new ferrets

[shootingmadgeorge 6]

i have been intersted in ferreting sice i was 12 and now i have them and i am 13 i got to 6 week old hobs today but they are biting me like mad is it true i should just ignore them or should i flick them on the nose i have been told both things by 2 different people?

any help would be great!?

also any other tips would be very help full

[diggermad 154]

just keep handling and playing with them mate they will soon stop cheers DM

[Col_c88 41]

Put up with it mate, the more you handle them, pick them up, play with them etc. the more they will relise your not foe... Dont put them down when they bite you otherwise they will start biting you when they want to be put down as thats what they have assosiated it with.

 

Might want to get them used to your feet too mate, if you have an area you can walk around with them around your feet it will stop them being scared of feet.

[stealthy1 3,964]

They're not biting, they're just teething

[theferreter 311]

a wee flick in the nose has always worked for me the key is just handle them as much as you can and they will come good

[The one 8,593]

A six week old ferrets no biting you mate its only playing feed then handle them in a fortnight they shouldn't be mouthing you

[Bradford Lad 74]

Try putting some lemon juice or washing up ;iquid on your knuckle and then offer it to the kit it will try bite but soon let get once it gets a tatse, after a few times it works out not to bite you

[Rake aboot 4,936]

Try not to put anything on your hand (like lemon juice ! ) they need to get used to you and yer smell

 

If they bite, just try pushing your finger into there mouth a wee bit,, just to gag them slightly,, puts them off and they soon learn !,, persivere and keep handling them,,

 

ATB

[Jim2 0]

Hi mate i got 3 young ferretts too mate there doing the same keep handling them every moment you can even if its only two mins it will help. never pull your hand away if it does snap at u. lol I was always tought to never put my hand loose in the cage always clentch a fist to there nose so they can get ya smell the pick them up. loose finger are sausages and it hurts like hell when there fully grown. your find me on facebook jim norrell goldsmith if you want a chat.

[barry lurcher 27]

gotta agreed with the "one" he got it spot on feed em first then handle them less likely to mouth you play with them handle them as much as you can you cannot handle them enough at this age it will pay off in the end good luck

[ferret100 47]

Kits are kits, they will nip. Not a fan of the flicking on the nose, gagging them or putting nasty substances on your hands. Defo make sure they have full bellys before handling them, don't get them over-excited after a feed though or you may have ferret puke to clear up! Best thing is for a ferret to associate handling with a postitive experience. If you cover your hands in nasty tasting stuff, the ferrets MAY learn not to bite, but they might also think hands are nasty. Not a good outcome!

[redtailhawk1 84]

As most of the guys said above. Do not do any of the nasty stuff - just handle them. After all the aim is to get them to trust & like being handled by you.

[simonrocco 175]

just keep handling them pal as much as you can they'll soon stop it once there use to you i find when there nipping its just a playful nip lots of handling will sort this out.

[The one 8,593]

Help if you get your kits off somebody that's spent some time with them , When im feeding them i like to run my hand over them rolling them about and if they nip me then i push my finger into there mouths rather than pull it away .Starting at about four weeks then by the time there old enough to re home they rarely nip and there teeth aren't so sharp

[cocker 2,655]

i have 4 young ferrets on at the moment, if they are hungry sometimes they will nip a bit, so i always make sure i feed them, well, and then handle them, plenty of handling, and as much as possible, i wouldnt do the nose flicking or put bad tasting stuff on my hands, handle them handle them and handle them again, plenty of good food and water, and a good clean dry cage, and they will come right.