Hello all,

I would really appreciate some help!

Yesterday I rescued a young female ferret, very scared, who was found in somebody's garage, I got her home and setup 
a cage with fresh water, a variety of meat (have read raw is the way to go) and some material for her to snuggle up in.

She has been eating and drinking like it's going out of fashion, for which I am happy as she must of been starving.

When I have had her out of the cage she has been quite aggressive with me, hissing and has bitten me several times, 1 was really serious, she was very close to taking a good sized chunk out of my thumb.

I had read that 'scruffing' was a good option for discipline (and was needed to separate her teeth from my fingers)

We aren't allowed ferrets as pets in my country, and if found are euthanized.

I understand there to be an underground group of owners around my country, but naturally getting in touch with such people will not be easy.

I know a vet that I should be able to work with if needed in the future.

Has anyone got any ideas as to how I may cut down the biting and generally improve our relationship?


Just to break it down:

- Female
- Around a year old (based on the teeth)
- Found in an urban environment, either escaped or abandoned (not wild, suspect abused, neglected or had very little human contact)
- Shows aggression towards me, and if able will seriously bite me (lots of blood)
- When held is very scared (I can feel her shaking)
- Illegal to own in my country
- If found will be euthanized
- Vet known, will likely be cooperative
- Would love to keep her as a pet if at all possible, understanding the consequences for both of us


Thankyou for reading, 
I eagerly await your reply.

K

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Your little one is in new environment.... new home, smell, new schedule, new toys.  She might be over well with all this new stuff.

If it was my ferret, I would just let her settled into her new home on her's terms.  I have a ferret room, which is block off from the rest of the house.  When I have new comers come into my home.  I leave them in this room until they feel comfortable in their new home.  Once, they settled down after being out in the room for awhile.  I would go in to the room and sit on the floor.  I let the little one come up to me and say hello.  If I know ferret has a habit of biting.  I usually have a big stuff animal in my hand.  If I think the little one is going to bit me.  I usually push them away with the stuff animal....making a game out of it.  Playing with mom is fun.....

Give it some time for your little one to settled into it's new home. This works in our house hold

I hope this helps and best of luck to you and your little one.

Hi.  It's great that you took in a creature in need.  Not everyone would do that for a ferret because of all the myths.  
As wenminster says, your new little buddy has at least been homeless for a few days and is in a totally new environment.  Unless she was abused, she should adjust to you in time, using her advice.  
Ferrets are illegal in several places in the USA, but there are groups online where people who own them in those places can exchange information as well as work to get ferrets legalized.   Have you tried looking for such an online organization in your country? 

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

Thankyou for your suggestions,


POST 1:

Yeah I understand your point of view on this, I was quite excited to have her and wasn't exactly thinking from her 
point of view in the change of environment.

I liked the idea of a ferret room and have since setup a nice closed off area for her.

Also the stuffed toy idea sounds like a winner, will try that.


POST 2:

Regarding the legislation, it was pretty much a clear cut case in 2002 to outlaw the ownership of them, 
ferrets ended up getting a really bad reputation here, as they were blamed for killing off our native wildlife.

That isn't the truth in any way, it was feral stoats, weasels, possums and to a minor degree feral ferrets that were introduced in the 1800's 
but that's what our department of conservation had to say and what followed was an outright ban on domesticated ferrets.

I have hunted around in the past for such a forum or group and even recent google searches have netted no result (I have been interested in ferret ownership since I was a child) 

It's a real shame it ended up like this here, as I have very fond memories of ferrets as a child.

Thankyou for your replies,

K

good for you, it must have been Christmas for you when you found her! As far as relationships and biting goes, the trick is patience and consistency. When she bites you, just scruff her gently and maybe drag her a bit across the floor (gently). You are showing her YOU are the dominant ferret, which ferrets will do amongst themselves to establish a pecking order. Again, the key is consistency here, She will bite and bite and bite, and every time you MUST scruff her to let her know its not right, after a few months (maybe longer - patiance) she will get the idea. As far as establishing a healthy relationship, give her lot's of playtime, but not just playtime, playtime wiht YOU, everyday. One big thing about ferrets that people don't understand (I'm sure you know)is that they are extremely interactive animals, that need to be stimulated when they are out and about, ahuman (or other ferret) is the prefect solution to this problem. The more you interact with her, the closer she will be to you. A ferret is naturally curious and inquisitive, so she WANTS to play with you, she just needs to be comfortable and familiar with you first.

POST 3:

Oh yes, literally like a kid on christmas eve!

Is feeding them from the hand ok to do? or is it better to feed them from the bowl?
Been wondering, as with other animals particularly rats I believed handing them treats would strengthen a bond.
Or am I associating my fingers with food, therefore reinforcing biting behaviour?


Day 4:
Earlier today I fed her and sat down and let her climb on me, up and down my jersey sleeves etc, she seemed 
pretty calm, occasionally hissing at me, I had to keep my fingers clear of her as if she gets a chance she still try's to take them off.

She ended up getting ahold of my finger and tearing away at it, I managed to scruff her (she wasn't letting go) and did the drag thing.
She really loosened up, I presume it was submissive, but I noticed a pungent odor, like a stinkbomb had gone off and after I had released her some hissing followed, then she casually walked off and climbed into her bed.

I think we are making progress, that was a full 45 minutes of interaction until the incident at the end.


Thankyou for your replies,

K

It seems the scruffing works.  Keep at it.  It also sounds like she still has her scent glands, which is no surprise.  In the UK, it's illegal to remove them.  There's a chance she hasn't been de-sexed, which could cause serious issues when she goes into season.  Talk to the vet about that before she does.

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

Sometimes white ferrets (and your little girl seems to have a white head, what we'd call a panda here in the US) are deaf.  You might want to do a few tests to see if she is deaf, in which case the hissing and perhaps the aggressiveness might be understandable.  You just have to change your method of approaching her if she is deaf, so you dont' startle her.

My girl was very aggressive at first, before I knew she was totally deaf.  After I found out she was deaf, I changed things I was doing and how I handled her in certain situations.  She's much better now.  Not near as aggressive as she used to be, but can still be feisty.  I hope she comes around with you so you can enjoy her cuteness at 100%!

Snapper13


Sometimes white ferrets (and your little girl seems to have a white head, what we'd call a panda here in the US) are deaf.  You might want to do a few tests to see if she is deaf, in which case the hissing and perhaps the aggressiveness might be understandable.  You just have to change your method of approaching her if she is deaf, so you dont' startle her.

.-Connie-.   <(^o.o^)>
Mommy to Farrah & Boomer