Kit Sucks Finger

Question
I got a ferret for my birthday about two weeks ago.  I immediately fell in love
with him (his name is Dwigt, inside joke from The Office.)  He is incredibly
sweet.  When I bought him I was told he was three months old; however, I've
recently discovered he's only about six weeks.  He tries to nurse from my
fingers  and bites really hard when there is nothing coming out.  After he
bites, I scruff him and tell him no before putting him back in his cage.  I'm
wondering if I should nurse him since he is still so young or if I should just
continue to try and train him.  I take him everywhere with me because other
than this he is really well behaved and loves everyone.  Any suggestions
would be great.  Thanks so much!

Answer
Hi Alyssa:

Definitely not.  He's certainly old enough to eat dry kibble by now any way you look at it.  He would have had to be eating at least wet kibble before he left the breeders (but I don't always trust that they check each one and I'm sure they do have deaths because some ferrets are not as weaned as they think they are).

If you will look inside his mouth, you will see that he has his molars by now, even if they are tiny.  If you think he's not eating enough, you can wet his kibble with water and let it soak until it's soft, but the problem with that is he may get where he wants it that way all the time.  That doesn't *sound* like a problem, but when the kibble is wet, you MUST change it - throw out whatever he hasn't eaten - about every two hours.  Otherwise it tends to grow bacteria that could make him very very ill.  So, you can see that keeping him on dry kibble is the best for him if he has eaten even just a few kibbles - but obviously he has eaten more than that or he wouldn't be alive the past two weeks.

The sucking on your finger may continue thru his life. Unfortunately the breeders continue to take these babies away from their mommies waaaaay too early and the kits still have a sucking instinct they need to have fulfilled. It would probably comfort him if you let him suck on your finger - that doesn't hurt anything - but don't try to give him a bottle or eyedropper at this point.

Good question.  Best of luck with your little fellow. It sounds like he is going to be totally spoiled going everywhere with you!!  I've done that with most of my kids and I can tell you from firsthand experience - what you put into a ferret is exactly what you will get back. No doubt he will become a very loving, calm, friendly and well adjusted ferret who is a pleasure for everyone to be around. The extra time you spend with him is keeping him from finding the wrong things to be getting into - just as with kids.  

Enjoy that little guy!! Lucky you AND lucky him!!

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers