Nip Training Your Ferret
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- --Please note that this video is outdated. For current ferret care information check out my website FerretEdu (dot) weebly (dot) com--
Rude comments are not tolerated.
Percy and I demonstrate some techniques when nip training your ferret.
Scruffing isn't punishment, people. Nor is it mean. It's "Settle down and give me your attention" notice the yawn? That's submission. Teaching them that they wont be scruffed for long or hurt, also allows you to easily give meds if needed, check teeth, keep an eye on their mouths for any injuries or broken teeth, etc. You don't want to do it more than ten seconds or so, even if they don't yawn, going past 20 seconds is mean, and don't lift them up high. I usually use my elbow to lean them in so they feel secure and relax enough to listen to me.
TIP: Careful with the hissing, some respond fine to it and stop, others get more aggressive. It's not a tip that should be shared this way without warning, some have been seriously bitten by their ferret because they didn't realize they were stopping aggression with dominance. This can breed dominance in your ferret in SOME cases, so watch for that and find something else. I use a simple "No bite" when I do it. No hissing or dragging, had I done that with my female she likely would have ended up very dominant and aggressive.
Scruffing is the whole act of stopping a ferret from 'doing' something, good or bad. Mother Ferrets would latch on to their young and drag them around. So it can be seen as a gentle submission to STOP but also a perfect way to clip nails and feed meds etc.
hissing is an annoyed ferret. whatever you are doing they don't like it. This can also occur during scruffing training. the ferret is basically pouting because it can't do what it wants while you scruff it.
theclash24 You are not their mother, and they are not kits. They know the difference between another ferret and a large creature bullying them. So no, it's not.
Also, if you've ever raised them, or like me, have friends who are good breeders, you'd know that mothers do not scruff their kits to punish or teach them, they ignore them. They scruff them to move them.
Time-outs actually work far better than the scruffing method. Scruffing as PUNISHMENT, teaches them only one thing: Dominance. It's fallen out of popularity for a bite-training method over the last year or so because more often than not, it actually creates worse biters, and only stops the submissive ones, of which there are few.
If you hiss at your ferret, drag it, and basically abuse it(which is what you are doing when you try to act like one on a fight, being hundreds of times larger than the ferret to boot), you will cause a fear biter, or simply make your ferret more aggressive.
Hissing, by the way, has several meanings. "Play rough with me!" Also means anger, frustration, and last but not least: Terror.
LoL scruffing isn't abuse. You're wrong. Please people don't listen to this guy XD
theclash24 "This guy" knows better, and when others try it out, find your ferret ignores it and just bites you more, you'll see it yourself. Of course by then it'll take several weeks/months longer to bite-train them. lol It['ll work for submissive ferrets, but then you have a ferret you've dominated and it'll never see you as anything but a jerk, since you are NOT a ferret.
Scruffing on its own is not abuse, scruffing for PUNISHMENT is. They know the difference.
If you do it wrong, you stretch their spines and risk damaging their backs too.
I also have three ferrets, two have never bitten anyone in the five years I've had them, and they go everywhere with me and love people and children. Their bite-training took a week. They were kits. I have a third one some IDIOT scruffed and made him fearful. It's so wonderful to have a ferret someone scruffed the crap out of for biting for several weeks. Now if you so much as reach for him he jumps and hides and is afraid you'll grab his neck. Two time-outs for three minutes each. End of his biting. That's all it took. But every other human who reaches for him? Terror, they may as well have beaten him. He's not the first, and certainly not the last ferret I'll see this way, I'm sure.
All you have to do, is pick your method, and deal with the outcome. lol Not my problem, I'm just warning you and explaining the why.
You are not their biological mother but you are their new mother and alpha. You must show this.
You sound like violet from the incredibles
ya theyr like the same
Can't unhear it
When I got my ferret she was already two years old, but was very bitey (I think it was a result of improper care), and would attack me anytime I tried to touch her or put my hand in the cage. I tried bitter apple spray for a while which worked REALLY well, but after a while I realized that I didn't want her to always be afraid of my hands, so I started putting ferretone on my hands when I petted or held her so that she would just lick rather than bite. She still does gentle nips when playing, (usually on feet) and I do occasionally scruff and give a warning, but she has had a huge turn around! All this happened in the space of about 4-6 weeks. Now she is one of the sweetest little girls!! 😊
So cute! I trained my ferret not to bite hard but he can play bite which is gentle I spend a lot of time playing with and holding him and so he is super friendly and loves people
Nothing wrong with playful biting, where they don't break skin and it doesn't hurt. If they are biting hard then we quickly break them of that by using Bitter Apple. Have trained well over 15 not to bite that way. Put bitter apple on your arms and hands and let them bite you, after about two or three bites and they will never "bad" bite you again but still play bite when they are playing which is what they are suppose to do. There are a VERY few ferrets that have a mean streak, and that's usually because how they were treated, many times caused by not getting any attention. Out of over 35 ferrets that we owned we only have had one ferret that we couldn't break from biting. She was a cute little thing but she would tear you apart, and if you tried to scruff her she'd kick your ass and tear you apart. Scruffing her just pissed her off. I broke her enough to where I could handle her and usually only for about 2 minutes before she got that gleam in her eyes and I new she was about to bite. That mean little girl didn't just bite, she would bite with all her might and down do the bone and hang on until you pryed her jaws apart. We rescue ferrets so we had no problem putting up with that sweet, mean, little girl.
Aww ur Percy looks like twins with MY “I am weasel!” AND he’s 12 weeks too! Mine is a mix with white ferret and polecat. He recently jumped out my living room window and tried to go again. Hes a handful atm but i love him
1. Hissing does nothing
2. Grabbing their scruff does not hurt, its a way the mother picks them up.
3. yawning is just what they do XD
All you do is say no
Fudg Cooki this is actually exactly what you have to do when a ferret bites you. do you even know anything about ferrets?
Fudg Cooki I hope no one followed your advice
Your quite dumb with hamsters lol. You know nothing. Your wrong!
My ferret is deaf.... so I just scream obscenities as he rips my finger off
The whole video I was more worried about how much feretone (idk if I spelled it right) she was using because it's bad for them
Maddie Grace it’s not bad for them endless they get to much, kinda like medicine is good for us endless we take way to much. Which she was doing
@@savannahselner2304 Incorrect: It is very unhealthy for them. . Instead, use a healthy alternative, like salmon oil . :)
From what I read its like mix of fatty oils which is really good for the ferret and ferrets treat it like human candy... and as for their bites... depends if its just a quick bite and let go then not really but when they go agro and bite and hold on then its really sucks... usually punctures the skin for sure. anyways great pets!
great video I had ferrets for years an the only thing is I never had a bitter but also I never had a young one either I have only had her 3 days now but she has bite me the first to days an broke my skin so iam workin with her an I called the petstore an there crazy an told me to pluck her nose hard an she would shake her head I couldn't believe they said to do that an then said to bring her back I wouldn't do either I'm workin with her an I do see improvements I also rescued a albino love bug he way 1 years old when I got him I say rescued because he sat in petcos cage for aa whole year an all the other daek ones were going so wen I kept going there to see himm I felt sso bad ,, then one day the girl said it was his last day there I said were is he goin an she said she didn't know but wen they don't sell they take them somewere else ,,, so I said I will be right b ack an I went home an got the money an hes been with me 5 years now an I have to say he is the best thing in my life!! I just 3orry my new one wont be so rough with him\
How about furniture? Mine keeps chewing on my couch and I scruff and he just goes right back...
have to keep doing it in the act. sounds like yours is a kit, which means its basically a puppy or small child. they don't listen well. I stopped letting mine roam freely. we got a large play pin with high bars so ours can't climb out. filled it with tons of toys and she loves it. problem is...she kept going into our recliner couches which have lots of moving gears and parts and we didn't want her to get hurt and caught up in the gears. they will find spots you've never known existed and it can be super dangerous for them...they aren't smart...they are curious which comes to the saying, curiosity killed the cat/ferret.
One more add to my old comment: They know the difference between being scruffed for being bad, and being scruffed for random. In fact it's good to treat them for behaving in a scruff because it makes it easier for you and your VET to check in their mouth without them exploding and fighting you.
A better way to bite-train is actually the sin-bin method. Scruffing CAN lead to aggression with many when you do it to bite-train them in some cases, while others figure it out and behave. But if you do it to one who is very dominant, you're like to get bitten even more. A bit of digging and seeing test results given by others showed better improvements with sin-bin(basically time-outs for a few minutes every time they bite), than scruffing, though sin-bin training can be faster or MUCH slower, it's not likely to make them more aggressive.
That said, do teach them being scruffed is not something to fear, but to be calm about, and do not over-do it.
I have a question; did your ferret try to play bite when you first held him? cus mine seems to think I'm playing. I even hiss like a ferret does, he seems to be taking a hint on the hiss but only after a couple of times and never seems to get it on the first grab.
Ok. I don't mind so much, infact sometimes I don't think I help the situation cus I do sometimes play wrestle with him since he doesn't have any other ferrets to play with (mainly due to affordability) so I try to fulfil that. However, recently I've gotten him to play with a cloth or a soft/stuffed ball.
I just got my ferret yesterday and I did my research before I got one. But he keeps jumping and wants to play but then he bites me and I tried scruff ing him but he just was hitting me because I found not get a grip cause he doesn’t have any loose neck skin
my ferret, Marbles, is 6 months old, loves to play and looks exactly like Percy lol. i also hiss, scruff and drag him but he still will nip the crap out of my hand. about how long will it take to get him to not bite, or just bite softer?
What's the escalation for hearing impaired ferrets? Hissing wouldn't work
What are you putting in that green dish for your ferret?
my ferret died yesterday they said that when we bought him he had namonya it was albino they said they get sick yesterday when we bought him they did not tell us he was sick but they gave us his sister shes not albino I got my ferret from petco what pet store do u work
Why Don't You Make Videos Anymore???
my ferrets are about 2 years old i believe, and we got it from another owner (who was very sweet and treated them right) and i’ve had the ferrets for maybe about 4 weeks? i’m not sure to be honest but one of them (they are sisters btw) has been biting non stop. i scruff her for 5 seconds then put her down and sometimes i tap her on her nose/head area. she just doesn’t seem to listen. then she will start jumping side to side/wherever i go with her mouth open and she will do all these acrobatic tricks to try to do it again. and it’s hard to get a hold of her to scruff her without her biting me. what should i do?! if she doesn’t stop soon we have to give her away because she does it so hard :(
I like to play with my ferret using my hands, should I really stop that? He doesn't try to bite hard when I play with him. He's like a cat playing with my hand. Also scruffing doesn't do anything for hi, I must be holding him wrong cuz he just spazzes and thinks I'm playing
Very true. It's important to start training them as young as possible. Percy has improved greatly and hardly ever nips hard now. He's about 6 months old now :-)
Great video. What are you spraying into the bowl?
It's FerreTone, an oil based supplement/treat. You can also use salmon oil
+Jenifer De La Garza You'd be better off using Salmon Oil. It takes some getting used to but is meat-based and wont cause cancer like Ferretone. Ferretone also has three ingredients in it that are toxic. They're obligate carnivores, so you'll want to stick to meat-based foods and supplements, and as far away as possible from ones with sugar or soy.
it's not recommended to use a lot of this stuff. they are carnivores. their digestive system is meant for meats and sometimes bones (yes their stomach acid is that strong). A few squirts on to your finger for a treat. Maybe if you are trying to introduce them to a new meat or egg. I use it when my ferret uses her litter box...she jumps in, poops, and hops out...now perfect time for reward...a squirt on finger than let out to play. do this everytime and the ferret starts to realize...if i poop in this spot, i get treats and play time!
My ferret is 4 months old but when he bites my hand he's really gentle, should I scruff him still?
No
What kind of oil do you give him to eat?
Use salmon oil
Ive been working with my Luna and have been scruffing her from day one when she would bite, but she's only seem to have gotten worse. She tends to flip around and try to bite me, which has progressively gotten more violent. What do I do?
Is she deaf by chance? If scruffing isn't working, I'd look into another method, such as time outs instead.
I don't think she's deaf, she responds to noises normally. My only issue with time out is we have no crate for her to give time outs with besides her normal cage.
L3ap0ffatih
Scruff, put it on it's back, drag it like this a few feet while hissing, place it far and let it go. They try to push their boundaries so it'll likely bite again as soon as it can. Then do it again and time out for 2-3 minutes in a crate with nothing in it. Rinse and repeat ;)
you...are in fact...not scruffing her. You are doing it wrong. Keep trying. You have to be tough and rough ...as they have thick hides. Just below the back of their skull and just above their shoulder blades...that patch of skin, grab and squeeze and lift the ferret off the ground to let gravity help with weight.
deafness will not effect scruffing.
Sooooo I how do I stop it
Can I just ask what should you do if you scruff and they continue trying to attack your hand....?
you...are in fact...not scruffing her. You are doing it wrong. Keep trying. You have to be tough and rough ...as they have thick hides. Just below the back of their skull and just above their shoulder blades...that patch of skin, grab and squeeze and lift the ferret off the ground to let gravity help with weight.
I have just got a ferret and he bites and it hurts a lot he bit me 2 times today what should I do ???!
Ummm watch this vid?
letsgettowork1 this vid was not helpful the woman I bought him off helped me tho
Ferretone? You can also use Salmon Oil or even olive oil. (Salmon is better though)
what are you squirting into that bowl?
It's Ferretone oil supplement. Had to find a way to keep the ferrets in the frame, or else it would be empty!
oh hahaha
What do you feed him daily? iv'e got 2 babies and need to know what to feed them daily.
CarAudioHoon
I have a video that talks about ferret food. Right now they get Wysong Ferret Epigen 90, Natures Variety Instinct Duck, and Wellness Core. They get egg yolks 2x a week, and I've been supplementing with raw
I don't know any were that sell Wysong Ferret Epigen 90 in australia :/ people say dry food is no good?
Congrats on your new ferret!
WhAt was you putting in his bowl
Kaalliyah Luzon ferretone
It depends. There are many different methods to nip training, the scruff and drag is just what has worked for me. Some people have better luck with the "time out" method, or using bitter apple spray on their hands.
In an especially young ferret, some of the biting is just normal- that's how they explore their world. Percy bit a lot at first (He was teething also), but did grow out of it. He only play nips now.
When they are young, do not allow any sort of biting.
I got my ferret yesterday and he's only about 2 months old. He does bite A LOT cause he's a baby but sometimes he will hiss at me also. He also hates to be touched or anything once i've given him a treat, or in general!!! Ill reach down to pet him while he's out playing and he'll just bite me! This might be because he wants to play but i'm not sure. Also, I'm doing the scruff method when he bites me but he will sometimes hiss at me when I scruff him. I'm not sure what to do :/
keep holding and loving on him and play with him
That's good :D what do you keep putting into his water?
Some sort of water treatment or ferretone neither of which are good for them
quote "try to grab him and he freaks out a little bit" probably because you keep scruffing and hissing at him for doing nothing wrong ffs.
Do you know anything about ferrets? She's trying to EDUCATE pet owners to show them what to do. But it's not mean to scruff a ferret. It doesn't hurt them.
ferrets bite when they are young. youll have to wait about a year until they finally calm down.
Squirt bottle? I have to use one sometimes when Wesley obcessively scratches at the carpet. If that doesn't work, you'll have to live with it, or keep him out of the bedroom. Ferrets seem to rule us sometimes!
Ferret owner since 1986...scruffing and a sharp NO or EASY always worked for mine.
O_O your ferret must've wondered why you hissed and dragged it just then.
“Dragon hiss” 😂
I'm not sure if I read your comment correctly...but albino ferrets should not get sick any more than any other color ferret. Sorry about your boy though.
I work at a locally owned pet store, it is not a chain.
Lol actually I was thinking of laxotone. But ferretvite too. I just got two 2 1/2 year olds one of which is deaf and still nips. He's getting better but man his bites hurt!
Omg I have that same toy mouse for my ferrets! But I live in the UK and bought it in a cheap "dollar store"
Hell no my ferret is 3 month and all he does is sleep like wtf
Hanging with Max I've heard that when your ferret is lethargic it means he's sick.
You probably don’t get him out enough. If he is in the cage all day he is going to sleep.
What type of ferret is he?
There is only one breed of domestic ferret, though they come in different colors. Percy is a silver, though now he's more of a dark eyed white.
Yeah. I meant color xD
I just got my first ferret yesterday and couldn't decide what she was. She looks exactly like him in this vid. :) thank you!
whiskandbowl Really? I was pretty sure polecat is a breed and not just a colour, but I donno.
Crimson Divine
Polecats are part of the weasel family like ferrets, but they aren't ferrets themselves. (Like wolves and domestic dogs are both canines, but wolves aren't the same as domestic dogs)
Ferrets are descended from polecats, but they have different scientific names. They are sometimes crossbred though, resulting in a hybrid, but they aren't considered totally domestic.
I've never seen a polecat in the USA though, I don't think they are common here.
Confusingly enough, "polecat" or "poley" is also used in the UK to describe the sable coloring.
Actually they are, ferrets are the domestic breed from the polecat, its really the same animal except ferrets are pretty much tamed.
Here in UK we refer to those that look like a polecat a polecat, anything else is ferret.
They could if they really wanted to, thankfully my ferrets have been socialized and trained well and have no desire to hurt me.
ferrets are strong enough to brake every bone in your hand they were brought here to kill mice and rats
She means, that it's nothing against the ferret for just being an animal and nipping. No grudge against them.
Whike you're still holding them I mean.
My new ferret I brought home just bit me while I was cleaning the poop out the cage..... I think he was scared... I feel bad but also that kinda hurt...
I went to go see 2 today at the pet store and they constantly bit but it was adorable and it was only slightly painful and didn't pierce the skin.
They also clawed
Aaaawww cute ferrets! I'm getting some of my own soooon!
Maybe because I had just seen Oz
wtf you're punishing him for doing nothing just enjoying the supplement, he's gonna think that eating that isn't ok
Johnny Boy
Yes, I scruffed him for demonstration purposes. I promise, his feelings weren't hurt and he continues to enjoy his Ferretone ;-)
whiskandbowl ok i guess thats ok, by the way how do you recommend going away for a few days? i mean, the obvious thing would be to get a friend to take care but everyone thinks they're gross =( i am going on vacation for 9 days, what should i do? any way to get around boarding him?
Johnny Boy
I personally wouldn't leave my ferrets for more than 1-2 days, and longer and that's just asking for trouble. Are there any pet sitting services in your area that you can contact? Some vets offices will do boarding, but they may not be able to play as much. I'd get an ad out on FB or another classified site to see if you can find someone. (Unless somehow you are able to take them with you!)
it doesn't hurt the ferret...she is showing others how to do it. and ferrets are simple creatures, doing this once or twice while it's distracted won't effect it.
theclash24 this was from may 2015.. and i never said it would hurt it, but scruffing is a punishment for when they're being bad so i assume that's why i said it a year ago.
"its like $7 and im cheap" >_<
😂😂😂😂
you need to add some periods and commas in there buddy!
are you a teen
Good idea with the " hissing" sound. that's there language.
While you're dragging them as well? With younger ferrets, sometimes redirecting their nipping can be more effective "Play bite this toy instead of me!"
If that's not the case, than perhaps the "bite hold" might be a more effective technique for you
Your ferret looks like mine. Cool.
Panda type, with blaze pattern. A lot of these types of ferrets are deaf. Mine is. The blaze pattern is a huge indicator of deafness.
3:08 let the homie eat
i just got a baby ferret so im a new ferret owner
So much ferretone!
to much is bad for them.
Good video. 💚
what has he been looking for in the bowl forever? lol mine wont sit still for 3 seconds
My camera was stolen around Thanksgiving and I haven't had the money to replace it. Sorry! I do plan on making more, just need to find a camera first
It's Ferretone LOL I put it in the bowl or else I wouldn't have any ferrets in the frame to film ;-p
Try not to give them too much ferretone. The sugar isn't good for them. Same with treats. Half an n-bone a day at most. Most ferret treats are bad for them.
Ferretone is oil based and does not contain sugar. I believe you are thinking of FerretVite, which will never enter my house LOL
i want a ferret.
Wait, what? I don't think I understood a word of that, sorry.
Thamks for the video!!
so cute!!!!
and i love your ferrets
I have new ferret
Glad to hear!
And um babies are very very happy is how they explore the world toddler you know they're always put everything in their mouth BBC r2 so um questions at work I work at pets are people always say all parents today but I am like a puppy and puppies like to play and just have to teach are not too so I guess we're going to how do I get my parents not tonight I think about it is especially with so I always ready to play and wrestling go go go all the time and so you have to think about that if you
Ok Sorry About That And I D Really Miss You
Feritone is bad for ferrets
Nope. I'm 21.
your videos r helpful
Mila Kunis or what?
Thanks I think this will help(:
Hiss n drag
oh well my mom said i could get a ferret in november my brith day but idk what to name my ferret he is senky
It's just an empty bowl that I drizzle Ferretone into. If I didn't bribe them, they wouldn't stay on camera!
You're welcome!
Aw, thank you!
At pet store
Sounds like he is hissing to say "Grrr, don't punish me", like a little kid pouting when he's scolded. LOL
Give it some time and be consistent in your training and I bet he will improve soon.
awwwwwwwww so cute
Thx my ferret no longer bites
Милашка)
Cute :)
Hehe, probably. He's a good sport though