Ferret Play Place

Question
is there anyplace you could take your ferrets to play with other people's ferrets???

Also I have a ferret that is a EXTREMELY BAD BITER!!!!!! You walk past him and he attacks your feet, and hes not scared or anything he just will chase you and bite your toes and he is EXTREMELY aggresive so we know he is not trying to play.....Also when he bites, HE BITES HARD..make me bleed everytime!I tried the stuff you spray on your hands and it does NOTHING!!!

Answer
Hi Catelyn:

I think the first thing I would do is ask your vet if they know of other ferret owners, whose ferrets are healthy, that they could possibly assist you in getting in contact with.  They probably wouldn't give you the person's name, but they would probably call the person and give them your name and phone number.  Then you could just hope they called back.  You could also post a note if your vet has a message board - other ferret owners would see it and call you.

I would be careful about who you let your ferrets play with. Ferrets are known to carry a lot of contagious diseases like ECE, ADV, ear mites and coccidia and other parasites.  There would be no guarantee that the ferrets you choose to play with yours are healthy and your ferrets may even have parasites of ECE and you wouldn't know it until they were around other ferrets. That's what is called "silent carrier" - they appear healthy, but other ferrets can catch things from them.

You could put an ad in the newspaper or even on Craigslist for your city.  

Whichever you decide to do (IF you decide to), be sure you meet in a public place and someone knows what time to expect you back.  Unfortunately in the days we live in, there are many 'freaks' out there and you must be very very careful meeting strangers, EVEN if they were referred from your vet - that doesn't keep them from being a serial rapist or murderer. I don't mean to scare you - just to say "Beware" and "be cautious and prepared".  I wish it were so easy that people with ferrets could just meet at a certain area in the park on a Saturday afternoon between 1 and 4pm.......hey, you could make up flyers and post them in laundromats, vets offices, grocery stores, anywhere you can find a place to post a notice!  Just make it a very public place.

Now, about that little biter. The first thing I would do is let a vet check him over, head to toe. Quite often a ferret who acts like this is in pain - maybe a bad tooth, crushed ribs...you name it.  If you weren't the original owner, you have no way of knowing how he may have been abused before he came into your life. He may well have good reason to be afraid of people.  You MUST, however, be positive that he is not in pain and the biting is a reaction because of his pain. Request the vet check his teeth, xray his whole body, and do a hands-on exam of his whole body.  IF the vet says there is no physical reason for him to be biting, start with the spray bottle trick below.

It's also very possible that he his actually wanting you to play and he was never taught as a baby that you don't have thick skin like the other ferrets he plays with. He *may* well be thinking he's just inviting you to get down on the floor and play.

I would recommend you take a a few hours (an evening or weekend would be great - the longer time, the better) and have a spray bottle with plain water in it - whenever he bites, squirt him (not in the face, just being sprayed in a "stream" will be surprising enough) as you say "NO BITE".  Repeat this every time, but you must squirt him IMMEDIATELY after the bite or AS HE BITES if you can - even one minute later and he won't know what he is being disciplined for.  Be sure you have done this for a while before trying the 'trick' of taking him out for a whole day as recommended below.

The other thing I recommend for biters is that you take a day (now that weather is cooler...remember he can't be in more than 82 degrees) - take a baggie of food and a little bottle or tupperware that's clean and put water in it, seal it tight, a baby receiving blanket (so he can snooze if he wants to) take a few small toys in your pocket or attached to his leash.   Put his harness ("H" style is safe and best when fitted right) and leash and take him ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE YOU GO ALL DAY - WEAR HEAVY GLOVES WHEN HANDLING HIM IF NECESSARY TO PROTECT YOURSELF.   During this time, DO NOT SHOW FEAR (even if you are wearing gloves) talk to him - make him feel that he is your whole world. Be sure you sit quietly and HANDFEED him some kibble every few hours; and offer him water often.  When he wiggles, it means he has to go potty - go outside and find a corner out of the way (if you're not at home), put him down - on the leash - and say "potty good boy" and after he does, "GOOD BOY!!"  Even if you are at home - take him outside or to a different place to potty. If you can take him to a part, take him out of the carry bag and put him on his leash to walk in the park - this is where you MUST be sure that leash is plenty tight; just in case a stray dog comes running at him, you want to be able to grab him up and away from a dog quickly....don't let ANY dog near him - it's NOT safe, no matter how gentle the owner says it is. Also, this is your day to "Protect" the ferret, so all the more reason to let him know you are protecting him from the danger (anything bigger than he is).  I have literally had to jerk the leash and quickly put the ferret in my arms as a dog raced towards us while walking in a public park one day! I about had a heart attack; it came from nowhere! Your ferret must be put in a position that YOU are IN CHARGE, YOU ARE PROTEcTING HIM, and he is DEPENDENT UPON YOU FOR ABSOLUTELY EVERTHING HE DOES THAT DAY.

He literally is to be HELD by you the majority of the day, unless you put him down to walk on his leash (just for short distances because he's not used to it) and sit down on the floor - WITH HIS LEASH ON so he never gets further than the length of his leash from you all day long.  Make sure his harness is on tight enough that he can breathe easily, but you can slip ONE FINGER in between any place on the harness and his body (have someone else hold his head still so you can check if necessary. He will wear the harness AND leash All DAY as you give him the message:  "I LOVE YOU & I AM IN CHARGE". Be VERY gentle with him, always keeping a quiet voice and (no yelling or anger). Hopefully the bag will have tight enough mesh sides that you can pet him thru it, but his teeth won't really go thru it :-)  This, again tells him "I AM IN CHARGE AND I LOVE YOU".

I believe he wants your attention - full and undivided. Every living being wants to be loved. I think once knows he has your love - he will act differently.  If you can - if there is anywhere you go that you could take a ferret - take him with you.  My ferrets have a black mesh bag (the mesh is pretty tight, but they can see out (and I can see them too) and get plenty of air thru, but it's not obvious they are in there) and I take mine out shopping, to friends houses, etc.  They know when they wiggle that I will take them outside and out of the way of other people, put them down to potty, nuzzle them a bit, then put them back in the bag and continue shopping.  The few times people have noticed them in the bag, they usually go "oh, that's so cute". You really don't want to draw a crowd, especially in a store - and definitely stay away from restaurants - but malls are wonderful places to take them. So many new sights and smells!!

I have always done this with my kids - ONE AT A TIME.  For that day (or however many hours I am gone that day) that ferret has my full, undivided attention.  I sit down on park benches or waiting areas and offer them kibble, water and maybe a small toy.  I have one ferret who is extremely well-behaved and I take him to meetings with me - only a few have noticed because he stays IN THE BAG all the time, but I put the bag on my lap and slip my arm in with him to pet/play with the toy.

Try that for a day or two - let me know how it worked for you. It was miraculous with my biter :-)  They just need to know they are priority #1.

AND - when you leave home, he dosn't know anyone, so he will tend to cling to YOU (not with his teeth LOL) - he will want to 'buddy up' with you because the world is soo big to them.  YOU have the food; YOU have the water :-)

I think you will be surprised at the outcome and the results you get.  You do have to be loving and tolerant and devote the day to this, but it only takes one day and you will see an incredible difference in this ferret.

Please write again after the vet exam, the spray bottle, and the day-long "undivided attention"?  I am anxious to see what your results are. So far this has worked for every person who has tried it :-)

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers