# ferret help!



## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

Hi I recently took on a female neutered ferret for biting her owner I have no problems with her biting me (though she has on many occasions and bruised me lol) but the problem is she doesnt like any of my ferrets(1 girl and 3 boys all neutered)... she sees them jumps them and makes them squeal I even got bitten badly trying to separate them. I have never had a problem with bonding ferrets as they got on when they first met but shes different I have had her for 5 days and she still hates them shes made mine try and attack her now and they are all agitated with each other when she is about as they think its her coming up to them going to attack them so they hiss at each other and make the 'buggady bugs' noise.

I have swapped their bedding, moved her next to them and have let her out in the run straight after them so she could get used to their smell but it hasnt seem to have made any difference she even went in their caged and pooed in there.


please help as I dont really want to have to keep her in a separate cage.
she lived with 2 other neutered males before.


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## cazcolecarter (Jan 11, 2010)

Is this Dax? Poor thing doesn't make life easy for herself does she? Maybe she is feeling a bit overwhelmed? Perhaps, if you have a spare cage, you could seperate them into two pairs for a bit and see if she finds it easier getting to know one male at a time?


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

Yeah its her x 
Shes in a cage on her own at the mo I have tried getting her to meet one at a time but she just keeps attacking them and they run away from her even if they mind their own business she will run at them and grab them and shake them.


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## cazcolecarter (Jan 11, 2010)

Oh dear  what a naughty girl. I'm afraid I don't really know about ferrets, only from other ferret keepers, just thinking what I would do in the same situation with rats :hmm:When I am introducing older rats or rats that have had a fall out, I do it in a bath with water, then they are too busy playing and swimming to scrap, that way they get used to each other without paying too much attention to each other. Maybe that could work for ferrets? I guess you'd know if it could work or not?


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## BumNum (Dec 13, 2009)

have you tired putting her in a separate cage, inside the cage/run of the others for a few nights, so they get used to the smell of each other?


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

her cage wont fit in there and they will prob harass her and try and tip the cage cos they wanna see whats inside lol. I have let my lot out with her in the cage but I wasnt sure if that was OK or if she felt trapped?.

I can try the bath thing as I said before I have never had a problem with introducing them they have always hit it of f the moment they met though I had one male that came to me non neutered who acted like she does now but he got the snip and in less than a few weeks he was fine but seeing as shes already done I guess thats just the way she is.


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## RORCOV (Jul 19, 2005)

Not sure if you can still get hold of ferretone, but the oil from a can of tuna will also do.

Pour the ferretone or tuna oil on the back of each of the ferret's necks that you are introducing to each other. When they go to grab each other by the scruff for a scuffle, the yummy sticky oil tends to disract them and they usually will start licking each other. They get so engrossed in licking up the oil that they forget about fighting. This also a good way of transferring their different scents across and getting them to bond.

Also, re fighting, unless it is serious i.e. blood is being drawn, you may have to let them get on with it. 9 times out of 10, it is all huff and noise and no real damage is done. You are introducing a new ferret into the establish group and they have to sort out the pecking order. If you keep separating them when they fight or about to fight, they will never do this. Your girl sounds a dominant character and sounds as if she will not be happy just settling in at the 'bottom' of the group.

Do a session every day for a few weeks.. gradually leaving them together for longer and longer and always do these sessions on 'neutral' ground. The scuffles should get less and less until they all start to accept each other. Good luck


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## cazcolecarter (Jan 11, 2010)

Turtle Jo said:


> Not sure if you can still get hold of ferretone, but the oil from a can of tuna will also do.
> 
> Pour the ferretone or tuna oil on the back of each of the ferret's necks that you are introducing to each other. When they go to grab each other by the scruff for a scuffle, the yummy sticky oil tends to disract them and they usually will start licking each other. They get so engrossed in licking up the oil that they forget about fighting. This also a good way of transferring their different scents across and getting them to bond.
> 
> ...


I used to use vanilla essence! Never occurred to me to use oil from tinned fish :blush:


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## RORCOV (Jul 19, 2005)

cazcolecarter said:


> I used to use vanilla essence! Never occurred to me to use oil from tinned fish :blush:


Well you know ferrets, anything stinky and they love it! :lol2:

(maybe don't give them a cuddle straight after covering them in tuna oil! :lol2


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## Shadowz (Aug 6, 2008)

To be honest - sometimes it just dont work and they have to live seperate from each other.
I often stuggle with jill's and mixing - far easier to get the hobs to mix from experience. 
I do wonder if u are pushing it all a bit to much/early as you said she has only been there a few days - so its all very strange to her , having lost her home , the ferrets she lived with , her humans ect.


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

I separated them because my female was screaming and when I managed to get them off each other my female had a bit of blood scrapes on her neck from the other ferret also fur came out from her scruff.

I have ferretone use it to distract them when cutting their nails 

Should I do this only once a day? or try and get them to bond a few times a day?


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## Stacey010884 (Mar 7, 2009)

Sounds like you got jipped. After all, if she was living happily with two hobbes then I see no need for her to have been rehomed. Some animals just don't like handling. I think they just sold her on because she's a bitey lil lady.

I agree that she should have time to settle in first. When she is comfortable then try introducing her to each individually, as recommended before me. Always best to try to take things slowly. Good luck!:2thumb:


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

She was re homed because she used to bite the owner yes. 
Some people dont like to have a ferret that bites them all the time and if they can find a person who is willing to take it on and train it then I think its in the ferrets best interest to re home so she can get cuddles from some one who is willing to get bit a few times. 4 of mine (not including the new one) where bad biters now are brilliant only lick and love being cuddled.


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## Stacey010884 (Mar 7, 2009)

Aww! That's a really good outcome! Fingers crossed (, not chewed off!) that she follows the trend.
She sounds pretty spiteful towards your business. (I really don't understand who or why they decided on "business") What was she like toward the two she was with before you took her on?


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

they had their differences at first but they lived together happily. So I hope she can do the same with my lot! x

As I said to the previous owners I will try for at least a month or so to try and bond them if nothing has changed I will re home her and find her a ferret she likes as I dont really want her to live alone as she has proved she can happily live with others.


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## Stacey010884 (Mar 7, 2009)

Well I wish you all the best of luck with this lady. I think patience and persistance will pay off. : victory:


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

lol thanks stace I have learnt something new ;P

when you two going to come over?


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## Stacey010884 (Mar 7, 2009)

Well you're getting your rattikins on Sunday so maybe next weekend?


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

I am working next week so prob will have to be the week after unless we make it in the morning as I start work at 3pm and finish at 11pm this month. how about next sat or sunday? you pick and just give me a txt x


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

how much time has she actualy spent with the others? i know its horrible to watch the fighting but if there going to live together then they need to sort out a hierarchy (sp), if shes putting up a fight then its likely she was the dominant one in her previous home and is trying to take over your lot. i had a similar problem with the second male i introduced, every time i tried to put him in with the others hed go streight for my much bigger male who would then beat the daylights out of him, i kept taking him out until i was told by a freind to just leave him in. i wont lie, the first day wasnt pretty, but 24hrs was all it took, hierarchy was sorted and on day 2 he was curled up in the nest with the others. hope this helps :2thumb:

oh and if your worried about serious bites put some tcp or similar on the back of their necks before introducing them, it tastes foul so it should limit the biting and if there is biting then the disinfectant is already on to help it heal :2thumb:


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

ok thats cool I am just scared thats all my female was doing all the calming signals by laying flat and yawning and she still went for her.

I will try her now if they dont stop fighting within say 10 mins can I break them up then?

I just hate it when they scream like that they sound in so much pain and they are all scared of her so if it was a dominant thing shouldnt she already get the point shes the dominant one ?


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

i do sympathise, its horrible watching them fight. put her in for as long as you can cope with, but the longer the better (try for at least half an hour to an hour). is she and the others neutard? (sorry if you've already put this). are all yours girls?


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

Hi they are all neutered there are 2 girls (including the new one) and 3 boys x

God lol an hour (gulp) ok will have to do that after I come back from bringing my dog to the vets for his blood test.

Will let you know what happens but in the mean while please keep posting with more suggestions
Thanks


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

good luck :no1: keep them together for as long as your comfortable (sp) with, and let us know how it goes


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

I also heard that to stop her from thinking shes the 'top ferret' so she also stops trying to kill mine lol you should scruff her and drag her along the floor..what do you guys think?


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## Shadowz (Aug 6, 2008)

I honestly hand on heart and having had several 100's ferrets thru here and running a rehabilitation place for severly agressive ferrets I dont think she is trying to be dominant at all.
She is scared witless and due to that she is getting the first attack in.
Its pretty normal stuff when they are scared and confused.
do NOT start scruffing and dragging her - all you will do is make her lose all trust in you as well - why would she want to be friends with someone who hurt her ? you will eventually make her hand shy. 
Step away from it for a little while - give her a week or two to get used to just you - put youself in her shoes for a min - she has been removed from her companions , from her owners and from everything she know.
She has been put into a new house , with new people , new smells , new cage and then put in with 3 totally strange ferrets to her while she is not settled in the home itself yet. 
Please Please give her time and patience and allow her to settle down and get to trust you before you push the issue with the other ferrets - I promise you 99.9% that she is not being dominant but that she is a very scared and confused little girl right now who have lost everything she know.

Edited to add - If everything go wrong and it dont settle over a few weeks and she wont mix with yours I will offer her a place here and sort out getting her here.


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

I havent tried the scruffing I just read it. Ok I will get her used to me first and then when shes fine with me I will start with the ferrets.

So when shes ok with me do I put her in with one ferret at a time or all of them? and do I leave them to it or stop them from fighting?


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

I had her out today she was fine then started licking my arm and bit it and shook.


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## Stacey010884 (Mar 7, 2009)

She thinks you're chicken!


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

I doubt it they dont shake their food well none of mine do I used to get bitten by one of mine of the arms and wrists all the time but I used to scruff him and say 'NO' in a firm voice now he only licks. So it will take a while for her to stop doing it.

So whats the plan today... some people have said to put them all together and leave them to fight... others have said not to bond them till she stops biting me which will take months probably as two of mine have only just in the recent months olny stopped and I have had them for 6 or so months.


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

bump...


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## robstaine (May 7, 2009)

I have been spending a few minutes every two or three hours out on my lap stroking her and touching her all over especially on her scruff area whist she is sipping on ferretone so she can associate being touched with something nice. So hopefully by next week or so she will be more used to being touched. I have other members of the family that want to hold her do you thing we should all handle her or on just let her get to know one person and then once shes ok with one person move on to the next?


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