HELP!!!! my new ferret has issues!!!?

Question

So yesterday I adopted a new female ferret from some chick of craigslist. shes sapose to be about a year old but she looks younger. The lady got rid of her because of biteing issues. So i bring her home to meet my 2 boy ferrets and she starts freaking out. she starts squeeling when they come near her and she hisses at me and the other 2 ferrets and my kitten. Shes been passed around on craigslist from owner to owner no doubt, but how can i slove this? I cant even put her in the cage with the other 2 without her squeeling like shes being killed or something and there not going anything to her. they cant even duke with her because shes so loud and obnoctious. she randomly bites my male ferrets face and ears, dosent even seem like dukeing it seems like she just gets pissed off and bites him then runs away. she comes near me and hisses then trys to bite me if i touch her. I can deal with biteing, i've had a ferret that bite before and i tammed him, but this one, i dont know what to do.

Answer 1

get a different cage and put her in a room by herself where she can get used to the surroundings. If she has been passed around she may have been abused, it is probably scared. Give her time to adjust. Find a treat that she absolutely loves and let her come to you. If she hisses just sit there and wait.. try putting the treat in front of you without holding it, then move it closer until you are holding it in your hand.... go slow and take several days... but first give her time to adjust to her new setting!!!

Answer 2

Depending on what colors she is She might be death. (Some ferret colors can mean they are more pron to bind and deathness. Mainly Mixes and Blazes).  I have a Marked DEW (Dark eyed white)/DEW mix. And she can not hear. I got her as a kit and she makes loud sounds all the time. She doesn't know she is doing it. But I would make sure you have yours in a different cage for a while. If you can go out and buy this...or something much like it...

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pr...

And this will allow her to be with the other and get use to them but feel safe at the same time. Make sure you put toys, blankets and anything else that she might like in there with her. But you also need to give her time to play outside of this and on her own. You might need to do this for a while. But it will help her feel more comfurtable.

And to add. You shouldnt worry about ferrets being scared or hurting one another until there is blood or scared p**p. (meaning they are so scared they p**p) If these dont happen then let them work it out between themselvs.

Answer 3

Separate them till she's used to the environmnet and calmer.  As you said, she's been passed around and undoubtedly attacked and badly handled by everyone and everything.  She needs to develop trust and you need to take it slow and patiently.

Make sure you talk quietly to her and don't punish (it only reinforces the 'attack is coming' mode she's in).   Encourage her and ignore the bad things.  Try pushing a few raisins at her, they usually like those.  If she hisses, just don't touch her but talk quietly. She needs to see that you're not going to grab, or pinch or attack or do anything that the other people have been doing to her all her life. She's only reacting out of fear.

Answer 4

I have 3 ferrets also .

You should buy a extra cage and keep her in it alone . Each day introduce her to the 2 male ferrets , starting with maybe 10 mins together going up to about 3 hours each day so another words get them used to each other a little more each day at a time .

Watch your male ferrets when they are with her , to see if they do anything to scare or or upset her in anyway at all . She may be scared of them D:

Good Luck !

Answer 5

This little one sounds like she is really scared.  When I get a new kid, I always put it (or usually them) in an isolation cage in the kitchen where they can have a place of their own and a stress free den while they are getting used to their new home.  I usually try to let all kids get used to each other before I turn them loose together.  I like to work independently with the new kids and build trust with them so they won't feel so out of place.  I found that ferrets, especially ones who have been passed around and haven't been able to bond closely with a person, are very scared for their safety and they hiss and scream when they are frightened.  Your new one sounds like it may be deaf and will need someone who is really patient and understands ferret talk to help her.  Do you think she needs a vet check to see if she is blind or deaf?

I have gotten biters and scared kids that have taken me up to 9 months to get them comfortable in my home.  I go slow. I would put this one in a cage by herself with blankets that give her a nice cave like sanctuary and work on trust with you, go very slow with her.  Mine are free roam and I found that ferrets who have room to act like a weasel with denning and ferreting treasured items are happier. Most ferrets calm down considerably when they get adequate exercise and aren't afraid for their lives.  I teach new kids to den up and how to play.  A lot of ferrets who come to me were kept in a cage and have very little contact with people.  By contact, I think of things like brushing them, showering with them, playing hammock swing and things like that.  For the biting, I think the best way to help this one is to be firm when you pick her up and don't be afraid of the bite.  Only try to pick her up when she is calm.  Try to pick her up randomly when she is playing but for short periods and don't put her away everytime you pick her up.  If this is just fear biting, she will get better.  If this is a ferret who was never shown love and gentleness, She may not want a human for a companion and you have to be very brave and gentle and show her she can trust you.

Hope this is helpful. You seem to have your hands full with this little one.  I am sure she is not happy with her own behavior so any kindness you show her will surely give her a better quality of life than she has had in the past.

Answer 6

Well maybe you should bring it to a vet.To me that is the best way to make sure your ferret is OK.

Answer 7

The ferret is a very vocal animal. It chatters loudly when it is alarmed or excited. That might be why it starts squealing but I don't know about the biting... sorry...

I hope that helped in some way.