Why is my skunk starting to bite??

[Emmaj]

Originally Posted by Malti

the ferret person has a nick...and please see that I never said to do that to a skunk, I never kept them so I know jack shit about them, I was talking ferrets

yeah but this was a how do i stop my skunk nippin thread not a ferret one

i didnt want people to think you can tell a skunk off like you can a ferret

as they really are so different

[loulou]

Originally Posted by Miche

Thank you, i have just shouted at him & put him back in his cage as he keeps climbing up the desk to "get me" so I put him back on the floor & up he comes again and again!!!! I have read you shouldnt smack skunks where I would tap a ferret on the nose to discipline them??

You are correct, you should NEVER hit a skunk, they will remember and that can have terrible consequences for your bonding and trust. The skunk can be effected in a small way such as pooing under your pillow in revenge (yes they are that clever) and then forgetting about it, to the other extreme of never trusting you again because you hit them.

[Moshpitviper]

Originally Posted by loulou

You are correct, you should NEVER hit a skunk, they will remember and that can have terrible consequences for your bonding and trust. The skunk can be effected in a small way such as pooing under your pillow in revenge (yes they are that clever) and then forgetting about it, to the other extreme of never trusting you again because you hit them.

I refused to give back chunk a toy after she nipped me once. she hissed. stamped her feet, walked into the middle of the room and calmly took a dump, then ran off..... so i agree completely with the above statement. I find the time out method does work wonders with skunks, they soon realise when they arent involved that they did wrong, no need to physically punish them at all.

[loulou]

Now that really did make me I can actually picture that as well. I upset Fred not so long ago and he waited until I went in the nursery (I shut the door of that room as I go in) and took a great big dump just outside the door, he never goes there normally. I don't know about you but I do just give a big sigh now and expect it half the time.

[AZUK]

Time out every time. works a treat.
You think he's bad now ? wait until he becomes sexually mature ! that's when the biting really kicks in.

[carlycharlie]

Originally Posted by AZUK

Time out every time. works a treat.
You think he's bad now ? wait until he becomes sexually mature ! that's when the biting really kicks in.

Yup can agree with this - one of my females LOVES the taste of my heels & toes More often than not though, its her way of saying she is hungry & ready for her dinner The time she does it most is when I am in the kitchen preparing the food for them all.

[AZUK]

Originally Posted by carlycharlie

Yup can agree with this - one of my females LOVES the taste of my heels & toes More often than not though, its her way of saying she is hungry & ready for her dinner The time she does it most is when I am in the kitchen preparing the food for them all.

I have lost several pairs of perfectly good trainers to this behavior, still its best to let them get rid of their angst on them rather then when your foot is in them

[Talk To The Animals]

Originally Posted by Moshpitviper

I refused to give back chunk a toy after she nipped me once. she hissed. stamped her feet, walked into the middle of the room and calmly took a dump, then ran off..... so i agree completely with the above statement. I find the time out method does work wonders with skunks, they soon realise when they arent involved that they did wrong, no need to physically punish them at all.

She is the cutest skunk EVER!!!

[Merifield]

Err... have to say that we shouldn't be "hitting" any animal at all.
Ferrets,skunks, raccoons,monkeys, dogs or cats...
They all bite... some species you can train (domesticated for many years) to not bite but things like skunks and even ferrets will still bite no matter what you do. It's not been bred out of them genetically...
When I watch my two GSD's play I can't believe that they can play so rough
with each other without causing any damage to each other.
That's just what your skunk or ferret is doing with you... it's trying to play
but the pain barrier is so much lower in a feeble human!
Donna

[Emmaj]

Originally Posted by Merifield

Err... have to say that we shouldn't be "hitting" any animal at all.
Ferrets,skunks, raccoons,monkeys, dogs or cats...
They all bite... some species you can train (domesticated for many years) to not bite but things like skunks and even ferrets will still bite no matter what you do. It's not been bred out of them genetically...
When I watch my two GSD's play I can't believe that they can play so rough
with each other without causing any damage to each other.
That's just what your skunk or ferret is doing with you... it's trying to play
but the pain barrier is so much lower in a feeble human!
Donna

i 100% no animals should be hit

Im sorry but skunks dont always nip/bite cos they are wanting to play

you can definately tell the difference in a playful nip and a i want to bite you one

skunks are like toddlers they will throw temper tantrums and hissy fits just like kids do

I have recently been through having to put up with revenge bites from one of my skunks as he was sulking with me for having to send them away for a while

I also had another of my skunks go through im gonna bite you cos i want to and can stage for a good few months

its part of being a owner of animal with the potential to bite..........if they want to then they will

The stern no is sometimes enough but there are times you need to use the time out as they are very strong willed animals