handling

[stopemhopping 1]

we got our first ferret yesterday (8 week old hob) ive read on here that handling is very important but when you say handling what exactly do you mean? is sitting on the lawn with the missus and kids playing with it going through tubes and things ok? also when the bugger bites and clamps on whats the best way to get him unclamped?

thanks

scott.

[Jamie m 668]

we got our first ferret yesterday (8 week old hob) ive read on here that handling is very important but when you say handling what exactly do you mean? is sitting on the lawn with the missus and kids playing with it going through tubes and things ok? also when the bugger bites and clamps on whats the best way to get him unclamped?

thanks

scott.

he's frightend get to know the ferret and vise versa he will be right soon enough

[mikeball 108]

Handle in anyway as much as you can on the garden with the kids and that is good it will get them used to being picked up from the floor and being around your feet when thay come up from holes loads of ways stop them biting some people put there finger in the mouth to gag them so the have to let go but i just fick mine on the nose atb have fun with them

[dave4178 5]

Just get him used to your hands by picking him up a lot and stroking him, if you pick him up right, that is, hand over the top and fingers either side of the front legs, and support the rump, he should not be able to bite. If he goes for your fingers then let go of the rump, so he hangs and can't turn his head to bite. Its easier with an adult ferret of course but their bite is much harder and more painful.

 

As for being bitten by your kit, there are a few ways to stop it. Either push your finger into its mouth towards the throat (not too hard) it does not like it and will soon get the message, or a flick on the nose. Another method is to spit in its face, but dont actually spit, they dont like the sudden puff of air in their faces.

Hope this helps mate, and good luck with him.

[steve209 3]

Handle in anyway as much as you can on the garden with the kids and that is good it will get them used to being picked up from the floor and being around your feet when thay come up from holes loads of ways stop them biting some people put there finger in the mouth to gag them so the have to let go but i just fick mine on the nose atb have fun with them

 

 

Ah the joys of owning a little carpet shark Flicking the ferret on the nose will only encourage it to get weary of your hands and end up hand shy! It will only associate hands with pain!

 

Give it a loud hiss,if he doesn't let go with that method,scruff it. he'll soon stop the biting,it's a kit thing.

[J.DOG 1,355]

Just hold the ferret and stroke it put it down and let it play then pick it up again do this a few times a day

biting is what kits do to exsplore the bite there litter mates when they play it's just exsploring when it bites you give it a no or a hiss if you do this u should be fine

 

This worked for me and now my ferrets play with me and put there teeth on my finger but don't apply any pressure because they know not to bite I have even trained one to sit on my shoulder lol that took a long time

[Kay 3,709]

Handle after the ferrets had a good feed up of meat when its to stuffed to care basically, , get it used to having the insides of its mouth looked at & its feet , just daily normal handling's all that's needed.

 

Also i assume its a lone ferret , might be an idea to get it a playmate , then they will tire each other out as they tend to be more nippy when there's lots of pent up energy

[Ferret mad Dave 65]

The hissing and scruffing is working a treat for me one of mine was a little biter and now she is as good as gold only one week on after better them

[stopemhopping 1]

cheers folks

[muddy210 34]

with new kits i find the more you handle them the better they become one of last years was a sod and would nip at every oppurtunity but by perseveraing they realise that its not to be done. a couple of tips ive allways found handy is to wash your hands before picking them up removes all signs of food from your hands and smells of food. and once you have picked them up just keep fussy them like a kitten. one the old guys used to do round here which worked was to spit in your palm and let them lick it gross i know but worked. i go for a bit of ferreton or milk in the palm instead.

[stopemhopping 1]

hes being a feisty little fecker today he seems totaly different hes been quite calm since we got him but hes gone nip crazy today

[Col_c88 41]

Granted im not half as experienced as you lot but.. in all 4 of my ferrets, when being bitten, ive just let them bite.. I NEVER put them down i just man it out for the couple of seconds.. after a bit something clicks in there head and they must relise that biting=nothing happens.. they dont get put down until they stop.. one of the 2 kits i got recently, tried to drag my hand in the hutch and she really bit hard! few times i left the shed with blood on my fingers.. but i just didnt let her win, kept my hand in one place and she sharp relised that it gets her no where and they have both stopped biting..if it got too much i would enter my hand as a tight fist so that there wasnt much to bite and its suprising how fast they will give up..

 

now even my misses will gladly pick them all up as she knows they just dont bite..

 

to be fair i see the point in all the techniques used by you all.. its just how i do it and its worked on 2hobs and 2jills.

 

now all i need is for the jills to stop trying to climb all over my hand and just hang (tho there getting better).. maybe seeing the adults come out the holes and being picked up will help them learn.

[fcuktheban 140]

I don't like flicking ferrets and have seen them become aggressive when other people have done it. As said before feed them well first, clean your hands, hold them behind their back and under the arms, don't put them down when they get nippy. I shout no and pry open the mouth carefully if they do get hold. Daily attention is important to get them used to people. A play mate is a good idea also. Best of luck with your new rugshark