Ferret owning DUers! How do you keep the weasel from narfing on your

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

ankles and hands?

We have one that likes to come up to my ankle, or wrist, check it out, and then... NARF!

Grabbing by the scruff and hissing at them seems to have helped with one. But one still does this. It doesn't seem hostile--I think the ferrets play with each other this way but their skin is tougher.

The fact that there is no ill will doesn't make the hurting or the bleeding any less.

What to do?

[SoCalDem]

1. Thick socks?? Taped ankles??

hey... that's a way to use up some of that duct tape ;)

[Placebo]

2. Why Do People Keep Pet Ferrets?

This will always be a mystery to me.

[The Traveler]

4. Because

They have really cool personalities. Seriously. Even my Great Dane loves the ferrets here.

[scarlet_owl]

8. They are actually very loving and wonderful pets.

They can be a bit nibbly when they are babies and that turns some people off. But ferret ownership is not for everyone!

[Placebo]

9. They look like rats to me.

And my cat would kill it, hehe. :smoke:

[Demonaut]

18. ferrets will kill most cats. nt

well I googled it after I posted amd could not find one instance of a battle to the death between them......oh well, guess I was just talking outta my ass

[The Traveler]

3. Surrender to it

It is ferret lovin'. Be thankful and go on.

[salvorhardin]

5. Ferret lovin'

Isn't that illegal in several states? :-)

[bloodyjack]

14. NOT IN TEXAS </bestiality>

[eightyferrettoes]

6. ooohhhh she looks just like my baby girl

But the biting is no good... I sympathize.

I have four. Three of them are so good-- they only "play-bite" humans. But one, who came to me as an adult and was abused as a kit, STILL can't master the fine art of play-biting. He doesn't mean anything by it, but dammit, it sure pisses me off!

Have you tried that Bitter Apple? It seemed to help us.

If she's a baby, she'll probably outgrow it on her own, as long as you're firm about how much is too much.

If she's an adult, it could be an uphill struggle.

Just knew there would be ferret people here!!!!! Good luck.....

[scarlet_owl]

7. How old is your ferret?

I have a little girl who is just as bitey as can be. My two boys went through the same thing when they were young, but they eventually grew out of it and are very mellow and good. A tap on the nose and a sharp "no!" might do a little good, but when they are little they are like that. I think it's along the same lines as a puppy chewing on things and learning it's boundaries. My little one is going through a nose-biting phase at the moment that is really annoying. I guess my advice is that hopefully your ferret will grow out of it.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

11. I think this new one is 4-5 months old.

[scarlet_owl]

13. That's how old my little one is.

She's all mouth right now. She's not as bad as when we got her, though. Good luck.

[onebigbadwulf]

10. Don't they stink?

I always wanted one but they're high maintenance I hear and stinky!

Also, illegal in the California =(

[scarlet_owl]

12. They are high maintenence, and yes, they do have a musk.

Most ferret owners really get used to their unique smell and learn to love it. It's a very comforting odor for me. What really stinks about them is their poop, which they seem to do every hour on the hour.

[ornotna]

19. We use Feline pine

with our ferret and that has reduced the musk smell a great deal.

http://www.felinepine.com/

[hyphenate]

15. My girlfriend's daughter

has 5 currently. They're cool. She had 6 but one died. She was old, about 11 or 12, which I guess is about their lifespan.

Ferrets are great. These little guys go everywhere. She lets them out for about two hours a day to let them run around. The poodle (a little yapper) plays with them as well. They have their own special hiding places--we were rounding them up one evening after their play, and couldn't for the life of us find one of them. We finally got her under the recliner--she was hiding from everyone and not making a sound!

They don't like to cuddle much, but they don't mind being picked up. None of hers bite, though. They do like companionship, so most people don't stick with just one.

They're currently illegal in California that I know of, but they might also be illegal in other states. Here in Massachusetts they're legal.

[scarlet_owl]

16. You're right about most people not having just one!

We started out with Akira, and the lady at the pet store told us that we'd end up with more. A few months later, my MIL brought me Tetsuo. And somehow we ended up with Michiko about a month ago. I do have one ferret who is very cuddly and attatched to me. The other two aren't as much.

[eightyferrettoes]

17. It's a strange phenomenon

I NEVER meant to have four. It just-- happened. :) And every one has a different "ferret-ality."

Right now, two of them are fighting on the couch and another appears to be watching the women's gymnastics....and the fourth is trying to open my refrigerator.

They seem to get cuddlier as they get older. Young ones don't seem to have the time.