Post by dookorama on Feb 27, 2006 18:43:20 GMT -5
Nip Training
A common problem in ferrets is nipping or biting. Many ferrets find themselves in shelters because of misunderstood biting that could have been corrected. Biting or nipping can be caused by different things. Nipping in kits for instance is either caused by lack of handling early on or by their natural desire to play. Nipping in adults can be caused by a variety of things.
One of the main causes of biting in adult ferrets is improper nip training and improper correction. A ferret who was not taught early on that biting a human is not acceptable is not going to know any better. This ferret must be taken back to square one and taught that biting is not acceptable behavior. Improper correction techniques can also cause biting instead of correcting it. Improper ways of correcting a ferret include, a flick to the nose, smacking the but, a bop on the head or any physical correction. Physical correction only frightens the ferret creating a fear biting problem. Fear biting is also commonly found in shelter ferrets who have come from previous abuse situations. Fear biters are by far the hardest to correct and take the most patience and persistence. Another cause for biting is deafness or blindness. In both deaf and blind ferrets there is a disability that can prevent them from hearing or seeing you approach them. A startled deaf or blind ferret is more likely to bite out of fear of what's coming at them. In the situation of a deaf or blind ferret you should approach slowly and give them a warning that you are near like a soft touch or calling their name.
Correcting biting in ferrets take a lot of patience, perseverance and persistence. After you have identified the reason for biting it is time to go about ending the problem. We will discuss basic nip training first. When nip training a ferret the idea is to teach them that we don't like to be bitten and it isn't good. This is done by correcting the act of nipping. When your ferret nips you grab it's scruff gently, sternly say "NO BITE", drag them gently back and forth on the floor and then place them in a carrier for a five minute time out. Do NOT use their cage for times outs as you do not want them to view their cage as jail or punishment. After a while your ferret should get the idea and no longer nip you.
Fear biters are the hardest to correct as I mentioned above. These ferrets bite out of fear due to either previous abuse or lack of handling. When working with fear biters you must make them understand that your hands are good and that you will not hurt them. You must gain a fear biter's trust in order to effectively stop the biting. One way of teaching them that your hands are good is by rubbing ferretone on your hands and letting your ferret smell and lick it off of your hand. Treats also work to help teach your ferret that good things come from your hands. One thing I should touch on when discussing fear biters is how to get a ferret to let go. Sometimes in severe cases you will cross a ferret who latches on and does not want to let go. If this should happen try your best not to scream, make your way to a bowl of water and dip their bum in the water. Another method is to gently gag the ferret by putting another finger into the back of their mouth gently. Do NOT try to pry apart the ferret's mouth because you could cause an injury to your ferret. Another great technique in improving nip training is desensitizing or handling which I will discuss in another article.
Nip training a ferret can be easy and take a short while or be hard and take months. It all depends on the individual ferret and the cause of the biting. It is easy to get discouraged but you have to remember that all the patience and hard work will pay off when your ferret is trained and you have a friend for life.
Written By: Jennifer Morris AKA "The Dook Mom"
Do not copy or repost this article without my consent
A common problem in ferrets is nipping or biting. Many ferrets find themselves in shelters because of misunderstood biting that could have been corrected. Biting or nipping can be caused by different things. Nipping in kits for instance is either caused by lack of handling early on or by their natural desire to play. Nipping in adults can be caused by a variety of things.
One of the main causes of biting in adult ferrets is improper nip training and improper correction. A ferret who was not taught early on that biting a human is not acceptable is not going to know any better. This ferret must be taken back to square one and taught that biting is not acceptable behavior. Improper correction techniques can also cause biting instead of correcting it. Improper ways of correcting a ferret include, a flick to the nose, smacking the but, a bop on the head or any physical correction. Physical correction only frightens the ferret creating a fear biting problem. Fear biting is also commonly found in shelter ferrets who have come from previous abuse situations. Fear biters are by far the hardest to correct and take the most patience and persistence. Another cause for biting is deafness or blindness. In both deaf and blind ferrets there is a disability that can prevent them from hearing or seeing you approach them. A startled deaf or blind ferret is more likely to bite out of fear of what's coming at them. In the situation of a deaf or blind ferret you should approach slowly and give them a warning that you are near like a soft touch or calling their name.
Correcting biting in ferrets take a lot of patience, perseverance and persistence. After you have identified the reason for biting it is time to go about ending the problem. We will discuss basic nip training first. When nip training a ferret the idea is to teach them that we don't like to be bitten and it isn't good. This is done by correcting the act of nipping. When your ferret nips you grab it's scruff gently, sternly say "NO BITE", drag them gently back and forth on the floor and then place them in a carrier for a five minute time out. Do NOT use their cage for times outs as you do not want them to view their cage as jail or punishment. After a while your ferret should get the idea and no longer nip you.
Fear biters are the hardest to correct as I mentioned above. These ferrets bite out of fear due to either previous abuse or lack of handling. When working with fear biters you must make them understand that your hands are good and that you will not hurt them. You must gain a fear biter's trust in order to effectively stop the biting. One way of teaching them that your hands are good is by rubbing ferretone on your hands and letting your ferret smell and lick it off of your hand. Treats also work to help teach your ferret that good things come from your hands. One thing I should touch on when discussing fear biters is how to get a ferret to let go. Sometimes in severe cases you will cross a ferret who latches on and does not want to let go. If this should happen try your best not to scream, make your way to a bowl of water and dip their bum in the water. Another method is to gently gag the ferret by putting another finger into the back of their mouth gently. Do NOT try to pry apart the ferret's mouth because you could cause an injury to your ferret. Another great technique in improving nip training is desensitizing or handling which I will discuss in another article.
Nip training a ferret can be easy and take a short while or be hard and take months. It all depends on the individual ferret and the cause of the biting. It is easy to get discouraged but you have to remember that all the patience and hard work will pay off when your ferret is trained and you have a friend for life.
Written By: Jennifer Morris AKA "The Dook Mom"
Do not copy or repost this article without my consent
all my kids are doing well otter is getting real beefy feeling <winter weight?> and his coat is getting real soft not many noticeable changes overall,, new guy is getting big
Daxy is SO happy the weather is cooling off! He doesn't like the AC - it limits him to one room but when I let him go other places, he just flat ferrets cause it's too hote