Grumpy ferret

[longnetter 32]

You've only had them a couple of days, mate. they haven't had time to settle in yet. Don't try to handle the hob for a week or two, let him get used to your routine of feeding etc .Stop 'itting 'im won't do any good at all, talk to them or whistle to them at feeding times (comes in handy when working ) sounds like you're rushing things a little bit

[dave1600d 35]

_{look at this piece of film,,,pause it at 35 seconds in,,,,this is how i held my hob when i got him,,,,,,if you look at the way the girl is holding him,,but imagine the ferret facing her instead of the camera,,,,her thumb would be under one front leg,,across the chest of the ferret,,,and up to its opposite shoulder,the girls fingers would be across its back,,,then taking his weight with the other hand ..this way he cannot bite you,,i tried this with mine and it worked,,,but getting him off the floor was another matter,,,,,i used to pick him up quick and get him into the holding position as quick as i could to avoid a bite,,,,, dont pussyfoot around when you pick him up mate,,coz he will know youre scared of him and it may make him uneasy,,,,just be assertive,,hope this helps,,dave,,,,,,,,,,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrE5JaCFeuc}

[dave1600d 35]

http://www.photoshoppix.com/coppermine/displayimage/album=5/pos=81.html..like this mate.....

[chris k 205]

getting some cracking advice here thanks lads. im deffinatly going to continue with him and will not return him

[chris k 205]

right ive been giveing them there space for this evening but keep checking in on them. Just contacted a mate of mine which is more a less a brother and hes going to loot his building sites skip tomorow as he says there tones of timber there. ideal for a court. The mrs is drawing up blue prints of what she wants the court to look like. im gonna get this knocked up a.s.a.p. just need to lay my hands on some welded mesh and im luaghing. Hopefully with a huge court with everything in they will be happyer with me

[dave1600d 35]

use a small hole mesh so they cant get out,,,but not chicken wire,,,coz they may bite through it n get out,,good luck mate,,dave

[gary.l 61]

_{look at this piece of film,,,pause it at 35 seconds in,,,,this is how i held my hob when i got him,,,,,,if you look at the way the girl is holding him,,but imagine the ferret facing her instead of the camera,,,,her thumb would be under one front leg,,across the chest of the ferret,,,and up to its opposite shoulder,the girls fingers would be across its back,,,then taking his weight with the other hand ..this way he cannot bite you,,i tried this with mine and it worked,,,but getting him off the floor was another matter,,,,,i used to pick him up quick and get him into the holding position as quick as i could to avoid a bite,,,,, dont pussyfoot around when you pick him up mate,,coz he will know youre scared of him and it may make him uneasy,,,,just be assertive,,hope this helps,,dave,,,,,,,,,,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrE5JaCFeuc}

 

I find they can still get ya when your thumbs under the front leg, think it works better if your thumbs over the front leg rather than under it with the other leg between your index and middle finger.

Edited December 18, 2012 by gary.l

[dsullia 32]

Chris my lad picked up 2 jills this weekend just gone and the fella has done nowt with them so they are sharp and not used to people,the thing is we are tuesday and i can see a big difference in them one is sharper than the other, but tonight one will let me hold her and stroke her with lid of hutch open i guess its all about trust as they don't want to bite me they are just scared, and there is no hissing or chattering nowt when she bit me monday she just bit and hung on but will all come right in time.My other ferrets one of them was the guy said "its evil" well she is a cracking worker and never had a bite from her once she started to trust me was all good from that point buddy.

[GazCross 0]

We had one that was a bugger. Mrs tried everything even resorted to wearing gloves etc. Do you what sorted it? Feretone. Worth every penny as it stopped the biting overnight. Couldnt ask for a nicer ferret now.

[dsullia 32]

We had one that was a bugger. Mrs tried everything even resorted to wearing gloves etc. Do you what sorted it? Feretone. Worth every penny as it stopped the biting overnight. Couldnt ask for a nicer ferret now.

Spot on great stuff

[dsullia 32]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ferretone-Skin-Coat-Food-Supplement-473ml-16-oz-bottle-CHEAPEST-ON-EBAY-UK-/190765037384?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Small_Animals&hash=item2c6a7b7748

[ferret100 47]

We had one that was a bugger. Mrs tried everything even resorted to wearing gloves etc. Do you what sorted it? Feretone. Worth every penny as it stopped the biting overnight. Couldnt ask for a nicer ferret now.

 

Ferretone is so full of chemicals, preservatives and sugars it is not legal to import into UK due to animal welfare standards. Not saying your a dealer but best left avoided. Glad your biter turned a corner though. Atb.

[ferret100 47]

Your hob hasn't settled just yet and seems a touch insecure. If he were mine, I'd prefer to handle him as much as poss in a very positive way. If he draws blood and latches on, wear gloves if needs be, he'll soon learn to realise biting gets no real reaction, then cover the glove in ferrets formula, so he looks forward to the glove. When he stops biting and being aggressively reactive, leave off the glove and just use the ferrets formula on your hand. He will soon learn to realise your hands are a safe place.

 

No-one likes a latch-on ferret, but they are easier to deal with than many. Atb.

[chris k 205]

This is the main reason i love this site. The amount of hunters willing to help each other out even just with knoledge is excellent

[Stretch177 36]

My hob was exactly the same, he had been rescued after living rough for a while and he was biting and scratch all the time at first, but now he is one of my top workers and the kids can handle him no bother. As simple as it sounds, i just ignored the biting/scratched and picked him up. I offered a clenched fist at first, he would bite like hell but would settle down eventually and as my skin was tight he was scratching with his teeth, rather than biting. He would tuck his head under his body to bite me when i picked him up, but as soon as he was in my hands, he was a totally different ferret. I was covered in scratches from where he had tried to bite me for a week or 2, but then he calmed right down, got used to being handled and now im reaping the benefits of it. Time and patience is what you need in this game.