Why Adult Ferrets Bite

My ferret bites! Why? Welcome to Part 2: Why Adult Ferrets Bite of our 3 part series on ferret biting.

If you are already well versed on why your ferret may be biting, feel free to skip to Part 3: How to Stop Ferret Biting.

In this article, we will provide you with important insight into what your adult ferret is trying to tell you.

6 Reasons Ferrets Bite

If a ferret is past their nipping phase as a kit (due to teething and bite inhibition), there may be other reasons for biting.

Here are the Most Common Reasons a Ferret Bites:

1. Not bite trained as a kit
2. Does not receive enough time outside the cage
3. Not handled regularly
4. In pain
5. Ferret is an unneutered male
6. Scared or timid

Your Ferret was not Bite Trained as a Kit

In the last section, we mentioned why a ferret may bite as a kit. Though this is completely natural behavior for them as babies, it is still important to train them to stop.

Your Ferret Does Not Get Enough Time Outside the Cage

If a ferret does not receive enough time out of the cage (minimum of 4-6 hours per day) they will become stressed and antisocial. This lack of stimulation will cause a ferret to become timid and possibly aggressive. As we taught you in Chapter 1: What is a Ferret? The Ultimate Ferret Guide, ferrets are much more closely related to a dog or a cat -they are not meant to spend their lives locked away in a cage.

You Do Not Handle Your Ferret Regularly

Do you handle your ferret regularly? Do you play with them at least 4 hours per day? If not, your ferret may lack the special bond that tells them you are family -and not a threat.

Your Ferret Bites Because He is in Pain

Is your ferret in pain? Ferrets can be quite clumsy and are known to get into potentially harmful trouble. Is your normally friendly ferret aggressive when you touch a certain part of their body? Perhaps they injured themselves while playing or ate something they shouldn’t have and got a stomach ache.

Your Ferret is an Unneutered Male

Most ferrets in the United States are neutered before they are sold at the pet store. Did you get your ferret from a private breeder? You may have a male ferret on your hands who is going through something called rut. This is his mating season and it can turn even the most docile ferret into a bully!

Your Ferret Bites Because He is Scared

Is your ferret in a brand new environment? Did you just take him home? Did you introduce a new pet into the household? Perhaps your ferret feels threatened by all these big changes and he is trying to assert himself to feel safe.

Now that you know why a ferret bites, want to learn how to make them stop? Check out Part 2: How to Stop Ferret Biting.