age/licking

Question
my ferret is, i'm not even sure how old.. i figured shes about 3 months old or so.. if she had her k9 distemper and vaccinations, and got descented june2/06(that's what the certificate said).. i bought her july15/06.. and i read up that all those vaccinations and distemper is supposed to be done at about 6 weeks of age.. i bought her from a local super pet and they did say she's a baby sable ferret.. am i ballparking about right? i'm just wondering..

also.. she's been licking me all over.. started doing this yesterday. everytime i hold her, she'll try to just hang on to me and just lick my hands, arms, face even.. is that normal? is this part of the teething process? because after licking for 5 minutes or so, she starts to nip a bit.. but she keeps lickin and lickin and lickin... i don't know if thats normal.. help!

Answer
Thanks for your question. Very young ferrets will lick and chew because they have been weaned too early. Some ferrets don't mature as fast as others. It is the same as a young puppy licking/nipping.
It is simply a weaning behavior for some ferrets at that age do, but he will grow out of it. however, make sure he is eating and drinking, and if he is not eating, then you may need to soften his food with about a tablespoon of water. If he continues to do this behavior for more than a couple more weeks, then you may want to take him to a vet for just a check up to make sure his teeth are OK. You want to stop the nipping behavior as soon as possible, because nipping will turn to biting. Pretty much all baby ferrets nip, but you want to deter it early. have a couple of suggestions:
Buy "BITTER APPLE" OR
"BITTER LIME" spray at your local petstore. This comes in a green/white bottle, and is probably in the "dog training" section, as it is also used to keep dogs from chewing.

Spray it on your hands and fingers, and let it dry. When she bites you stick you finger in her mouth, and say "NO BITE!!!" ( Say it FIRMLY) ... she will get a couple of tastes of the bitter, and a couple of head shakes and she will think twice. Keep this up every day until she turns away when you offer your finger, then PRAISE:
"GOOD girl!!!"
(Also, use this spray when you play with her, or "wrestle" with her ... do not allow biting even in play)

Play with her, wrestle, and if she bites, stop the play immediately, and say "NO BITE!"and start the process over.
Ferrets are very intelligent animals, and she should learn quickly with patience.
PS ~ make sure you wash you hands after, because it can stay on your hands, and get in your eyes if you rub your eyes etc.
You can also use bitter apple on your toes too, for toe nippers. Don't spray it at or on your ferret.
I am sure he will be fine. Congrats on your new baby. If you are a first time ferret owner, I would recommend the book "Ferrets for Dummies" by Kim Schillig.
thanks and let me know if you have any more questions.
amy