Tips on nip training

[JMHunt1 0]

My kits recently turned 10 weeks an they’re still nipping. I’ve been trying to stop them from nipping for a couple weeks now but nothing seems to work. I’ve tried the time out, scruffing an putting milk on my finger but nothings working! Any tips or stories how you got yours to stop nipping, please tell. Thanks 

[neil b 2,264]

When they nip push the knuckle of your finger into there mouth they find it uncomfortable and soon realise fingers aren’t to be nibbled

[terryd 8,014]

Just constant handling and getting them to trust you. Give them a bit of fish oil while your holding them or what ever just make the experience a good one soon come around 

[Arry 18,490]

As terryd and neil b said you can't handle them to much. I like to feed small strips on meat by hand always work for me in the past.

Cheers Arry

[Welsh_red 4,298]

I got ferret malt paste (can get it pets at home or amazon) . Put a bit on my finger and they lick it off . When they have a nibble on the finger I push finger in their mouth . Did that every day regular and in the end they realised biting the finger wasn't fun. Also i picked them up loads.  Even though it seemed over the top , if I was with them a hour I'd pick them up and put them down every few minutes.  Just trying to get them used to being picked up.  

[beany01 223]

I put my finger in the kits mouth too and said no. Only had to do it a few times, they soon cotton on. Now if they get excited and playful, they sometimes just nibble my fingers, and I say no, and they stop it immediately. 

[The one 8,393]

Aye plenty handling 4 times a day and if they latch onto a finger push it into there mouths don't pull it away  a 8 week old kits no going to harm your finger , though some summers i look like a self harmer  with the scratches on my hands and arms from a litter of kits . its okay if there kits you've bred put i wouldn't touch kits from a breeder who hasn't spent time teaching them no to nip 

[JMHunt1 0]

On 20/07/2018 at 06:59, neil b said:

When they nip push the knuckle of your finger into there mouth they find it uncomfortable and soon realise fingers aren’t to be nibbled

 

On 20/07/2018 at 17:19, beany01 said:

I put my finger in the kits mouth too and said no. Only had to do it a few times, they soon cotton on. Now if they get excited and playful, they sometimes just nibble my fingers, and I say no, and they stop it immediately. 

Tried that the just love to bite my finger even more

[terryd 8,014]

You must have washed too many dishes  stick with it go out and handle them ten times a day if you have to couple days be sorted for life then 

[Welsh_red 4,298]

Don't know if im right or wrong but I shove it down their throats when I do it . Make it really uncomfortable 

[beany01 223]

Yeah, you need to go to the back of the mouth to make it uncomfortable. Maybe I was lucky, none of my ferrets have ever caused me to bleed. When I got my kits, I had holiday from work and handled them for hours and hours. 

[rabbit demon 301]

I just let them bite me and play rough back with them. they get the message that im stronger than them after a bit. Give them a wee scruff till they yawn and roll them on their back every time they nip. Some ferrets are clever enough to keep up the biting if they get a reaction. sometimes with persistant biters I handle more and get my 8 year old daughter to handle them so they are fine by the time its ready to be homed. Give them wee treats off the back of your hand to begin with and move on to feeding them from your fingers. Open their mouths and get them used to teeth being checked  Just make sure their no hungry before you do any handling, kits are savage over food when their hungry and that can cause them to bite more, kits are normally always hungry.