Hissing ferret.

Question
Okay so i I've had my ferret for 5 months now he is 8 months old. and i have never heard him hiss until recently
my husband was playing a little rough with him which he usually loves but then he let out a hiss and i was surprised since it was the first time I've heard it. the second time i was putting away some clothes and he was in the corner messing with something and as dropped to my knees and placed the pile of clothes next to him to put in the drawers under my bed he hissed at me and his tail puffed up. the third time he did it was as he was digging up the rug in a corner i tried to scruff him and as i did  he did it again. i was wondering why he's doing that? and why so much out the blue all of a sudden.he's kinda scaring me lol.

Answer
Hi Jennifer:

I'm guessing that the reason he hissed - every one of the three times you've mentioned - is that HE was startled and a bit frightened himself!  Being probably about 50 times his size, no doubt he may have felt just a little 'small' compared to the size of your husband who was playing rough with him; also when you put the clothes down next to him (probably startled him) - again when you tried to scruff him - most likely startled him and he didn't want to be scruffed. Maybe he is having a little 'late' teenage rebellion :-)  At eight months, he should be just now full-grown - assuming he really WAS three months old when you got him.  Even a few weeks off, tho, and he would just now be in his 'teenage years'....so you might be seeing some true teenage rebellion :-)   

The best way to deal with the little attitude you are seeing is to spend a bit more time playing with him - keeping the atmosphere LIGHT and PLAYFUL.  Also, when he does do something that is not appropriate, such as hissing when you tell him not to dig the carpet - go ahead and scruff him, even if he doesn't want to be scruffed - you did the right thing, scruffing IS the proper way to discipline a ferret. Hold him up to your face and say "NO!", then 'hiss' at him. Hold him a few seconds until he calms down, then place him into his cage for a short "time out". In just a minute or so, let him back out to play. As long as he is good, let him play - if he returns to the bad behavior (digging) again, REPEAT THE SCRUFF, "NO!", HISS, "Time Out".  This is the proper way to discipline a ferret. You can even drag him for a very short distance - maybe six inches - on the floor after you scruff him - this is what a momma ferret would do. This should not be a traumatic or 'physically upsetting' incident for the ferret, just a gentle 'nudge' of a reminder to 'behave'. Be careful to never lose your temper or show anger - always remember that you are 50 times bigger than he is and is IS scared of you. If you lose you temper or scream at him, it's going to make him more scared, which will make MORE problems.

Hopefully that should take care of your problem. He should outgrow any behavior problems in another month.  Just be consistent, no matter what.  One other way to deal with digging carpet is to put something over the area they are determined to dig such as cardboard or even plywood until they find something else more fun to do. Digging cardboard OR plywood are just not fun! LOL Sometimes ferrets dig just because they are bored. If you feel like it, get some boxes, cut doors and windows in them, tape them together and build a neat 'castle'. You can even put little 'treats' in various rooms here and there. It's cheap and fun and you can constantly re-model into different shapes and the fuzzies love to play in them...if all else fails, get another ferret to help entertain him! :-)

Best of luck - ferrets are fun little critters and far more intelligent than we give them credit for. You do need to keep his intellect stimulated so he doesn't get bored or he will try to make his own 'fun', which can be destructive if you don't give him activities or maybe even a dig box with either damp children's play sand or long-grain white (NOT instant rice - that's dangerous to ferrets) rice so he can get that digging instinct fulfilled. Keep rotating the toys so he doesn't get bored and it really does help! My kids like to *help* me fold clothes :-)..tee hee  Anytime you can include him in an activity you're doing, trust me, he will be thrilled!

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers