The Modern Ferret
  • 0
  • Ferret Beginners
  • Best Supplies
  • Bite Training
  • Etsy store
  • Ferret Stickers
  • Learn
    • Our Mission
    • Blog
    • Can My Ferrets Get Coronavirus?
    • Best Ferret Cage: Real Owners Review
    • Ferret for Sale – Where to Buy Ferrets
    • Funny
    • Inspiration
    • Health
    • Nutrition
    • Education
    • Training
    • Product Reviews
  • Contact
*This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a small commission when you click on links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission!

Why Baby Ferrets Bite

By Haley on January 16, 2020

My baby ferret bites! Why? Welcome to Part 1: Why Baby 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.

One of the most common questions we receive at The Modern Ferret is how to train a ferret not to bite. Unfortunately, many ferrets are abandoned because they have a problem with biting. Lucky for you, teaching a ferret not to bite is a relatively easy process with a little training and a lot of patience!

In this article, we will provide you with important insight into why your new baby ferret is acting up.

First thing’s first. Let’s assess the situation.

Is Your Ferret a Kit or an Adult?

  • baby ferrets
  • adult ferret

There are multiple reasons your baby ferret bites. The first question to ask is ‘how old is my ferret’? An adult ferret may be biting for a very different reason than a kit (baby).

Why Baby Ferrets Bite

Just like we learned in Chapter 2: What Do Ferrets Eat? (The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide), ferrets are carnivores just like dogs and cats. And just like puppies and kittens, ferrets are especially nippy as kits (babies).

Baby ferrets bite due to two main reasons:

  1. Baby Teeth
  2. Learning Bite Inhibition

Baby Ferrets Bite Because of Milk Teeth

ferret puppy baby teeth

If you purchase a ferret at a pet store, chances are they are 2-3 months of age. This is around the time that ferrets are losing their ‘milk teeth’ (baby teeth) and replacing them with their permanent adult teeth. Your baby ferret bites because their mouth hurts. This discomfort will cause a baby ferret to want to chew on just about anything -including their owner! The same is true for dogs and cats.

Fun Fact: Rodents do not lose baby teeth like carnivores do. They only have one set of teeth their entire lives, from birth. Because ferrets lose baby teeth just like dogs and cats, this is another way to tell that ferrets are not rodents at all!

Baby Ferrets Bite Because of Bite Inhibition

baby ferret bites

Next, if your ferret is a kit, they are still learning something called Bite Inhibition. This is when a baby ferret’s mother and siblings teach each other about what is acceptable and what is too rough when it comes to biting.

If a ferret is taken away from his mother and siblings at too young of an age, he misses out on a crucial life lesson. Sadly, this is often the case for big pet retailers like Petco. Though it is not ideal, you are completely capable of making up for lost time and putting your little fuzzbutt through Bite Training School!

Is your ferret past the kit phase and still nipping? Check out Part 2: Why Adult Ferrets Bite – and find out the 6 reasons your ferret is biting.

Baby ferret
Posted in Education, Training, Uncategorized.
Share

Recent Comments

  • natasha woodford on How to Test Ferret Blood Glucose at HOME!
  • angel on 21 Cute Ferret Photos That Will Make You Smile

Recent Posts

  • Why Ferrets Are The Best Pets To Have | Pros & Cons of Ferret Ownership
  • What’s The True Cost of a Ferret? | Detailed Breakdown of The Average Cost of Ferrets
  • Best Ferret Vets Near me | Crowdsourced List of Trusted Exotic Vets
PreviousWhy Adult Ferrets Bite
NextHow Much Do Ferrets Cost? The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Related Posts

  • February 3, 2020

    Helicobacter Mustelae: Ferret Illnesses

    Welcome to our series on Common Ferret Illnesses, and specifically our deep-dive into ferrets suffering from Helicobacter Mustelae. In this article, you will learn what causes it, the most common symptoms, and which ferrets are most at risk. We will also provide an overview on what steps you will want to take to help your …

  • how to cut ferrets nails
    January 30, 2020

    How to Cut Ferret Nails: The Ultimate Guide

    In this article you will learn everything you need to know about how to cut ferret nails -and why you should. Are you new to ferrets? Check out our Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Ferrets! At the end of the article, we also answer all of the most common questions surrounding how to cut ferret nails. …

  • how to say ferret spanish
    February 26, 2020

    How to Say Ferret in 14 Different Languages

    Ever wondered how to say ferret in different languages? We are the only ferret site with audio files to teach you how to say it in Spanish, French, Mandarin, Russian, Dutch.. and more! How did we do it? We asked our 60,000 community members around the world to tell us what they call ferrets in …

  • best ferret cage ideas
    February 20, 2020

    Best Ferret Cage: Real Owners Review

    One of the most important things you can invest in is the best ferret cage possible. We reached out to real ferret owners around the world to pick their brains on what makes a good ferret cage and which brand they recommend. First, we will teach you what makes a good ferret cage (so you …

  • Blog
  • Press
  • Ferret Stickers
  • Etsy store
  • FAQ
  • Contact
  • © 2023 The Modern Ferret
  • New Ferret Owners START HERE!
  • 🔥 Top Recommended Supplies
  • How to Stop Ferret Biting
  • Learn
  • About
  • Contact
  • My Account

    Log in

    Lost your password?

    Or
    Create an account

    Register

    A link to set a new password will be sent to your email address.

    Or
    Log in