might not have been able to take my pet with me, so it would have to stay at home. Knowing my mother's distaste for snakes, I reluctantly crossed them off the list of potential pets.

I considered rats, hamsters, and other small rodents, only to be confronted with a potentially short lifespan. I wasn't prepared to become emotionally attached to an animal only for it to pass away two years later.

Remembering my sister's admiration of ferrets, I decided to look into them, and after a couple hours of research, and several ferret YouTube videos, I was sold.

I trawled through the internet, until I came across a man who lived relatively locally, who was looking to sell the kits of his ferret, who had recently given birth. For six weeks, as I waited for my ferret to be old enough for collection. In the meantime, I researched ferret care at every opportunity, and purchased all the necessary equipment for housing and caring for my new ferret. I frequently received updates about my ferret as she grew.

A tiny Tarryn at 8 weeks old, the first night she came home.

Eventually, the day which I was due to collect my ferret rolled around.

After a two hour journey, armed with a travel crate, I was finally face to face with my ferret. At eight weeks old, she was still small enough to fit in my hand. She wriggled, and had a faintly sweet, musky smell. The second I held her, my heart melted. I was in love.

I definitely made the right choice for me. As much as I loved my rabbit, I am most certainly a ferret person. I'd walk outside, and take Tarryn along with me, first in my hood or on my shoulder, then on a lead. I'd be stopped a lot, but I didn't mind - I'd use it as an opportunity to educate people, and to correct many misconceptions held about ferrets.

And then one day, as I popped to the high-street to get some supplies, a lady stopped me on the street. This in itself wasn't anything out of the ordinary for me when Tarryn was wandering around on a lead. Then the conversation morphed into something I wasn't expecting at all. I was asked if I wanted another ferret.

 This lady informed me that she also had a ferret, and she'd also had another ferret wander into her

Luna, the first night she came home. She climbed into my hood and curled up to sleep at the base of my neck.

garden. After ensuring that nobody was looking for her, this lady had taken the homeless ferret in, and after one trip to the vets, it was established she was a female... And pregnant. Now this woman was trying to find homes for each of these little kits, and there I was, stumbling into her path with a ferret of my own in tow.

Of course, I gleefully said yes, and that's the story of how I took in Luna. This little albino lunatic, came to me as a tiny 6 week old kit who could fit in one hand, and weighed a tiny 260g, Two weeks later, she'd piled on the weight, and weighed in at 440g (1lb). Now, a month on, Luna - who is thicker around the neck and broader - feels a similar weight, if not heavier to her full grown adoptive sister (Tarryn is a relatively small ferret, only 640g).

We'll be going to the vets this week, for her to get her first round of canine distemper vaccines, and I'll find out how much she's actually grown at this marker - 12 weeks.

I've begun this blog in order to document my life as the ferret mum to two mischief makers, and to help break down some of the many misconceptions people have about ferrets. As many ferret welfare blogs and sites I see tend to be based in America, I hope to also outlining suggestions for ferret care in the UK. Obviously, I'm no vet or expert in any way, but I'll use my own experiences in order to help anyone!

That's all for now. Until next time!