How to stop a ferret from biting?

It is necessary to start raising a ferret from early childhood, when his worldview is just being formed. If you have already bought an adult animal, in this case, it will be more difficult to retrain it, since habits and habits have already been formed.

There are several reasons why ferrets bite:

• The ferret is intimidated by new surroundings, new smells and new people.
• During games with his relatives, the ferret is used to biting, so he continues to behave in exactly the same way with a person.
• If mishandled, a ferret may bite in self-defense.
• You have never raised your ferret, and this is the main mistake.
• In the state of rut, these animals are more aggressive (especially for males).

If your little friend bites and you still want to wean him from this habit, it is possible to do this. We have prepared for you some useful tips on how to achieve this task:

• Use the punishment for each bite to show the ferret that this is not the way to do it. An effective method is the restriction of freedom. You can temporarily put the animal in a cage.
• Use intonation wisely. After each bite, threaten your pet with a stern voice, and during petting, on the contrary, speak softly to him.
• You can smear your hands with an unpleasant substance. So, after a while, the ferret will associate your hand with something tasteless. By the way, pet stores sell special sprays that need to be applied to hands before playing with an animal.
• Reward your ferret for good behavior and lessons learned.
• If the animal has bitten you, you can carefully lift it by the scruff of the neck and give it a light “shake” or gently press it to the surface until your friend calms down. So in nature, adult ferrets act with cubs.
• Another effective method is to use a spray gun. Do not hit the ferret or try to open its jaws with your hands – this can cause even more aggression in the animal. It is better to sprinkle the ferret on the muzzle with water: most likely, he will immediately let go of his hand.
• Engage in raising a pet regularly and do not give him concessions. Only then will he learn the rules.

In conclusion, we emphasize once again that in relation to the pet, in no case should you use physical! Hitting a little harder can cause serious injury to the ferret.

Almost all pets are trainable, and ferrets are no exception. A little patience, perseverance and love – and very soon your animal will stop biting.