How to Scruff a Ferret: A Step-by-Step Guide

Whether you are a dog mom, cat dad, or have ferrets at home, scruffing goes a long way. It is a popular method of disciplining them by stopping their biting habits.

However, it can also harm them if done incorrectly. Therefore, learning how to scruff a ferret without hurting your buddy becomes essential. Fortunately, here you will find the answers to some of the most common ferret scruffing questions.

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How to scruff a baby ferret?

how to scruff a ferret

If you think that your pet ferret is overly excited or is squirming a lot, you can use the scruffing technique to calm him down. It is one of the most popular and widely used methods that also prevent clawing and biting.

Scruffing does not hurt animals if its owners know the correct method. Instead, it makes them feel relaxed and lightens their mood to sit back and chill. Hold your ferret from the back of his neck by gently pulling the skin. Position him so that he is resting on his buttocks and back legs. Hold in this position and wait for a yawn.

In addition to this, many people consider scruffing a dominant activity because it makes their pets submissive and quiet. Doing this is good for ferrets as long as you want to calm them.

Apart from this, you can also scruff your pets if you need to trim their nails. You can also gently inspect their bellies to figure out if something is abnormal or needs a pet visit.

How to scruff your ferret?

Ferrets are small domestic creatures that have a pear-shaped physique with a long tail. They have short claws and legs with a cone-shaped nose that makes them look majestically cute. How To Scruff A Ferret?

Although ferrets are related to minks, weasels, and ermines, they are essentially a domestic species of small-sized mustelids. Their extroverted and friendly personality makes them one of the most popular pets in many countries.

However, sometimes this calm creature becomes over-excited and creates havoc on its owners. In such cases, scruffing them is the best thing you can do. However, doing it the wrong way can hurt them and make them more irritable than before. Therefore, you should know how to scruff a ferret at home.

One of the most important things to remember while scruffing a ferret is to use both hands. Although their small size might tempt you to use only one hand, doing this can potentially harm them.

  1. Use your hands and gently pull the ferret towards you.
  2. Now, use your right hand to grasp his skin at the back of his neck. At this stage, use your other hand to support the front part of the body. Place it between his legs and chest.
  3. Shift this hand from its front. The ferret should be now resting on buttocks and back legs on the palm of your hand.
  4. If your pet starts yawning, it is a sign that you have done the process correctly.

Dealing with squirmy ferrets? Here is what you can do

how to scruff a ferret

Many times ferrets make it impossible for their owners to scruff or cut their nails. They become uncontrollable, squirm around like a lunatic, and use their claws to scratch you. In the worst cases, ferrets can also bite you hoping that you would release them soon.

Although there is no scientific research for why ferrets do such behavior, it can be related to their mental health status. Let us take the example of cats. They do not hiss at their owners unless they are unhappy. The same thing applies to your ferrets.

If your ferret is feeling pain and uncomfortable during scruffing, it can make him unhappy. In such cases, he will puff up his tail and try to bite you. How To Scruff A Ferret?

What you can do in such situations is hold him firmly but not too tightly. Grab their skin a little firmer while leaving their neck so it does not become aggressive. If this trick fails and the ferret continues to wiggle, bite, or claw, this is a sign that he needs behavior training.

FAQs

How do you scruff a ferret?

Scruffing your ferret is much easier than what it looks like on the internet. It should be a piece of cake for you if your bond with your ferret is good and you know how to do it.

Keeping the thumb rule in mind, always use both hands for better management of the ferret. Hold your ferret’s skin with one hand and use the other to support the body. This trick also ensures that your pet is comfortable and scruffing is not causing pain.

Next, shift your supportive hand so that the ferret is not sitting on its small buttocks. You will soon notice a yawn.