Correcting Common Ferret Behavior Issues

While a number of people view ferrets as nothing more than rodents, there are many people that have found a place for them in their hearts. These are the people that know ferrets are much more than a furry little friend and there is a lot more to caring for them than just giving them some food and water. While a ferret has the same basic needs as other pets, they have some very specific needs that aren't always easy to meet. For example, ferret owners have to learn to deal with a few behavioral problems. Whether or not you choose to curb these issues immediately or not is entirely up to you, but there will be a day when something will have to be done.

One of the first behaviors that you may have to deal with is biting. This can be a real nuisance when a ferret is young, but can quickly turn into more serious problems as they grow older. Unless you enjoy being bit, you will have to learn how to make sure your ferret is on good behavior the majority of the time. The first thing to do is trying positive reinforcement. When your ferret plays without biting, provide a reward for this behavior. Not only does this let them know their acting correctly, but they will learn to look forward to a treat when play time is over.

Another method would be to punish your pet ferret just like a mother ferret would. When the ferret exhibits bad behavior, hold it by the scruff of the neck and firmly tell it "no". This is how a mother ferret disciplines her young so it will feel natural to the ferret and the lesson will sink in over time.

You may also get good results ignore your ferret, just like you would a cat. Immediately stop playing when he or she bites, but be sure to return. Eventually, your pet ferret will start to realize that it has done something wrong and it will work hard to regain your trust.

Another common problem you may have is the ferret digging in the food bowl. This is natural behavior for most small animals so your ferret will likely do it once in a while. The easiest way to stop this behavior is to feed your ferret with a smaller food bowl. This will make it more difficult to take part in this behavior, but it's not the only thing that can go on inside a ferret cage.

Many ferrets like to rearrange everything in their cages. It's up to you if you want to address this behavior or not. If this is a habit you want to break, try using bowls that attach to the sides of the cage. This helps, but it doesn't completely address the root of the problem. The real problem is boredom. Ferrets can become very mischievous to let you know that they are bored.

If you think your ferret is misbehaving because of boredom, buy some entertaining toys that are fun to play with. Ferrets enjoy all kinds of things like balls and tubes. There are many things you can do to keep your frisky ferret happy that will always provide hours of entertainment for you. There's no doubt that having a ferret is a lot of fun, but you have to learn how to deal with them.