Ferret Needs More Playtime

Question
Hi, my question about my ferret is every time I let her out of the cage, she quickly runs behind the cage and/or goes under the couch, and whenever I try to pick her up, she keeps turning her head and bites me. Every time she bit me, i would blow into her face or use a spray bottle, but she just seems to go even more crazy. And at times when I am holding her, she would  strike at my face and bite my chin or my ear. When I put her back into the cage, she gets all jumpy (like how she is outside the cage) and she gets hunchbacked kind of like a cat does when it feels threatened. After it is in that positition, she would start jumping around. I read somewhere that ferrets do something like that when they want to play or something, but I don't think mine wants to play. She keeps trying to bite me when I try to play with her, only once she didn't bite me, but was nice. So, could you give me some tips or advice on what I should do?

Answer
Hi Daniel:

I just replied to you on another email you sent in. I will attach a reply that I sent to another person tonight who was asking for play ideas specifically - hopefully this will be of help to you too.

Just remember......FERRETPROOF before you let her play outside the cage because insoles in shoes, styrofoam of any kind, rubber bands and LOTS of other things are just plain deadly to ferrets, okay?

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Congratulations on your new ferret!  I SO happy to see that you know regular styrofoam packing peanuts are deadly to our ferrets. Also, the plastic bubble paper is very dangerous, as is any thin plastic they can choke on, so be careful of that also.  

Here is a link to an AWESOME box of corn starch packing peanuts for ferrets to play in - designed especially for them!  

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18172


You can also make a dig box by simply taking a box (make sure the sides are cut down enough so the ferret can get in and out on his/her own, okay?) and putting in long grain (NOT instant) rice - you can get it in 40-lb bags in bulk grocery stores; you can also use children's play sand (Home Depot for about $4) or even bring in dirt from your yard as long as it has not been treated with ANY chemicals such as fertilizer, bug killers (insecticides, pesticides), etc.  When the weather gets a bit cooler, they LOVE snow in the bathtub - they will play until it is melted, but put lots of towels on the floor, because they get in and out many times because their little feet get COLD! LOL

Here are two other websites with ideas galore sent in by ferret owners:

http://www.everythingferret.com/toy_and_game_ideas.htm

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/ferrets/a/ferrettoys.htm

Have FUN - most of all!!  If YOU are having fun, your ferret is probably having fun.  One of the all-time favorite ferret games is 'magic carpet' where you drag anything - sheet, blanket or towel on the floor as you walk along and your ferrets jump on and try to stay on as you walk around the room/house.  

*(NOTE: Do be sure your house is ferretproofed before turning the ferret loose in any room. If you can only ferretproof one room, then only let the ferret play in that one room. Things as simple as shoe insoles or rubberbands are DEADLY to ferrets!)

Here are some great websites on ferretproofing:

http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/part2.html#ferretproofing

http://groups.msn.com/Ferret/yourwebpage10.msnw

http://groups.msn.com/Ferret/ferretproofing2.msnw

And, the best website of all because it covers all your questions, is FERRET CENTRAL:

http://www.ferretcentral.org

Click on FAQs and just keep reading. Also, a book called FERRETS FOR DUMMIES by Kim Schilling is EXCELLENT reading for ALL ferret owners and can be purchased really inexpensively on eBay or half.com

ENJOY play days with your ferret!  Ferrets need YOU to play with them at LEAST 2 to 3 hours a day .....the more hyper the ferret, the longer playtime it should have!

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Hope that was helpful to you also, Daniel.  Please keep me updated on your little girl and until I hear from you again - PLAY, PLAY, PLAY!!  :-) And give her lots of love and gentleness....she needs to learn gentle calmness and she can only learn it ONLY IF YOU ARE GENTLE & CALM WITH HER.

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers