I never understood how people can manage to get their ferret to wear collars, especially the ones with bells on them. Now, harnesses I've managed. Pike wears his with no problem. It's a little leather number that seems to have been custom-made for a ferret his size, and I snagged it for a dollar at the flea market. After the initial crocodile-rolls, he decided it wasn't hurting him, so he might as well just grin and bear it. Tikki, my girl, continues to do crocodile rolls and pretzel twists in an effort to get the harness off of her, but settles down after a minute or two. I think this is more due to the fact that she equates harnesses with walks outside, and walks outside aren't exactly a favorite of hers. In fact, she'd just rather sit just inside the door and watch what happens outside. Once she gets out, she manages to lose herself in the backyard and spazzes at least every few minutes because she doesn't realize that all she has to do is come get one of us and she'll be taken home.
Collars, however, have never made it with my two fuzzbutts. Tikki is just too slinky for them; you put the collar on her neck, and next thing you know it's squeezed around her waist like a belt off of a younger sister. Pike takes the collars off the other way; hooking his claws onto the collar, he simply slides it up and over his head, and leaves it where it lands. Neither one of them sees the collar as being something worthy enough to hide. Tikki will carry some collars around for a little while, but this has activity has started dwindling ever since she realized it makes finding her much, much easier for us. Pike will drop the collar and let it lay there on the floor, and he might even stare at it for a moment or two, as if weighing certain options. Almost always, he will find it much simpler to just leave it and go about his business than take it along with him.
There is some secret to getting ferrets to wear collars, there must be, but what it is I can't say. I'm guessing that I just wasn't giving out enough treats all those times we tried.
Collars, however, have never made it with my two fuzzbutts. Tikki is just too slinky for them; you put the collar on her neck, and next thing you know it's squeezed around her waist like a belt off of a younger sister. Pike takes the collars off the other way; hooking his claws onto the collar, he simply slides it up and over his head, and leaves it where it lands. Neither one of them sees the collar as being something worthy enough to hide. Tikki will carry some collars around for a little while, but this has activity has started dwindling ever since she realized it makes finding her much, much easier for us. Pike will drop the collar and let it lay there on the floor, and he might even stare at it for a moment or two, as if weighing certain options. Almost always, he will find it much simpler to just leave it and go about his business than take it along with him.
There is some secret to getting ferrets to wear collars, there must be, but what it is I can't say. I'm guessing that I just wasn't giving out enough treats all those times we tried.
