Ferret Training Day 1 - Benny

This is the day my malt paste finally arrived, allowing me to start training my two ferrets (Frankie and Benny) to stop biting. Up until this point I had had to resort to handling them while wearing heavy-duty gardening gloves.

This video shows Benny on his first day of training, and despite a few nips and alot of chews he gets along quite well. By the time I put him back home he was barely biting at all.

While training him I use 2 different techniques recommended to me:
1) When he bites hard I scruff him and hiss loudly at him. This is exactly what their mother would have done in the wild to let them know that they're biting too hard.

2) If he gets a good hold of me and scruffing doesn't seem to be having any effect then I gently push into his mouth with the finger he's got a hold of. This is quite uncomfortable for a ferret and they don't expect it, so they tend to let go quite soon afterwards.

Neither of these techniques hurt the ferret in any way, and are a great way to let them know not to bite.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• ferret
• benny
• training
• bite
• biting
• malt paste
• treat
• stop
• train
• chew
• hiss
• scruff

[GulfVetSAF]

Very cute video... how old were they when you got him? All three of our ferrets (one who has since passed away) never bit... but we got them all as kits. It looks to me as if yours were a little older? LOVE your accent! :)

[Dinkyfish666]

@GulfVetSAF - They were 10-12 weeks when I got them, and about 14 weeks when I took this video. So they weren't much older than kits! I do agree that handling them as kits can really reduce their 'bite instinct,' sadly mine were found as strays so I have no idea how they were treated when they were younger- my guess would be that they weren't mistreated but definitely weren't handled much.

Glad you like the accent lol

[Solstisol]

Tenerife, Spain.

'Good, informative vid.

Did you ever have ferrets that just naturally never bite?

[Dinkyfish666]

@Solstisol - Thank you :) I'm actually hoping to upload some better training vids in December, but only if I get the time.

These were my first ferrets, and they're the only ones I've got so far so no I've never been lucky enough to experience that haha I do speak to a lot of other ferret-owners and some have had ferrets that never bit at all, but it is a rare occurrence! Usually you get a few nips until they are used to you.

[GingaFreak23]

Personal favorite way to teach ferrets not to bite is lemon juice.

My past ferrets i've had would nip and chew allot too "personalty i didn't mind this,but my friends couldn't stand it".

What i would do is soak my fingers in lemon juice "something sour" and with time the critter would learn that fingers don't taste good and would hesitate to nip em ^^

Super cheap resort if your someones whose uncomfortable with hissing or buying overpriced paste.

[Dinkyfish666]

@GingaFreak23 - I did actually resort to some nasty-tasting stuff for a while, but I don't like to post that on my videos because it's not right to use it in all biting situations. When they're just being naughty little £%**!?$ like mine it's fine though haha

Although I agree that the paste is expensive I buy is regardless of whether or not I'm training them. It's a brilliant treat and it makes them really happy, also makes trips to the vet so much easier!

[Flumpyflump888]

if your having biting problems with your ferrets, using gloves is a bad idea! As if they do start to bite, just command NO in their face, as if you wear gloves, they are not getting a change to get to know the scent on your hands, therefore biting further and harder:-) hope this helps x

[codysimspsonrox]

y is she wearing gloves??

[woody869]

wow your beautiful :)

[TheRealCoryAwesome]

Turn translate audio on, it is freaking hilarious.

[L10ne55]

My ferrets have never bitten. Must be lucky. They are great.