Bitey Kit!

[janine 53]

Right I have kept two Hob Ferrets from the litter I have bred this year and the one from the whole litter is a little S**T everytime it just bites me and now it's like 16 wks it's drawing blood, my question is do you think some ferrets are just biters?? I have treated them all the same and the rest are really tame, even had one person who has had two off me say how tame they are. Should I persist with this young ferret?

[Sirblessed 2,511]

Right I have kept two Hob Ferrets from the litter I have bred this year and the one from the whole litter is a little S**T everytime it just bites me and now it's like 16 wks it's drawing blood, my question is do you think some ferrets are just biters?? I have treated them all the same and the rest are really tame, even had one person who has had two off me say how tame they are. Should I persist with this young ferret?

Yes! I have never had a ferret I couldn't” tame ( unless it was inbred or mental in some way). You need to first find out if it biting from fear, or aggression, if its aggression you need to be firmer with your technique, if fear just handle every day (with gloves at first if necessary) and be kind .

[Daniel cain 42,804]

Get some of that ferret paste-forget what it's called, let it lick it from your fingers,atb dc

[rabbit demon 301]

Some are wee fookers. Iv had a couple of kits that would give a nip at nearly a year old. I had a rescue also that had my forearms black and blue for around 6 months. She was getting every spare moment of every day put into her and she will still give the odd bite now and again if the mood takes her. She manged to give me a wee scar on my nose last year because she can climb anything and shes super quick. They all have different temperaments and characters. Ferrets are clever as well if they sense the slightest bit of nervousness they play on it too. I would persist with it unless it was causing serious damage. If its biting and causing deep puncture wounds and doing the head shaking id cull it.

[rabbit demon 301]

Iv never culled a ferret for biting in all the years iv kept them but iv seen a two that should have been culled.

[Arry 18,537]

Get some of that ferret paste-forget what it's called, let it lick it from your fingers,atb dc

Malt Paste, mate. I have found feeding small strips of meat by hand works very well.

 

Cheers Arry

[Mr Wilkes 2,914]

Salmon oil put in a squeeze type bottle and every time you pick up the ferret give it a bit of oil , it won't take long before it realises being picked up is a positive experience for it..

[The one 8,396]

Are you picking it up roughly ? does it no like getting picked up ? maybe it has a sore spot ?. feed it and just as it wants to sleep handle it , its going to be likely to bite you then and give it a once over , as you've bred them you obviously want to keep it but there's a time when you say enough's enough and only you can decide maybe working it will calm it down a bit but then are you going to be scared to put your hand in a dead end if its there

[Welsh_red 4,303]

Mine sometimes play bite . I give them flick on the nose or finger in the mouth . They like licking my arms then triyng to nibble

[toolebox 1,384]

Some are wee fookers. Iv had a couple of kits that would give a nip at nearly a year old. I had a rescue also that had my forearms black and blue for around 6 months. She was getting every spare moment of every day put into her and she will still give the odd bite now and again if the mood takes her. She manged to give me a wee scar on my nose last year because she can climb anything and shes super quick. They all have different temperaments and characters. Ferrets are clever as well if they sense the slightest bit of nervousness they play on it too. I would persist with it unless it was causing serious damage. If its biting and causing deep puncture wounds and doing the head shaking id cull it.

I agree ,every ferret has a different nature & temperament,over the years we have a couple of REAL biters,these days Id rather put my valuable time into a calm even temperament ferret .Those ones are joy to handle and work ,without the hassle of a biter,plus I like my grandsons to handle & pick up the ferrets while out working so a hard bitter would simply spoil the day out for them . ATB hope you can fix the problem .

Edited August 30, 2017 by toolebox

[janine 53]

Thanks for all the replies and I do let them lick Ferrotone off my fingers so picking them up is a positive thing but Malcolm as I have called him licks my fingers then bites me! I have a massive cage for them I can stand in the little sod even goes to bite my legs, I will carry on with him for a while and hope after all this he turns out to be my best worker!

[ginger beard 4,652]

unless you really need him,cull him.

[northern lad 2,292]

I only ever bred one biter,persevered with it for about 4 months and then culled,this kit didnt nip,it bit and hung on....even just walking past the run it would fly at the mesh hissing and spitting trying to get at me .It genuinly had no fear of people,if you put a hand within biting reach it did,.Not trying to be internet tough guy but if it was mine Id be getting shut,spend your time more profitably on another kit atb either way, Dave.

[terryd 8,029]

Repeatedly pick it up off the floor tens times in a row and give it a bit of fish oil or what ever. If it nips don't flinch or acknowledge it just continue holding it and be gentle but firm and make a fuss of it. Just invest plenty of time in it now while it is young. Hopefully be fine unless it is a nut which it unlikely

Edited September 1, 2017 by terryd

[mandog 36]

I had a ferret like that, in the end she turned out to be my best worker. She would bite every one else but me.