Biting female and elderly male.. advice wanted.

[BaraLahatiel]

My boss' wife has a 2 year old female ferret, spayed and descented. Since she got her as a gift at 4 months old, she has been a biter. They've tried putting her up when she bites, telling her firmly No, the non-biting stuff, tapping her nose when she bites and holding the scruff of her nose.

Nothing works. She'll bite everyone, including the boss' wife although not as often. She just walk over from across the room and bite, or when you reach into her cage, near her, or pick her up. She doesn't usually break skin, but it does hurt.

She's bought books on ferret behavior and tried all of the techniques that she has found there, but has yet to find anything that works. Could you all suggest anything?

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Also, they have a second ferret, an 8 year old male. He has cataracts and is really quiet now, playing for short periods, but mostly sleeping. He's quite tame. When the female ferret was brought home, she had 'green slime' or whatever it is. But she was immune to it. He wasn't. He got very sick and had to be put on anti-biotics, which killed all of the good bacteria in his gut. Is there any way to improve that? Is live culture yogurt alright? I wanted to ask before it is tried. He gets very violent diahhrea with any food except with his current one from the Ultimate brand. It is star shaped.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[Arlene]

What did you decide to do about this, Robin?

[BaraLahatiel]

Well.. I didn't get any advice other than from you via phone lol So they are still at the vet's office.

The older male we decided was just too old and fragile health wise to move. He's a doll baby and if things become worse I can take him. He likes me well enough. I have him on one shoulder every day when I clean his cage.

The female we are working with. I'm giving her treats and working with her when at all possible. I've found a way to hold her so she can't bite me. She got me once. It bruised pretty good, but that's it. We're hoping to teach her that other people, not just her mom, are good too. My boss, the vet himself, pulled her out from behind the fridge a couple days ago, so he may have undone all of our hard work  If I could take in a biter I would, but mom wouldn't hear of it and it's really too soon after Reiku.

[Arlene]

Hi Robin,

I'm sorry you didn't get anymore advice about the ferrets. The problem is, unless you have complete control of the ferret, there is no way you are going to break him from biting. Here is one good article on biting.

http://www.ferret-fact.org/BehBite.htm

[ShadowDancer60]

You might want to try BeneBac for the male. It should help replace his intestinal flora.

[weloveratties]

Have all medical conditions and pain been ruled out in regards to the biter? Our Fluffy came to us, and she is an angel and soooo sweet now, biting. She would lick your arm and then after a while CHOMP. She stopped doing it after a while though. We told her "no", and we made sure she had plenty to eat. I still don't know why she would do that. Have hope though. Not all biters remain biters.

[JohariZ]

I rescued a biter not to long ago... she was very vicious with her biting. In the end it turned out that she had many many tumors along her spine and in her brain. Tumors that we only found out about after a lot of probing. Poor baby...

[Hack]

unfortunately, the way that i deal with biters is to handle them a LOT.  sorry that's not more useful.  since i foster biters at a rescue, i deal with them quite a bit.  i usually just handle them.  if i'm watching tv i'll hold them in my lap and mess with their face.  it shows them that you're dominate (by "mess with their face" i mean petting them on the face or underside of the chin, gently tugging on their ears and scruff, etc).  i have a LOT of ferret scars on my hands.  sorry i can't help more.  usually ferrets are nippy for the first 9 months to a year of their lives.  many of the younger ones will grow out of nipping with handling.  it sounds like this girl just never got out of it.  it IS a good sign that she doesn't break skin.  i've dealt with nasty biters (i have 3 that i'm rehabbing at the moment), and handling them seems to be the best route.  feel free to buzz me if you have questions.