Hi Folks

[gollum 1]

Hi everyone,

 

Im a countryman that has lost a third of his life (so far) to the sins of the city But now happy to say Im back in the rural domain and getting back in to the life so loved as a child and re learning all the stuff forgotten in the "lost" city years.

 

Spent the last year getting to know a local chalk stream with, can you believe it, NO club or restrictions!!!!! Initially frustrating as I had to really "learn the water", no hints and tips from friends or locals as nobody fishes this little stretch. But eventually rewarding in the way that only country sports can be...I started catching I reckon Pike has to be the best kept secret around, try it deep fried in beer batter and you'll never eat Cod again as for the Trout....well we all know about how good they taste an hour after the catch:)

 

I used to keep ferrets as a youngster but it its only since meeting "proper hunters" by which I mean folk that never come home without a sack full of conies, that I realise I have a lot to learn:)

 

Just got a gorgeous Hob and Jill and currently seeking out landowners needing rabbit control

 

The Jill is gorgeous, super inquisitive and really friendly I think she'll be a cracker when worked. The Hob though is a different matter. I am beginning to realise how lucky I have been with my previous ferrets (albino Jill and polecat/ferret cross Hob) to have never been bitten.......

He to is a beauty, healthy inquisitive etc etc, but...whenever I go to pick him up...that head spins round like an Owls and teeth are shown! He's nearly had me a couple of times and its a bit worrying when accompanied by hissing

 

My guess is that he doesnt like to be approached from above and behind (who would) but how else can I pick him up? I know the previous owner well, and there has certainly not been any abusive behaviour or cruelty in this little Hobs life (9months) so maybe he just has a little bit more testosterone than usual I guess that lots of handling will solve this, its early days having only acquired them 3 days back. But I am wondering if anyone has any specific tips on training out the biting reflex? I do not want to train out his natural instincts...just calm him down enough to avoid being bitten.

 

Anyone have any suggestions?

[skycat 6,172]

They look very sharp and alert! It sounds as though he's either not been handled at all or been frightened by being grabbed too quickly/roughly. He'll have to unlearn that fear first.

 

Dont try and pick him up straight away: stick your hand in a bowl of milk then put your fist in front of him: knuckles towards him: that way it won't hurt so much if he tries to bite them! With any luck he will lick the milk off once he realises your hand tastes of milk. Once he's seeing the fist as a source of milk then put your hand on the floor in front of the hob's nose with milk all over your hand and a pool of milk in the palm of your hand. Hopefully he will soon realise that a hand is something to like not be frightened of and he'll be busy drinking the milk whilst standing on your fingers, then gradually handle him very gently without trying to pick him up, just get him used to being touched to begin with. Once he's got his confidence like this you can progress to handling him on the floor which will then lead to actually being picked up. Let him clamber over your hands and arms. Faimiliarity is the way forward so try and do this several times a day to begin with.

[gollum 1]

Thanks Skycat, I tried the milky knuckles today. He seems happy to lick off the milk, could I be being a little over cautious maybe. A couple of times he managed to give my knuckles a playful nip but there was no aggression as such. It's a bit like the nips they give each other when playing so it could be I am misreading him. Its almost as if he is checking things out to see if they are chewable rather than attacking. The clear behaviour with both Hob and Jill is the tendency to chase anything that moves suddenly.....like the cloth when cleaning their floor for example, and maybe I was causing some of the nips by pulling my hand away suddenly. It's a tricky one...should I leave my hand in place and risk a confidence damaging bite or pull away fast and provoke the instinctive reaction to movement. I'll continue with your suggestions and see how it goes. Another thing is that I may have been unintentionally underfeeding. Having given them 2oz of pig lights this morning they seemed quite satisfied but when I tried the milk in the afternoon they went berserk just at the smell of it in the bowl outside the cage. This prompted me to give another 2oz of lights which disappeared instantly. I put in another 2oz some of which they hid for later. The fact that they hid some makes me think they were full so I'll start off tomorrow with 6oz. Do you have any suggestions on food quantities? I know that they were getting whole pigeon in their previous home but how regularly im not sure. Though until I get them working I wont be able to offer them whole rabbit carcasses.

 

Thanks again.

[skycat 6,172]

Lights contain very little goodness/protein. Ferrets really need whole carcasses: pigeon, rabbit: ours even get the odd squirrel and pheasant carcase once we've taken the breast off. Don't weigh the food, just put in what you think will be enough: if they eat it all at once then give them some more. They are small animals with fast metabolisms and need food little and often. Our 5 adult ferrets will go through a whole rabbit in 24 hours and be looking for more. If your ferrets have been underfed then expect them to eat a lot more until they have reached a decent weight. If you can't get whole carcases then give them a mixture of beef mince, the odd tiny bit of liver or heart only a couple of times a week. Even day old chicks will be better than lights. Dust minced meat etc with a good vitamin/supplement if they never get the whole carcase.

 

Re the chasing hand thing: expect them to do that, and DON'T pull your hand away fast. It's easier to put the ferrets in a holding cage when you clean them out, rather than let them think they should be chasing your hand! Do every thing with them slowly and deliberately and avoid quick movements, especially from above. Once they are used to you and all the noises/sights/ sounds in their home you can get away with a lot more.

[stubby 175]

skycat has answered very well, I'd just add to try and get yourself some ferret vitamin paste, mine go nutts for the stuff, a big blob on your fingers/hand will inforce the hands are good idea,

 

watch the hiding off food, be sure to clean it all out, when feeding them again, otherwise flies will start laying eggs, also feed at night in the summertime, not giving flies a chance

[outshooting 0]

welcome to the site

[gollum 1]

Thank you all.

I'm happy to report that "biter" is rapidly becoming "smiler"

Daily handling, and observing the suggestions above is making a noticeable difference. He now seems quite happy climbing up my shirt and greets me in the morning with what almost seems to be recognition...surprising and welcome progress after just 7 days.

 

I'm off to get my MkIII, tomorrow, and then in the coming days I will try them out at a local bury that I just got permissions for.

 

I'll post in the ferreting section and let you all know how we get on.

 

Cheers everybody and good luck

 

G

[Malt 379]

Welcome to the site! Glad your fert is coming along!

[callum104 27]

Welcome Gollum,

I have the same problem with one of my ferrets which i recently got who is now 7 months old. I think i will try some of skycats ideas.

At the moment im holding it with one glove on but it is alot calmer when i handle it now so i might try it without a glove and risk a bite.

good luck with your ferret,

 

Callum

[bowers1986 3]

:welcomeani: :welcomeani: