needing help.... please read

hey everyone!
well yesterday my boyfriend and i went into a pet store to see the
ferrets... they didn't have any.... they havent' the last few times i had
been in there..... so i asked when they were going to get more... she said
they didnt know but they *did* have one ferret.... he was a rescue and they
had to put him behind closed doors.... he had bitten a customer and drew a
LOT of blood.... he hadn't been out of his cage to interact with people in
at least a year probably longer.... they said they would adopt him to me if
i was really interested for $25. i want him badly but they can't gaurantee
he won't hurt my current ferret.... i can keep them seperate but would love
to be able to rehab the mean ferret..... has anyone gone through the same
experience with a mean ferret? is there hope? i think there is but i would
like to know the appropriate steps to go through to help him out.... i know
i need to keep them seperate and introduce them in small periods of time
while i'm referreeing them..... he is a very hard biter and bites fast......
i guess i just need someone to talk to who has possibly gone through the
same thing.... thanks in advance for any help
courtney

yes. I rehab biters and have gotten the show animals ready to show so they
won't bite the judge. Under no circumstances should you punish him. He is
probably a fear biter. No flicking, no time out in crates, etc. Pure
reward and treats all the way.

The easiest way is to find out if he likes linotone/olive oil/ferretvite.
Give him treats through the bars. When you pick him up have a treat in when
hand. When he starts eating it pick him up with the other hand. Plan on
doing this for a couple of weeks. constantly tell him what a good boy he
is.

Try putting your hand in has cage as a closed fist. That leaves only the
back of the hand to be bitten. If he's still biting stick to treats and
picking him up with one hand. Still hurts, but hurts less than having your
fingers bitten

In time he should get used to being handled and receiving treats. Try from
time to time to pick him up without treats. He should do grab and release
and progress to a mild hold on your finger just to let you know he can do
it.

I have a whole article on biters. Email me off list if you want me to send
it to you.

I am currently rehabbing 3 high strung kits for a local breeder. The girls
were bite and release, the boy is bite and not let go until you put his head
under a faucet or bite, release and get a better grip. The girls are a bit
grabby now because they can be. The boy is still grab and hold on. I'll
keep the girls a bit longer and see if I can get them to stop being grabby.
The boy needs a lot more time.

KG
"Courtney Hockett" <chockett DeleteThis @NOSPAMcinci.rr.com> wrote in message
news:BnuTb.66328$DE.43121@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
> hey everyone!
> well yesterday my boyfriend and i went into a pet store to see the
> ferrets... they didn't have any.... they havent' the last few times i had
> been in there..... so i asked when they were going to get more... she said
> they didnt know but they *did* have one ferret.... he was a rescue and
they
> had to put him behind closed doors.... he had bitten a customer and drew a
> LOT of blood.... he hadn't been out of his cage to interact with people in
> at least a year probably longer.... they said they would adopt him to me
if
> i was really interested for $25. i want him badly but they can't
gaurantee
> he won't hurt my current ferret.... i can keep them seperate but would
love
> to be able to rehab the mean ferret..... has anyone gone through the same
> experience with a mean ferret? is there hope? i think there is but i would
> like to know the appropriate steps to go through to help him out.... i
know
> i need to keep them seperate and introduce them in small periods of time
> while i'm referreeing them..... he is a very hard biter and bites
fast......
> i guess i just need someone to talk to who has possibly gone through the
> same thing.... thanks in advance for any help
> courtney
>
>