Watch these Ferrets BITE ME! - A GUIDE for why Ferrets Bite

[@sinneadfert]

I volunteered with the local rescue to help rehab biters. I still have scars 15 years on. Remember, ferrets can literally bite through a chicken thigh bone. Which means they could quite literally take your finger off if they chose to do so. So for virtually any ferret bite, no matter how bad, they are still moderating their bite.

[@kennyholmes5196]

Kind of like how humans pretty much never use their full muscle strength unless under adrenaline stress, right?

[@lyonscultivars]

​@@kennyholmes5196ye 100% usually results in self injury.

[@RoninCatholic]

And this is after millennia of breeding them for _relatively weak_ bites compared to their wild counterparts (the European Polecat and its relatives the mink, stoat, badger, marten, and least weasel). Ferrets had their jaws weakened at a genetic level to make them less likely to kill the rabbits they're helping to hunt and just chill out in the rabbit burrow for a few days slowly eating their kill, rather than going in and spooking the rabbits out so that they can be caught in nets, shot, or killed by dogs.

[@RoninCatholic]

@@kennyholmes5196 And how you don't slug someone full force when trying to hug you or even slap you for an insult.

[@erikamarie5535]

But they are so adorable you can't stay mad at them. Thank you for explaining all the reasons they bite ❤

[@Razoocie]

Amazing channel, thank you ❤

[@donabeth4561]

The young uns are like puppies bites. The teeth are sharp they don’t under stand yet. When they get get older they don’t break your skin but play with you as another ferret. If you have a real biter then you have a meanie or they may need to see an exotic vet because something is wrong. Mine were sweeties. RIP my business babies I miss you ❤

[@sinneadfert]

Or they were badly abused and choose to bite first so maybe they won't be hit/kicked again.

[@tablet4327]

My kits have always bitten at first, but I very rarely got bitten once they grew up a bit. Even when I got between play fighting adults, they realised they had my finger and let go even before I managed to react. I have had a good bite from a friend's ferret, but it probably wasn't used to me so that's on me. All my adult ferrets have been rescues so I've got used to being very gentle and patient with them.

[@greghee2109]

I noticed that that the hand cream that your ferret bites over is Vaseline based. We've found that ours (we have 6 marshal ferrets here in the US) LOVE anything Vaseline based. They will lick, and then bite my wife if she puts on any lotion or ChapStick. One of ours actually got into a tub of Vaseline a while back and ate a good quarter of the jar. It was a messy evening.... Hope this helps, love the channel. :)

[@CompoundAirsoft]

Amazing video. Thanks for taking all those bites to show us 😅

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

My pleasure, I think! 😊

[@genewickersham4593]

Poor blighters hand is savagely attacked by dangerous weasels

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

Yes, poor me 😁

[@mizzwitty1042]

My male ferrets used to show a different kind of bite which I called "love bites". They are kind like the "take me up bites" but years softer - more a friendly nibbling everywhere where there is a bit of thin extra skin like the back of the knees, ankles, wrist etc. 😂🥰

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

😄

[@naturewatcher7596]

This is why you need to use chewing toys with them - same like with puppies or kittens - something for them to chew/scratch/explore without harming you. They could play biting games with their mates - they have fur to protect them, we - don't.

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

True

[@clarevandor8062]

Great explanation thanks

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mycolliesandme268]

I just wear my gardening gloves most of the time, but I'm seldom bit with bare hands. But when you take off the gloves be sure not leave them where the ferrets can get to them,as they will surely steal them 😅

[@jamescollins6927]

really great video thank you i used to keep ferrets when I was a kid for rabbiting got thousands of rabbits and I'm sure just as many bites I'm thinking of getting a pair again in my twilight years after seeing your video I might get a rabbit ;-)

[@erinw.9256]

It's the ferret way to say that they love you!!

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

Haha you're right!

[@yamembert]

When my one female ferret hears a squeaky toy and I squeak it with my foot, she quickly runs and bites my foot/ankle hard, or licks and then bites. Any idea why this is?

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

It's strange isn't it. I'm not really sure why. Squeaky toys evoke a strong response in many ferrets. Many coming running and dook like crazy. I think it maybe triggers some mothering instinct, but then why the bite? Hmm.

[@TheSuperspatz]

​@@kingsdownferrets8485 we have 5 Jill's and 2 hobs and if we squeek a toy the girls come running and even if we stop they still bite, not hard enough to break the skin but still painful. It is a good way to find them if they hide though 😂

[@naturewatcher7596]

One of my dog (fixed female) looks alert and upset when she hears a squeak and could attack the other dog (male puppy) who is playing with the squeaky toy.

[@cawneyhawme7141]

Ah yes, the classic lick lick bite.

[@kmokatz]

My cat does it 😅

[@anthonydeltoro-]

I have very sensitive hands. As someone who takes care of ferrets, would you think it’d be ok or good if I wear a certain type of glove? If so what type?

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

If you were wearing gloves to protect sensitive skin, rather than protect against bites, then the thinner the better, as the thicker they are the more you lose finer dexterity in your handling. You will want to avoid anything with a rubber or silicone feel/smell as that does tend to incite ferrets to chew/bite. So you'd want to avoid that and go for some soft cotton/fabric gardening gloves I imagine. You will undoubtedly need to give them a chance to get used to any gloves though, as anything 'new' like this will generate a lot of curiosity and reactions which differ from individual to individual.

[@anthonydeltoro-]

@@kingsdownferrets8485 Ah, ok. Roger that. Thanks for the info!

[@animal_lover490]

These are not ferrets these are fuzzy wuzzy babbbbies❤

[@monicamares9198]

If I HAVE TO use moisturizing cream on my hand because if not they bleed in winter, can a ferret get used to that? I don't have ferrets yet but some day in the probably soon future is it ok to get a couple if my hands need the cream

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

You would be unlucky I guess if you got one that was obsessed with handcream. We've only got one that does it. Cant guarantee anything!

[@monicamares9198]

@kingsdownferrets8485 haha ok I'll just hope it's fine, maybe I'll wear it when we choose one

[@wyominggirl2835]

I have a question. I have a fixed female about 1 year old who likes to do the lick and bite move, but she has been purposely finding my skin and bites and shakes her head. I feel like she is trying to takes chunks out like she is trying to eat me. It seems like she is getting more agressive with it as well. We feed raw chicken so she is used to raw meat. Is she trying to eat me? She plays and cuddles but I feel like if I fell asleep in the cage, she would have a feast lol. Is this normal and can I do anything to fix this behavior?

[@Lord.Polecat]

Previously my smallest jill always bit me while shaking head….but now she is much better because she know I am not harmful and always provide room service….😂

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

progress is good!

[@JacobShort.2508]

Please help, I’ve had 3 ferrets in the past and one did like to bite but I trained him, I’ve got a new female and she is sweet with my dad but mauls me at any chance she gets, I woke to her lock jawed to my eyebrow the other day after she pushed my door open and now have bloody fingerprints on my phone from typing this, feels like I’ve tried everything but nothing works

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

Unfortunately there not much more than to continue to have bonding time together to gain trust and confidence. You have to recognise the actions which lead to a bite and try to minimise and avoid. You can use the "sin-bin" approach to discipline, where you put them in a pet carrier for 5mins when they misbehave.

[@orchidsnlyme1564]

We have a rescue ferret that goes threw anxious episodes where he grabs on to a finger and leads us to a corner to stay there. He tries to be gentle but ouch he is big boy....it hurts sometimes!!! Poor guy was abandoned by his owner, I wonder if it has anything to do with this behavior or just something he does???

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

Ferrets stash things. Pretty much every corner of our enclosure has some toy or other stashed there. My understanding of it is that when they take your finger they're just stashing it somewhere. For jills there is also the mothering/nesting instinct, and they just try to keep things in their nest.

[@tacobell1299]

In conclusion ferrets bite as communication 😅

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

Well put 😄

[@josue9669]

My ferret albino ferret will bite soft but after the 3rd bit it hurts like crazy. What does this mean?its when she’s on top of me or holding her and she has access to hand

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

Hi. I have a ferret like this too. Its not quite obvious why she does it. Its like they work themselves up into a frenzy over the first 3 bites. The ferret I have like this, had a poor first few months of life, so I wonder if there are some PTSD issues, which trigger some of the behaviour. It may be similar for your ferret. Something that she experienced before you bought her. Shes getting better in that she will sit there and make attempts to start to bite, and if i let her just do it, itd escalate and get painful. But now I just redirect her head before/during the first bite, and she sort of accepts that she isnt to do it before it gets too far and shes all psyched up. I think I might have mentioned something like this in the video, but I think there must be just some draw/urge for them to bite down, like some combination of smell/touch that they cant resist but to bite, like with a sweet gummy bear or something. So the redirection helps avoid that stage.

[@naturewatcher7596]

Maybe she wants to play with you like with her mate (they bite each other quite hard, I guess, when got too excited in the play).- you are just another ferret for her, just a little bigger :).

[@victorfreeman5066]

BoBo my best friend, had him for 11 and a half years, he never bit me hard to brake the skin ,he was a good ferret,stole everything keys ,socks,food ,money, laundry lord at a rv park sprayed round up around my rv ,got him he was in perfect health until that ,

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

That sounds terrible. Wouldn't have thought roundup would have impact on animals.

[@kmokatz]

​@@kingsdownferrets8485Then you are highly ignorant, obviously of much more than just the effects of round up on living creatures.

[@Gingerfrost]

Ugh hate Round up. Pretty any company designing their products to depend on their specialized crop seeds versus heritage seeds or predator insects.

[@fadhilahnaufal6781]

I have 3 ferrets that are over 2 years old they never bit me if they do it’s usually wants to get picked up but I have a new 2 month old male ferret I had him since he was like 1 month old now he has a lot of energy and wants to play and nipping. his bites are playing bites but some of his bites are quite hard it’s not like tear ur skin but quite hard and pulling he always aiming for the tip of the finger that is which quite painful I tried scruff him but it seems no effect do you have any tips for this thank you.

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

If he is only 2months old then he is very young and still learning. It is entirely expected to be nipping at that age. You just have to accept it and be patient and he will quickly progress to a stage where he recognises you are not something to eat or bite. Stick with it!

[@fadhilahnaufal6781]

@@kingsdownferrets8485 thanks mate am still playing with him although if wanna play scratching his belly I still wear gloves, but I never use any gloves with the rest of my 3 ferrets. At what age usually a ferret is considered adult enough to that their biting behavior starts to tone down because I had my previous ferrets when they were already a year plus old thanks

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

@fadhilahnaufal6781 I find that biting is high at around 7 to 8 weeks old, and then continues to drop aways for a couple months before reappearing about 4mths old as they go through a naughty teenager period! I've never worn gloves myself. I like the ferrets to just know what my skin is. They may nip, but it is manageable. At this age a full tummy helps to reduce nipping greatly. So if you feed raw meat, they will gorge on it and then become more docile as they're stuffed! Usually by the time they are 8mths old, they are fairly mature and beyond the crazy nippy kit phase.

[@fadhilahnaufal6781]

@@kingsdownferrets8485 aaaahhh nice thanks for the knowledge mate again this the first time I have kits I only experienced with mature ferrets, and you said raw meat but I gave him plain boiled chicken because I am from Indonesia and I don’t trust the hygiene quality here is that fine if I boiled em? Thanks

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

@fadhilahnaufal6781 yes, anything meaty should fill them up so boiled is fine. They should have the skin and as much fat as possible but not the bones if cooked.

[@georgeherbert248]

My ferret boy constantly wakes me up every morning grabbing his sister and biting hard her neck. But read online that as long as no pee, poo or blood then it’s fine

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

If they are young, then this is typical youngster behaviour, which will reduce over their first year of life. Not sure why it would be specific to mornings, as usually such behaviour would be any/all parts of the day. Whilst the pee/poop/blood thing is a fair intervention indicator, it doesnt mean that it isnt still exceedingly annoying or painful for the victim. If it is too frequent, you could try bitter apple spray rubbed on her neck. Its a good deterrent as they dont like the taste.

[@georgeherbert248]

@@kingsdownferrets8485 both are just over 3 months, I’ve had them for 5 weeks and it’s every morning around 6am 😂 worth it tho as I love them haha. I’m sure he does it at more times than just the morning but I’m not there. Does it randomly during the day I guess too when I’m there and not there. Thank you for the suggestion :)

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

@georgeherbert248 ah, in that case then it's perfectly normal young ferret behaviour. Especially the young males. They just love to play fight all day. Whilst the females will also play hard, there's always one party who isn't up for a fight to the same extent as the other. Hence there can be complaints. This settles down tho. 🙂

[@riotwire]

IS THAT WHY THEY FUCKING ATTACK MY LEGS ALL THE TIME???

[@ferretmonger0236]

DRG Driller: Mushrom 👉

[@Boswell341]

Tetanus, Rabies?

[@kingsdownferrets8485]

Rabies doesn't exist in the UK, and tetanus does not occur in the vaccinated population (everyone since 1950s).