How to “Scuff’ Your Ferret in 8 Easy Steps

1. Pick the ferret up gently but firmly by the scruff and say “NO” loudly each time the ferret tries to nip.

2.  Drag your ferret by the scruff for a short distance on a soft carpet or bed.  Ferrets do this to each other to show dominance.  You are teaching your pet that you are the alpha ferret.

3. Do not give up. This ferret needs more attention from you.

4.  Some people like to spray their hands with bitter apple extract to discourage nipping.  I find that this stuff upsets my ferret stomachs, causes some funky poop. So I don’t use this stuff.

5.  Do not quit giving a nipping ferret attention.  They need more attention, not less.

6.  Cuddle your ferret and talk constantly in a gentle, soothing voice. 

7.  Never play using your hands, always use a toy.

8.  Time out cage -   I like to use a carrier, not their regular cage.

I like to use:  2 - 6 - 3 - 4

Toes and legs:

This is what I do.  Watch your ferret’s body language.  Once you see him/her coming towards your feet.  Take you’re finger and wave it in front of him, at the same time
tell him/her no.   Then immediately turn his/her attention to something else.  What I do is turn them over on their back and tickle their belly.  Then I chase after them and make a game out of it.  “Don’t you bit mommy!     This works for us. 

Goal is to turn the behavior to a positive one, not a negative behavior.

When you see that the ferret is coming towards and you fear that he/she going to bit you.  Then do the following.  Watch that body language; turn that bad behavior to a good behavior.

Drag your ferret by the scruff for a short distance on a soft carpet or bed.  Ferrets do this to each other to show dominance.  You are teaching your pet that you are the alpha ferret.

Cuddle your ferret and talk constantly in a gentle, soothing voice.    This is where the bit hold comes in.

Never play using your hands, always use a toy.

Do not give up.