Ferrets can make great pets. The furry little creatures are full of energy, that's for sure; but a ferret is a highly intelligent animal that can also be trained. As with any trainable pet, patience and consistency are an essential part of getting the desired result. Typically, the best type of training comes in the form of positive reinforcement. Like a pet dog or cat, your ferret wants to bond with you and just be loved. While it may take a few tries, your efforts to use positive reinforcement training will pay off.

One of the natural behaviors that give ferrets a bad rap is biting. Many people are under the impression that a ferret will bite so much so that it doesn't make a good pet; but this really isn't the case. Think about it: you wouldn't think twice about getting a puppy even though they nip until you teach them not to. Ferrets are no different. In the wild, they would learn from their parents and peers not to engage in certain behaviors. When you bring home a ferret as your pet, you become the parental figure that needs to do the teaching.

It is important to begin ferret training right away; ideally the day you come home with your new pet! Any behavior that is not corrected can quickly become a habit and thus becomes harder to break. When you bring home a young ferret as the family pet, chances are it will nip during play. The best thing you can do is to take away your attention the moment your ferret nips at you. Your ferret wants to play! Because you withdraw yourself from the game, he will get the idea that you did not like his behavior. If your ferret continues to nip (which he probably will ? how many of us really learn the first time around?), you can pull your hand away and say ?Ouch!? or some other expression that will let him know his behavior was not ok. Be careful not to scream or use a high pitched voice as this can just add to the excitement your ferret already feels. He needs to understand that he hurt you in order to learn not to nip.

Withdrawing attention while ferret training can be a powerful way to rid your pet of unwanted nipping behaviors. If your pet is not a fast learner and you need to up the ante, you can actually get up and leave the room when he nips, or pick him up and place him in his cage for a time out. If you do place your ferret in his cage as punishment, remember to handle him with care and to take him back out of his cage after a few minutes. The more you play and interact with your pet, the better your ferret training experience will be.

Ferrets can bite for reasons other than excitement during play. People who adopt an older ferret may also adopt bad behaviors that have not been corrected, or may have a ferret on their hands who has been abused. A fearful ferret is a ferret that will bite, simply put. In such cases, there is a certain degree of rehabilitation that will need to occur for the ferret to feel comfortable and safe enough not to nip. A ferret that has been abused should never be trained with physical restraint of any kind. These cases require lots of patience and a ton of positive reinforcement.