# Anti social ferret



## Malouska (Feb 10, 2010)

I have kept ferrets for ten years but do not claim any expertise  However, I am stumped by a three year old ferret of mine. I have had him since he was a kit and he has always been very aggressive in nature. This has been manageable, although I was surprised when he went into adulthood still nipping as no ferret of mine has ever done this.

Recently, he threw himself out of the cage door when it opened and latched onto my partner's throat! I have also noticed him very viciously 'ragging' the other two boys he lives with and have noticed scabs on their necks. I should say that all of my ferrets are neutered. I have now seperated him but have never had a ferret living alone before. I admit to being at a loss what to do as he is the first that has ever been so aggressive too people and other ferrets.

Any ideas? I have lots of space to keep him seperately but it goes against everything I've ever seen with my babies - they love to be wrapped around one another! Can he be alright alone?


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## JJReptiles (Jan 20, 2009)

Malouska said:


> I have kept ferrets for ten years but do not claim any expertise  However, I am stumped by a three year old ferret of mine. I have had him since he was a kit and he has always been very aggressive in nature. This has been manageable, although I was surprised when he went into adulthood still nipping as no ferret of mine has ever done this.
> 
> Recently, he threw himself out of the cage door when it opened and latched onto my partner's throat! I have also noticed him very viciously 'ragging' the other two boys he lives with and have noticed scabs on their necks. I should say that all of my ferrets are neutered. I have now seperated him but have never had a ferret living alone before. I admit to being at a loss what to do as he is the first that has ever been so aggressive too people and other ferrets.
> 
> Any ideas? I have lots of space to keep him seperately but it goes against everything I've ever seen with my babies - they love to be wrapped around one another! Can he be alright alone?


have you tryed www.ferretsforum.co.uk ?

is he castrated or is he a vasectomy hob?


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## Malouska (Feb 10, 2010)

I can't seem to get registered on there! He is castrated. He has always been unpredictable bitewise, and he bites to draw blood. He has had exactly the same care as all of my other fuzzies who are soppy as anything


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

whats he like being handled by people he dosent know? only ask as i have a jill that was a complete nightmare with her previous owners, they tried every trick in the book with no sucess. however for anyone outside of the family, while she wasnt exactly cuddly she was ok, no bloodshed anyway.

i think sometimes they just get into a routine (for lack of a better term) with certain people and breaking that routine can be a nightmare. im not sugesting you should rehome him or anything like that, but maybe get him a jill or two as freinds? something to break his routine? plus in my experience jills fight back more than hobs :lol2:

you could sign up on here for more advice, personally i prefer it to ferrets forum but that my personal preference: British Ferret Club


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## JJReptiles (Jan 20, 2009)

weird i could cross post this to see what they say if you would like?


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## Malouska (Feb 10, 2010)

I tried to introduce new ferrets to him and it was awful! I know about the squealing and dragging that can sometimes go on to establish a pecking order but this was nothing like that - he went for their throats and had to be prised off of the jill :-( The other ferrets are currently cuddled up with the newbies. 

I just want him to be happy but don't know what to do with him as he behaves so differently from any ferret that I have owned :-(


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

Has he been thoroughly checked for any underlying health issues? May be slightly unlikely in one so 'old' (for lack of better word), but it's strange for an adult ferret to continue drawing blood for (seemingly) no reason.


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## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

I'm not an expert at all...but I saw a similar case on a TV show once. The vet just said make sure he has food at all times (overfeed if necessary), and the vicious ferret calmed right down. Strange, but true.

Anyway, just thought I'd throw that in...good luck!


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## Lydz13 (May 22, 2011)

My hob hated my OH and would attack him at any given opportunity, yet I could do anything with him. I would suggest you show him a bit more dominance, and if he is castrated, maybe you need to get a vet to check him for a retained testicle?


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## LittlePixieAmy (Sep 29, 2010)

Any chance he could be a crossed with a polecat (the wild kind of polecat, not the colour)?


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## Malouska (Feb 10, 2010)

Thank you all for your advice. He is handleable but I have stopped letting other people pet him 'cos he kept biting everybody. He has a constant supply of dry feed and meat every evening. I hadn't thought about it being hormone based - I will get him along to our vet to be checked for any hiding boy bits 

As to polecats, I have two EU poleys (a jill and a hob) and they are very sweet natured. Lots more cautious than the ever nosey ferrets but not nippy at all. I'd sooner give them to other people to cuddle than the hob in question!


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## rangers (Oct 4, 2009)

_I _ had a jill that had a thing for faces, she would try sneek up on to your shoulder just to get a dig at your face. other than that she didnt bite lmao . All my others grow out the biting stage .


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