Manitoba ferret association

FRUSTRATING CONFINEMENT

Suddenly restricting ferrets' "running space" can be confusing to them, and may make them angry. They can see the "promised land" beyond their cages and can't get to it. This frustration can result in all sorts of behavior problems, including digging, scratching, food throwing and overturning of water bowls or litter boxes, as well as biting. Ferrets generally appear smart enough to know it wasn't them who restricted their territory, it was you.

A very common reason ferrets bite is because they are caged for too many hours. These are intelligent, active animals that love to investigate their surroundings. When you deny a ferret the opportunity to do so, you create a frustrated and often angry creature. It puzzles me that some people who would agree that leaving a cat in a pet carrier, or a dog in a crate, for 23 hours out of each day is cruel, yet they do not understand doing the same thing to a ferret is equally inhumane. A ferret that figures out that your hand is what places it back into the cage may learn to fear that hand and biting it may seem like a perfectly reasonable recourse. People's situations vary, but I always recommend ferret owners try to let their animals loose in their homes as frequently as possible.

WHAT TO DO

Let's say you've thought things through and have a good idea about what may be causing your ferret to bite. Congratulations! You've cleared the toughest hurdle on your way to solving the problem. If you now expect to read my favorite "trick" for putting an end to biting -guess what? -you just have. Many people employ many different methods. Some can be a little controversial, which is why I prefer not to describe them here.

You can't train a frightened ferret to stop biting by hitting it (I strongly advise that you never hit or slap a ferret, even one that is misbehaving). You can't stop a ferret that is caged excessively from biting by punishing it with time-outs in the cage -doing so will make things worse. While spraying Bitter Apple on your feet may prevent your ferret from acting out its "foot fetish," you won't be able to keep a ferret that is going blind from biting you by spraying Bitter Apple on your hands. And a ferret will never learn to play gently with your hands if you insist on wearing gloves when playing with your pets. The best "trick" solution I can offer is for you to correct the situation behind the biting. After you do that, you will often find that, like magic, the biting will cease all by itself. (Still, for those of you who are desperate for some kind -any kind -of biting deterrent method, refer to the "One Easy Method" )

A ferret bite often takes people by surprise. The last thing you expect from an adorable little bandit face is to find a set of sharp teeth in your finger. When Russ Case, Ferrets' editor, asked me to write an article about biting behavior I was a bit puzzled, thinking such articles had appeared in Ferrets before. Russ told that this was true, but "Why is my ferret biting?" queries remain one of the most commonly asked questions that continue to cross his desk. (Editor's note: This is quite true. The second most commonly asked question is "Why won't my ferret use a litter pan?" Because of this, expect to see both of these topics regularly featured in Ferrets.)

Is there an epidemic of munching ferrets out there? Personally, I don't think ferrets are biting any more or less than they ever did. What is happening, though, is that magazines like Ferrets are becoming a relied-upon source of information for people having problems with their pets. Years ago, without the resources we have today (including the Internet and ferret shelters across the country), ferret owners had nowhere to turn for help. A biting ferret would be given away, left locked in a cage for the rest of its life, or even be put to sleep. Luckily, we've all come a long way, especially in regard to the good care information that is now readily available to ferret owners. This is a great trend, and one that will hopefully flourish in the future.

One Easy Method to Dissuade Ferrets From Biting

I recently stumbled upon a way to discourage a ferret from biting that is very simple and doesn't hurt the animal. This method seems to work especially well in those cases where the ferret is stubbornly play-biting a little too vigorously. When the ferret nips, gently pinch one of the animal's ears between your thumb and forefinger. Use your finger pads, please -not your fingernails- because ferret ears are sensitive.

Gently (repeat: gently) pinching a ferret's ears doesn't hurt the animal, but the ferret certainly won't like it. Remember to be consistent -every time the ferret bites too hard, pinch its ear. The ferret should learn that its biting will result in an unpleasant pinch in return. Still, don't be surprised if the ferret learns to nip and run before you have a chance to pinch it. Ferrets are clever little critters, and they can sometimes act bratty.

REPRINTED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES FROM FERRETS MAGAZINE, JULY 2000