My new viscious critter!

Cretia · #1 (**permalink**) 10-06-2005, 02:38 AM

Hey you guys! I haven't been here in a while, so I thought I'd at least take the time to tell you about this new hellian I brought home. I set out the other day to buy a Chinchilla. I found a beautiful one in St. Augustine for 130.00 with a cage! I did all my research, headed up there the next day, and he was already sold. So I wound up with a ferret instead. He was cool until I let him down to play in the room. That little thing is crazy! It's only 8 weeks old, so it hasn't learned not to bite yet. Now nipping is one thing, but this little fuzzbutt freakin' lockjawed my finger through the cage and shook like a pitbull! By the time I got the cage door open my finger was ripped to shreds, even my fingernail is torn from his teeth. At that point I dug into some ferret information to find out disciplinary and teaching methods, and WHY he was doing this. I had only researched chinchillas before I left because I wasn't expecting to get a ferret. I have had one before when I was like, 8, but it was a year old and had already been trained not to even nip. Petco had just recieved them from the breeder, so I called the manager and informed him of this unsocialized unusually aggressive behavior, and I gave him a piece of my mind about not warning me that he needed to be trained and that he "bit," keeping in mind that nipping is totally different. One of the other ferrets in the enclosure was 10 times more aggressive than this one is even now. I picked the one I have because he was the calmest at the store. I can't even imagine how crazy the other one will be after leaving with someone. i believe that the breeder did not take any time at all to interact with them, he is probably scared because of the new enviroment, and he is a male. They have that "alpha" male "beta" male mentality so when he was interacting with other ferrets he was probably used to being boss. He is being real stubborn about breaking that. I scruff him after he bites, hiss at him sometimes even, put him in a time out box, and when he comes out he'll still be biting trying to be bad! Apparently that is typical behavior for males coming out of a place where they are on top of the social scale. Not even Sour Apple is deterring it! But he has already made SOME progress over the last two days. The manager tod me to keep in touch and let him know how he improves, and if I decide I can't handle it I can give him back, which I hope I won't have to do. His name is "Nibbler." I'll tell you what, right now I would let a baby play with my ball python before I would let an 8 year old near that fuzzball.

tmfleo1 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-06-2005, 03:19 AM

Yes Ferrets can be notorious biters I have had a few in the past as rescues sence in Calif they are still illegal but there are a few rescue organizations here that allow a person to have a limited few well if the sour apple did not work try the hottest hot sauce you can find until your ferret stops biting wear some heavy thick gloves after he learns to stop biting aggressivly .
They will play nibble at times and they love to explore every thing they can .

captrob · #3 (**permalink**) 10-06-2005, 03:20 AM

Hey cretia, you are right down the road from me. I am in Green Cove.

Cretia · #4 (**permalink**) 10-07-2005, 03:05 AM

Whoa, that's cool. I think you are the only person on here that lives close to me. Oh, thanks to whoever moved my post by the way. I was in a hurry and not paying attention where I put it.

How would I do hot sauce? It sounds messy. Like, pour some in the side of his mouth when he's clenching my finger? Wouldn't it get everywhere? And, are you sure that it wouldn't hurt him, his digestive system I mean?

tmfleo1 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-07-2005, 04:40 AM

no just put some on your hands a small amount the smell alone should work and the hot sauce won't hurt him . there is also another product simular to the bitter apple I'll have to check on that though .

gemisnake · #6 (**permalink**) 10-07-2005, 04:51 AM

FERRETS ARE EVIL!!! LOL With time you should be able to teach him not to bite you. I would in the meantime avoid hand feeding him any treats as that may help him associate your fingers with something that is ok to bite. One thing you can do is use a spray bottle and squirt him when he bites you, He may like or dislike the water but either way it should distract him to let go. Another thing is these animals dont respond well to negative reinforcement but if you are careful to not be too harsh a flick on the nose and a sharp "NO" could help him get the picture too. Again though, carefully and gently, just enough to get his attention not hurt him or scare him badly. If you have the patience I would really recommend working with him instead of taking him back but be prepared that it may not happen overnight.
Oh, and too bad on the Chinchilla. They are great, can be nippy too, but mine were awesome, I miss them!

Cretia · #7 (**permalink**) 10-08-2005, 01:02 AM

I'm not planning on taking him back. I already read somewhere that negative reinforcement doesn't work. I tried spraying him in the face with a water bottle, and it phased him just about as much as the bitter apple-not at all.

I'll just have to continue with the scruffing, yelling, and time-out box. he seems to be slowly improving. After I get this under control the next task will be litter training. Right now when I go to grab his butt to toss it in the litter box he wiggs out and starts floppin all over the place thinking I'm trying to play with him. The likeness to a little kid is amazing.

tmfleo1 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-10-2005, 05:24 AM

How things going with your ferret Cretia

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