Trouble with a rescue ferret

Question
QUESTION: Recently I was contacted by a friend who had seen an ad on a website about an elderly lady with two ferrets she'd adopted but now couldn't take care of. They knew I was sort of the "ferret lady" as I own two of my own fuzzies and volunteer for ferret awareness group. I had to help as she was desperate to find them homes. I picked them up and brought them to a very nice family. Within a day I was receiving calls about the males behavior. After hearing he was a demon, I couldn't imagine that this was true, as he was a sweetheart with me. Well I arrive over there, and sure enough he's lost his mind. He was tearing through the house like a holy terror, which was to be expected as he is only about a year old. But what struck me was how wild he acted, he bit at every body who came near, ran from capture when you tried to pick him up, and was generally very nasty. He didn't appear scared although I cannot rule that out. He seemed more unruly and rebellious. I took him home with me, to get him in a controlled environment, and decided to check him out here. Here is what I have found out. He is an ANGEL when in his cage or fresh  out of the cage and into your arms. However, the second his little paws hit the floor he is transformed. He absolutely refuses to be caught without a fight of all fights and will bite hard enough to draw blood if he gets you. It's as if he has split personalities.

I am not sure WHAT to do, as immediately punishing him after a bite is very hard considering you will spend another ten minutes trying to catch him first. We have tried cool off periods or time outs and he mellows and is fine once back in his cage. But take him back out and it's right back to being evil!  He is such a great ferret who has so much potential. I just am not sure exactly the best way to handle it! Any suggestions or insight into why he's so crazy out of the cage? I'm used to wired weasels, but he is another thing all together!

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

ANSWER: I am guessing that he had limited experience with time out of his cage.  While it may not be the best or quickest solution, I would say to give him time.  Only let him out when you have time to let him run around for a long while.  Maybe you can entice him to take a treat from your hands or lay a trail of treats back to the cage.  He doesn't seem bothered by being held, just when he thinks his play time is over.  Make sure he gets lots of time out of the cage so he learns that it happens each day.  Maybe a good home would be somewhere that he isn't caged all of the time?  If you must get him back in the cage wear gloves (only if necessary since we don't want him to get used to them).  If he bites the gloves, don't out him down or yelp, just simply hold him until he settles down then give him a treat for being calm, then out to play again when possible for a few more minutes.  Repeat until he must go back in the cage.

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QUESTION: That is what we were afraid of, that he was not allowed enough time out in his past. At his new home however, once he came out, he never went back in! The couldn't even catch him for vet care or to give him attention, and by the time I got there he had been out of his cage for 5 days! So we know he did get plenty of playtime.

I wondered if perhaps doing several hours out, to say 1 hour in would give him downtime, and then show him that once he goes back in the cage it doesn't mean he won't get to come back out. Since being here, we have also tried giving plenty of attention and pets. so he gets used to human hands out of cage too, and also several short pick ups that result in us putting him right back down. That way it's not always "pick up=cage."

He seemed to be doing better, as I was able to pick him up a few times with no fight. Then my fiance did the same and Swiper, the ferret, decided to bite him pretty deeply. He was lucky to avoid stitches. Swiper really is a good fuzzy, he just seems so unpredictable I wondered if there was a solid plan to follow in regard to breaking the biting. We purchased a set of heavy gloves today, so that when we DO pick him up he can't hurt us.

He is going back to his new owners on Friday and I really was hoping to have good solid advice to pass on. I really appreciate your response. It's good to hear that you agree it was probably just a lack of socialization and free time. But sad for Swiper to imagine he used to have to live like that. :(

Thanks again and if you have any other pointers, please feel free to let us know, as all involved just want a happy, trusting Swiper!

Answer
It is good to know he has caring people looking out for him.  I think you are and should continue to do what you are doing as it is what I would do in your situation.  Remind the owners that it will just take time for him to learn how to act and time to trust!  Thats the rewarding but frustrating part.