Top 8 Reasons Ferrets Bite
One of the keys to dealing with biting is to understand why your ferret is biting.
It is very rare that a ferret is just plain nasty trying to hurt you for no reason.
Most biting problems occur for very specific reasons.
Here is the list of the main reasons that ferrets bite.
1. Dominance
This can be the hardest to deal with. In the world of ferrets there is always a
pecking order and if your ferret decides to be on top he'll try to put you in your
place by asserting his dominance-- by taking control and biting.
When I trained my first ferret I was able to stop the nipping with a little work.
He would only nip me occasionally, which I corrected. He knew I was the
boss but...
My partner was not so lucky...
Our ferret would get very aggressive towards my partner biting down hard and
drawing blood. Since I was doing the discipline, my partner did not get
positioned correctly in the pecking order. When I noticed what was going on
my family used my training technique and everything was fine.
2. Fear
If you do something that scares your ferret they will bite in self- defense. If
your ferret is biting out of fear you need to find out what is scaring it and gain
its trust.
I've seen this happen often with deaf ferrets because they can't hear you
coming. You go to pick them up and it surprises them so they react with a quick
bite.
If your ferret scoots backwards hissing or trying to bite, that is a fear response.
Another sign is when they bite down hard and won't let go.
Most ferrets are territorial. I am always very careful putting my hand into any
ferret cage because it is threatening to them.
Ferrets that have been abandoned or abused can be extremely fearful and bite
with intention to harm.
Most of my ferrets have come from shelters after someone realized the amount
of work it takes to make these guys happy.
My silver gray ferret was abused when I got him from the shelter. A woman
had bought him from a pet store as a young kit. The owner would throw my
little guy against the wall and hit him every time he bit. And to make things
worse the woman’s dog constantly tormented him. I was not surprised my
silver gray was afraid of me in the beginning and didn't trust people.
3. Just Being Playful
Ferrets really love to play. And for young kits that’s all they do!
Playing for a kit is nipping everything it sees. This includes your toes, ankles,
fingers and ears! Whatever you do don't encourage the behavior. Give them a
stuffed animal or toy they can bite down on.
4. You've Trained Your Ferret to Bite
If your ferret nips you when they want to get down you are teaching them that it
is appropriate to bite you to get what they want. Ferrets are very smart
creatures and learn very quickly from your feedback. So, what do you do when
they nip you? Never reward them by giving them what they want after a bite.
Here’s an example I recently came across. Mary was cuddling her ferret when
it nipped her. She could tell it wanted to be put on the ground. I told Mary to
say “NO” very sharply and hold the ferret about 30 seconds longer then put it
down. There must not be a reward for biting. Such as giving your ferret what it
wants.
5. Not Sure of Boundaries
Ferrets play rough. They don't mean to but they have no limits. They have no
idea when they've gone too far.
This especially happens with kits. They are used to nipping other ferrets that
have tougher skin than people. So we need to train them quickly that our skin is
not to be nipped.
6. Trying to Get Attention
Some ferrets will nip you to get your attention if you've ignored them for a
while and they want to play. You need to teach them to get your attention in
other ways that aren't so painful, like climbing into your lap.
When your ferret does something right, give it a treat.
7. They Smell Something Tasty
This happened to me a while back and I didn't know what was going on. My
guys had started nipping me more than usual. They would lick my fingers then
bite right in. My usual training methods weren't working until I asked myself
one important question.
What has changed?
The answer didn't come immediately until I realized I had changed my hand
soap a few days ago. The soap has a sweet lavender smell which my guys
really loved to lick and couldn't resist trying a test also. When I changed back
to my old soap, the nipping stopped.
8. Medical Conditions
I remember hearing about an owner who had just adopted a beautiful 4-monthold
ferret from a nice family just out of town. When the ferret got home he
turned out to be a vicious biter. He drew blood and would bite down hard on
any exposed flesh he saw. They took him to the vet and discovered he was
infested with mites. As soon as he was treated the biting almost totally
stopped.
Obviously, each ferret has a personality of their own, so make sure to take time
to know your pet. Not only will it be easier to notice change, but the bonding
will make them trust you more. If you notice an unexpected change in behavior,
it would be a good idea to take your ferret to the vet. Whilst their personality
can change as they age, a change may also indicate injury, illness, and
depression.
Common Behaviours
It is important to remember that your ferret is a predator and, unlike dogs and
cats, will still need to practice their hunting skills. Whilst it is recommended to
keep prey away from them, there are alternative ways to let them 'hunt'. For
example, make meal time fun by hiding food around the house or even getting a
food toy. Having constant access to safe toys to chew and play with is another
way. Not only will it satisfy their needs, it will make them less likely to chew
inappropriate objects like furniture and your belongings.
Depending on the ferret, they may enjoy shallow water to play in. Never force
your ferret to swim and don't leave them unsupervised. Make sure the water is
shallow enough for them to get out.
Never shout or punish your ferret. They will start to mistrust you and become
nervous around you. The best approach is to say 'No!' and show them the
alternative in a nice, friendly way. If this method does not work, ask the vet for
advice.
If your ferret is young, it is normal for them to stay with their mother until they
are 8 weeks of age. Through this time, they will learn how to behave and to
communicate. If your ferret moves away from their mother beforehand, or still
hasn't become independent after the 8 weeks, consult the vet.
Misconceptions
You will see your ferret do some weird and wonderful behavior over its
lifetime. However, for a new owner, their behaviors can quite easily be
misunderstood. In this chapter, we will look at the common ferret behaviors
and explain what each one means.
Biting your toes - This is a common one. Your ferret will nip the end of your
toes as an invitation to play (they're not trying to hurt you!). Normally, they will
nip and run away, expecting you to follow and chase them. Do so. It will be
great fun for you and them, plus you get the chance to do some exercise. If the
nip is too painful, tell the ferret 'No!' and give it a toy. Soon enough it will get
the message. Their perception of pain is more intense than ours due to their
hard skin, hence why they may bite hard.
Dance of Joy - When your ferret gets hyper like a six year old kid, they will
bounce off the walls. They will jump from side to side, from furniture to
furniture, flipping themselves over on floor again and again. Whilst doing so,
they will make dooking sounds. Some new owners panic at this behavior,
scared that the ferret is attacking them. Fear not, they are just showing you the
enormous amount of energy that they have stored up. If used wisely, you can
have some great playtime with them during their dance.
Weasel war dance - This is similar to the Dance of Joy with your ferret
moving quickly, however the meaning is opposite. The key difference is in the
tail. If the tail is puffed-out, they are agitated or frightened. A further indication
is if your ferret ’ s coat is bristled and they are hissing. You may try using soft
words to calm the ferret down, but it better to give them some space to calm
down.
Alligator roll - When your ferret meets another ferret, they will sort out who is
dominant. One of the ferrets will grab the other by the scruff and flip them over
onto their back. They will then wrestle each other, rolling around on the floor.
The one who does the most flipping is normally the dominant one. Whilst it
may look rough, both ferrets are having fun.
Backing into a corner - There are two explanations for this behavior. Firstly,
the ferret is scared. This is determined by the puffy tail and hissing. Do not
pick them up as they will bite. If it is necessary to move them, wear gloves.
Otherwise, back away and leave your ferret to calm down alone. Secondly,
and the more common reason, is they are preparing to go to the toilet. If a puffy
tail and hissing is not present, you may want to move the ferret to a litter box as
soon as possible.
The Ferret’s Behavior
It is important to know how a ferret behaves so you can notice changes.Obviously, each ferret has a personality of their own, so make sure to take time
to know your pet. Not only will it be easier to notice change, but the bonding
will make them trust you more. If you notice an unexpected change in behavior,
it would be a good idea to take your ferret to the vet. Whilst their personality
can change as they age, a change may also indicate injury, illness, and
depression.
Common Behaviours
It is important to remember that your ferret is a predator and, unlike dogs and
cats, will still need to practice their hunting skills. Whilst it is recommended to
keep prey away from them, there are alternative ways to let them 'hunt'. For
example, make meal time fun by hiding food around the house or even getting a
food toy. Having constant access to safe toys to chew and play with is another
way. Not only will it satisfy their needs, it will make them less likely to chew
inappropriate objects like furniture and your belongings.
Depending on the ferret, they may enjoy shallow water to play in. Never force
your ferret to swim and don't leave them unsupervised. Make sure the water is
shallow enough for them to get out.
Never shout or punish your ferret. They will start to mistrust you and become
nervous around you. The best approach is to say 'No!' and show them the
alternative in a nice, friendly way. If this method does not work, ask the vet for
advice.
If your ferret is young, it is normal for them to stay with their mother until they
are 8 weeks of age. Through this time, they will learn how to behave and to
communicate. If your ferret moves away from their mother beforehand, or still
hasn't become independent after the 8 weeks, consult the vet.
Misconceptions
You will see your ferret do some weird and wonderful behavior over its
lifetime. However, for a new owner, their behaviors can quite easily be
misunderstood. In this chapter, we will look at the common ferret behaviors
and explain what each one means.
Biting your toes - This is a common one. Your ferret will nip the end of your
toes as an invitation to play (they're not trying to hurt you!). Normally, they will
nip and run away, expecting you to follow and chase them. Do so. It will be
great fun for you and them, plus you get the chance to do some exercise. If the
nip is too painful, tell the ferret 'No!' and give it a toy. Soon enough it will get
the message. Their perception of pain is more intense than ours due to their
hard skin, hence why they may bite hard.
Dance of Joy - When your ferret gets hyper like a six year old kid, they will
bounce off the walls. They will jump from side to side, from furniture to
furniture, flipping themselves over on floor again and again. Whilst doing so,
they will make dooking sounds. Some new owners panic at this behavior,
scared that the ferret is attacking them. Fear not, they are just showing you the
enormous amount of energy that they have stored up. If used wisely, you can
have some great playtime with them during their dance.
Weasel war dance - This is similar to the Dance of Joy with your ferret
moving quickly, however the meaning is opposite. The key difference is in the
tail. If the tail is puffed-out, they are agitated or frightened. A further indication
is if your ferret ’ s coat is bristled and they are hissing. You may try using soft
words to calm the ferret down, but it better to give them some space to calm
down.
Alligator roll - When your ferret meets another ferret, they will sort out who is
dominant. One of the ferrets will grab the other by the scruff and flip them over
onto their back. They will then wrestle each other, rolling around on the floor.
The one who does the most flipping is normally the dominant one. Whilst it
may look rough, both ferrets are having fun.
Backing into a corner - There are two explanations for this behavior. Firstly,
the ferret is scared. This is determined by the puffy tail and hissing. Do not
pick them up as they will bite. If it is necessary to move them, wear gloves.
Otherwise, back away and leave your ferret to calm down alone. Secondly,
and the more common reason, is they are preparing to go to the toilet. If a puffy
tail and hissing is not present, you may want to move the ferret to a litter box as
soon as possible.
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