Kit Nip

Kit Nip
what are ferret kits special needs?

i just got a 2 month-old marshall's ferret from petco. she is bouncy, lively, and uses the litterbox already. but she climbs the sides of the cage , alot. when she climbs, she often falls. should i be worried? does anyone elses' ferret do this? and should i be worried about broken bones? i don't want to have a broken ferret. she also has alot of nipping problems. when i get her riled up, she arches her back, and goes into mega overrdrive. is this normal for a kit? any other tips would be very helpful. if you mention a product, please include a price. thanks.

LOL, they have so much energy, don't they?! Her behavior is completely normal. I had a couple that went through the cage-climbing phase. I never had any of them break any bones though. If possible, pile some blankets or towels in the areas where she tends to fall to help soften her landing a bit. I have a TON of small, fleece, baby blankets that I get for $1. I've seen them at Rite Aid, Walmart, and dollar stores. You have to be careful though, as some kits go through a fabric-eating phase, too (two of mine did). If you get the blankets and you ever notice pieces missing (a definite sign that your fuzzy is eating it), take it out and give her a little ferret lax.

As for the nipping, play with her with a toy rather than your hands. And, if she ever does nip you, scruff her (I like to support their bottom when scruffing them), give her a gentle shake, and a firm 'NO!' This is exactly how a mother would discipline a kit (minus the 'No,' obviously). You can also follow that with a short pull around the floor by her scruff - this tells her that YOU'RE the boss. If you ever get another ferret, you might notice one doing this to the other, it's normal and how they determine who the 'alpha ferret' is. Anyway, the scruffing method has been successful for me with all my younger ferrets. They're to the point now that I can rough them up and play with them with my hands and they know not to bite me as hard as they would another ferret. They put their mouth on me, but rarely dig in, and when they do, I just remind them that it's not ok.

And the back arching that you mention - this is actually referred to as the "weasel war dance." LOL, I LOVE watching my ferrets do the "weasel war dance!" Despite it's name, it's actually they're way of saying, "OMG, this is so cool!" LOL, this is how they show that they're excited and ready to play. You might even hear them making a dooking sound (which I also love!).

Good luck with your new baby, they're a lot of work, but so much fun to have!! =)