How to train a ferret to sit on your shoulder
How to train a ferret to sit on your shoulder?
Ferrets are intelligent creatures though they seem inconsistent they actually are smart. You can teach them different techniques and tricks. As you must have seen in the starred movies that they can be trained more efficiently though it requires time. Let’s know how to train a ferret to sit on your shoulder.
Ferrets are less likely to sit for long training sessions. So they always plan for small training that is full of activities they will enjoy. If you have adopted natural ways of training the ferret then it will make your task easier.
Make it fun
Ferrets can adopt tricks easily but it takes time to teach your ferret:
- Come to you when you call his name
- Sit on the floor as you direct
- Sit on your shoulders if you guide them
- Payoff tricks with treats
- Using a litter box
Just like any other pet in the home. You can always train your ferret for the above techniques. It will be fun playing too with short lessons and lots of treats. Don’t forget making it chore will resist them to learn and they won’t show interest in that.
First of all, you should give him a name like you call your dog or cats so he could recognize and respond when he would learn that you are calling him. You should say that name over and over again and when he finally looks at you give him a treat. Continue rewarding whenever he responds to you.
They will start trusting you so whenever you will call out for ferret he will come to you hear your calling by name.
Teaching your Ferret to come to you
Let’s tell you some tricks to call your buddy or cause awareness in the ferret. You bust buy a squeaky toy and squeak it. Whenever you want to call him or if he is hiding under some shade.
Call his name and squeak a toy he will definitely attract to the sound, give him a treat. With the time reduce squeaking and increase calling his name if he comes then reward him with a treat.
- Isolate 1 ferret
If you have many ferrets and you would like to train 1. Then you should separate him from others in a neutral place. Bringing him in another room and train your ferret for 10-15 minutes.
If you have time to train others the same way one by one. They will learn soon this way. Because if you bring two ferrets together they will be busy playing with each other not listening to you even.
- Hold a treat about 1 foot in front of the ferret
Your ferret can easily recognize the treat from this distance. As he will move toward you say ‘come’ loud and let him reach your hand and eat. It will make in his mind that coming to you is rewarding.
So you can also use other words to call him up. Such as you can say ‘treats’ or even call his name with a bit of practice he would learn to follow your voice.
- Train the ferret with the treat farther away from its face
Try teaching him just the way he sees treat in your hand and come to you. After that hide the treat in hand and say ‘come’ by showing him a treat. You should now try to call him from distance like 2, 4 or 5 feet away repeatedly in slow session and let the ferret get it.
When he is well known to the name you have given hand he reacts to the voice or name. Afterward, you should change the room. Where you are not facing him but he hears your voice only and approaches to you instantly. You better reward with a treat.
- Repeat the training
You should repeat this training until he learns this technique. Since all training relies on repetition and reward. You should repeat it for 10-15 times. So he responds your calling as he will get used to and will get to know that coming to you will be rewarded with treats.
However when he learned gradually and comes when you call then don’t use treats.
Training a Ferret to sit
Before approaching the targeted article you must train how to train a ferret to sit on your shoulder, here are some techniques:
- Hold a treat 6 inches above the ferret’s head
You can train your ferret to sit on its buttocks by holding a treat 6inches high above his head. As far as he knows that treats are tasty he will sit upright to move its mouth closer to the treat. Do not keep the treat so high or else he could jump to grab it.
- Once your ferret has moved into a seated position say “sit”
Since you ferret lower his bottom to the floor and in a seated position say him ‘sit’ repeatedly. As verbal command, it will help him to learn sitting behavior with the word sit. Show him the treat and ask to sit on its buttocks.
- Give the ferret the treat
After repetition of the process for 10-15 minutes. The ferret will get to know that he will get the reward for sitting. But when he sits on his buttocks then give him the treat. If you won’t then it will jump or snatch from your hand and lose interest in training.
- Praise and hold your ferret in arms
When you will give him treat then pet him. So it will help him learn more frequently and with positive reinforcement. Pronounce such affectionate words like a good boy, good girl or nice.
- Phase-out treats as your ferret learn to sit
The treats should be included (chicken breasts, meat and food treats) but don’t use it always. When he sits as cut it back to 3-4 times first then half and then ¼ time means if he sits fourth time then give him a treat.
So he must focus your verbal praise and sit down. Your ferret will be trained within a few months and sit down when you will ask him verbally to sit without giving him a treat.
Training the Ferret to sit on your shoulder
Ferrets are lovely and curious creatures and have a short attention span. So it is quite difficult to train them different tricks but it is not impossible. You just need to grab their attention anyway.
You should train your ferret in a room already explored by the ferret. So as the new area will urge him to explore surrounding instead of listening to you. This won’t allow them to move around or they try to climb off your shoulder to check out something new.
So teaching a ferret to sit on your shoulder is a trick and stay on your shoulder is another trick. While using the method of encouragement. You can train your ferret to come on your shoulder or stay on it through under the below method.
You should use gentle words to keep them as if they start to climb off say ‘No’ loudly. So they will receive more pleasant to stay on the shoulder.
- Train the ferret over a soft surface
As far as, you are training your ferret to sit on your shoulder. So choose to sit on a soft surface so that if he tries climbing out he may not get hurt if fall down.
You can choose a sofa or bed to sit on until your ferret is comfortable sitting on your shoulder or he learned to sit easily. Never walk over a hard surface with the animal perched on top of you.
- Place the ferret on your shoulders
You should use training techniques. While using soft words along to train the ferret and associate the verbal command of the same words each time of repetition to put the ferret on your shoulder.
Pet him by touching his nose and scratch under the chin to draw positive reinforcement. While the ferret perches, speak to it in a kind with encouraging tone.
- If the ferret tries to jump off
If your ferret tries to jump off your shoulder then loudly say him ‘No’ or hold it there. Give him a treat so that he will stay on your shoulder to get it to know that it is rewarded to stay here.
Don’t make haste it will take time to train him to sit on your shoulder and not letting him jump off. Until he will learn the trick. Then he would often sit on your shoulder while you are walking even.
- Train the ferret to sit on your shoulder for long periods of time
Since the ferret is trained to reach your shoulder or stay for 10 seconds at least then increase the time like 20-30 seconds then 1 minute. When he will learn by the repetition of exercise and sit firmly on your shoulder. After that, you can walk around even while having your ferret on your shoulder.
Thanks for visiting our site theferretcage.com. Stay connected for such useful articles.
