Handling New Kits?

[Foxhole 22]

It's a point we have to do but even when an adult what do you to handle them. Just a few minutes handling them or playing with them. I work them as soon as i can but if i don't for a while what do you do? I have patterdales so have to lock them away if i bring them into the front room

. But it's not really handling them. I have been ferreting for years but do struggle to find the time to handle kits before they work. Is 5 minutes each day enough?

 

What's your take on handling?

[The one 8,457]

I let the kids and there mates loose with mine they think there cute so the odd wee nip doesn't,t bother them and I get all the hard work done for me

[Foxhole 22]

The only kids i have left is Patterdales and a Hawk

[mybrainhurts 23]

I've just got 3 ferrets . 2 Jill's an a hob and I was just wondering the same thing . At the moment am spending about half hour a day with them after I finish work . When I've got a day off I'll try and do a few half hours maybe morning , afternoon and evening plus maybe 10mins here or there

[Total fieldcraft 8]

I wouldn't over do it tbh it's the picking up and putting down u want them use to if you put your hand in d hutch and get nipped then your not handling them enough so then step it up a bit once there a certain age u won't have to bother but I still let myn roam the yard for half hour every over day when I muk them out seems to work for me gud look lads

[Foxhole 22]

I don't mind the nipping that's to be excepted with kits but biting obviously different. So at what point do you think that's it all trained and can biting come back at any point. it sounds like i might be a novice but i am not its just i never do forums and this the first one so getting just views on others thoughts to see if i can improve. Those who think they no everything no nothing so to speak

[mybrainhurts 23]

I am a novice and these are my first kits or ferrets EVER !! I've just been going off what I've read on here and a few books , plus a work mate had them when he was a lad so he's been giving me tips. The first 2 days of having them was fine no bites or nibbles what so ever but suddenly they have turned into jaws and want stop biting. Maybe it's because when I get in from work their hungry cos I leave their food out once I've handled them and go inside for my tea. Most of them are are nibbles but a few have been quite painful . I've also just ordered some of that apple spray to see if that works .

[Bootsha 1,306]

feed young kits first till they have had enough, THEN handle them, they will get in the habit of not assoceating your hand with being hungry and food, once they are stuffed full, handle them loads, there may be a friendly little nip, but i always found that if one nips you, go at him handling until, by his body language and actions, he 's almost saying, fuckoff and leave me alone will you ffs, he will learn, that if he nips, he'll get picked up again and again, as he gets older, the nipping phase will pass, by then, if you have handled them enough, there will be no bites to talk of. treat them with kindness and the respect they deserve, and you will get the same in return, as with any animal.

 

if one does bite you on the finger say, push your finger into his mouth further, he'll forget about biting you and be more keen to getting this big thing out of his mouth, reverse pschycology

[Cleanspade 3,322]

my lad is working on these livewires as i type. lol. using the same method as above

 

 

[mybrainhurts 23]

Now that I've actually thought about it I did pick them up on a Saturday and Sunday they was fine cos I was handling them in the day and it wasn't till in the wk when I finished work was they getting all nippy , they was most prob starving and had this big dickhead grabbing at them , that would piss me off to be fair if I was hungry too. It all makes sense now . Am not the sharpest knife in the draw and usually the answers am looking for does stare me in the face and I just need that person to point me in the right direction before I can get it

 

Cheers

 

MBH

[mybrainhurts 23]

Would you say finish work then feed the ferrets , give them a hour to fill up then handle them for say half hour ??

[Foxhole 22]

I think that if you get new born kits and handle them from the start there will be no problem. However if you are buying kits at say 10 weeks old you are either buying a lot of hard work or much easier. I have bought kits at 10 weeks and they have been real bone crunchers as they probably have never been handled. There is nipping and biting and hanging on.

 

I get the breeder to handle him/her for atleast 20 minutes and see what reactions are given off...

[pmatty77 26]

Slightly different topic but i was told when you first take them out dont go to grab them as they come out of the hole,as this can spook them,just let them have a wander on top,i didnt do this with my first and every time i went to pick her up she sodded off back down the hole

[Bootsha 1,306]

ALWAYS let your ferret, especially young ones, walk clear of the hole before you try and pick them up, as they get older and more experienced, they will expect to be picket up and wait for you to do it, the very simple reason i know this to be the case is because when i was in short trousers, i did the very same mistake myself.

[mybrainhurts 23]

Cheers for the advice , well I've been feeding before handling them so their not trying to eat me and it's seemed to work . My hutch is in the shed so I go in and make sure the door is closed , pick the ferrets up one by one and place them on the floor and let them walk around while I put food in their bowl . Once I've done that I pick them back up and place them in the hutch. I take the dog for a walk which is about 45mins-1hrs . Then I go back in shed and let the ferrets have the run of the shed while I'll pick one up have a quick handle then place it down wait a few minutes till I pick another up. After I've done that the first time round I give them about 5-10mins to have a explore or play then I start over again . I only do it twice just to get use to me picking them up without them trying to eat me. Seems to work so far ,