All About Scruffing Ferrets
Scruffing is when you hold your ferret by the loose skin on the back of his neck using your thumb and first few fingers to keep him immobilized. If done correctly, it is completely painless and is exactly how his mother would carry him around. It is an effective disciplinary technique, and it is useful in other situations as well, such as when you need to hold your ferret still to clip his nails or clean his ears.
Don't be surprised to see your ferret yawn and go limp when you scruff him. Scruffing actually relaxes many ferrets, which is why it is so useful in grooming situations.
Scruffing is used mainly in training and grooming situations. In training, it is a way in which you can show your ferret that you are the alpha ferret. For example, when your ferret bites you, you can scruff him, and say "no" loudly and firmly to show him that his behavior is not acceptable. You can also turn him onto his back while scruffing him, which is something that his mother or other ferrets would do.
In grooming, scruffing is necessary to protect your ferret. It allows you to hold him still, and it lessens the possibility of injury during grooming. If you didn't scruff, you would have to hold him immobile using his paw or leg for grooming, and he could hurt himself trying to get away. When you are cleaning his ears, scruffing ensures that he will not twist his head abruptly and cause you to injure his ears.
Though scruffing is a very useful tool with some ferrets, there are certain situations in which it should not be used. These include:
- Training a fear biter (scruffing will exacerbate the problem)
- Litter training (positive reinforcement only)
- Training or interacting with previously abused ferrets (scruffing is likely to make them view you as another abuser)
Additionally, there are some ferrets who just aren't going to respond well to scruffing, as it will cause them to become agitated. With these ferrets, you will have to come up with different methods for training and grooming.
