Posted: October 1, 2009, 5 a.m. EDT
Q:
When I give my ferret a bath and she's done drying, she comes to me and nips on my arm or leg hair. Why does she do this? Is she grooming me or something?
A:
A bath seems to bring out the most bizarre behavior in ferrets. They run around like mad and run themselves all over the place. During this crazy state, they can easily become so wound-up that biting people, towels or anything else is quite easy.
I believe that the nipping is just an extension of being very excited from the experience and her inability to monitor her own behavior. Be glad she doesn’t bite hard! Ferrets seem to also enjoy licking us, which could be a form of grooming or they like the taste.
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