Is it possible to train a ferret

Click here to see for yourself. You may be wondering, "Why do I need the clicker? Why can't I just give my ferret a treat without the click sound? The click means "YES!

That was right" while the absence of a click means "Try again. The click is quick; speaking is slower and requires more brainpower for processing. Often it is not possible to deliver a treat at the precise time a behavior occurs, especially if your ferret is in a cage or across the room from you.

The click lets you "mark" the behavior exactly when it occurs. If you give a treat without the click, the ferret may have done several other behaviors by the time it actually receives the treat and will not know exactly what the treat was for. In clicker training there is no scolding, punishment , physical force, fear, or intimidation. Incorrect behavior is simply ignored; even a simple "no" is not used. Scientific studies conducted at the University of North Texas under the direction of Dr.

Jesus Rosalez-Ruis have shown that animals learn faster and retain learning better if there is no correction , even a mild reminder, during teaching. How about this? The clicker can be used to mark all sorts of different behaviors. In the case of a shy ferret, the click can be used to mark eye contact or a slight movement toward the handler. Randy Belair, founder and president of the Ferret Aid Society in Toronto, Canada, has used the clicker successfully to teach ferrets not to bite.

This makes ferrets much more adoptable! To begin clicker training all you need is a clicker or anything that makes a consistent sharp sound and something that your ferret wants that you can readily provide.

Food is the easiest treat to deliver and the most powerful reward for most ferrets. At first the click must come almost simultaneously with the treat to build the association between click and treat. Click and give the ferret a treat. The treat can be placed on the ground if the ferret does not yet take food from your hand, is overly excited, or nippy. As soon as the ferret picks up the food, click. After a few clicks and treats, wait for the ferret to do something—take a step, look at you, move a paw, any movement at all—and then click and treat.

The click must occur at the exact moment the ferret performs the movement that is being marked. You will soon find that your ferret begins to try to repeat behaviors that earned a click and a treat—and the game is on! Potential reinforcers are food, praise, attention, petting, toys, and games.

To identify the best reinforcer for your ferret, observe it and see what makes it happy. A happy ferret responds with ears pricked forward and shows interest in what you are doing or offering. It may even leap around with its mouth open, doing a crazed, happy dance if it is really delighted.

A ferret that lays its ears flat, squirms away, turns its back on you, or ignores you altogether is not impressed with your offering. If your ferret arches its back, puffs up its fur, and hisses, then you are angering or frightening it.

If your ferret yawns, lick its chops, suddenly scratches itself, or sneezes for no discernable reason when you handle or pet it, the ferret is indicating annoyance.

You may think that your pet enjoys certain types of handling, but it may be saying otherwise with its body language. Dogs, cats, rabbits, rats, and even horses exhibit some of the same body language signals, known as displaced behaviors, when they are feeling anxiety from conflicting emotions.

Observe your pet; if you see licking, yawning, scratching, or sneezing that is out of context when you try to reward your ferret with petting, the ferret is telling you that petting is not wanted at the moment. Many animals become very intense when involved in clicker training, and while they may ordinarily enjoy petting, they do not want it when they are trying to learn. Food is the best reinforcer to use when teaching new lessons. Identify favorite food treats by offering a mixture in a bowl and seeing which are chosen first.

Once you identify favorite foods, reserve them for training. Written by: PetMD Editorial. Published: August 14, Ferret Boot Camp Why train a ferret? How to Litter Train A Ferret When it comes to litter training, some ferrets will be easier to train than others.

Swift and Fair Just remember, training and rewards need to be immediate and consistent. Help us make PetMD better Was this article helpful? Yes No. Share this article. What did you find helpful? What was not helpful? Say more Sign me up for the PetMD Newsletter. I have taught my ferrets to roll over, to give paw, and to pretend to shoot them.

It was a task that lasted for days and months, depending on the trick but it is possible. It is important to practice every day with your ferret and to teach one trick at a time with breaks between the tricks. If you want to teach your ferret one trick in a day, subscribe to my newsletter here and you will get the Friendly Ferret training guide! You can easily train your ferret, but you have to keep the training short.

They will look at you and then continue doing what they did. But, you can do other things to get call your ferret and you can read all about that in my post above! You can train your ferret to do various things, from useful litter training to funny rollover tricks, all you need is a good treat. Training is another way for you to build a bond with your ferret so it is something I would definitely recommend to all ferret owners, new and experienced ones.

What are your opinions on ferret training? Do you teach your ferret tricks or did you only use training for litter and biting issues? Share your thoughts with us and subscribe to our newsletter! Read Next. Can you train a ferret? Do you want to know if and how to train a ferret? I will send you high-quality content about ferrets. You will receive information about ferret socialization, health and training all on Friendly Ferret website!

You will also have a chance to participate in giveaways and look at tons of beautiful ferrets all over the world! Anja Delic. Anja is a Friendly Ferret owner and a ferret parent who is involved in the ferret world for more than 10 years. She started her Friendly Ferret blog when she got her first ferret Frida 8 years ago. In , Friendly Ferret was recognized as a great source of information and it has become a good ferret brand for education, products, and fun.

Since then, Anja was a part in many ferrets shows as a sponsor and as a judge, and she met many great and interesting people who share the same passion as her - ferrets. After that, the ferret gets bored and never learns anything. Helpful 8 Not Helpful 1. Aim to work with your ferret when it's happy and energetic, not tired and sleepy. You want your ferret to pay attention to you and not wander off. Helpful 5 Not Helpful 1. Related wikiHows How to.

How to. More References About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: Updated: October 7, Categories: Ferrets. Article Summary X To train your ferret to sit on your shoulder, start by sitting on a soft surface, like your bed, in case your ferret falls while you're training it. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read , times. Reader Success Stories Anonymous Dec 31, It's defiantly worth your time. It really helped me with my 2 ferrets. I think they are loving the new tricks and attention.

More reader stories Hide reader stories. Did this article help you? Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Anonymous Dec 31, Anonymous Jul 7, Anonymous Jan 24, Claryssa Forde Oct 11, I'm so proud of this website, I'll always use you guys. Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories. You Might Also Like How to. Featured Articles How to. Trending Articles How to.