If you are consistent with this, the animal will stop nipping. Remember that the ferret has no idea that its playful nipping is hurting you. A select few are more fashion-conscious. The ferrets steal their clothes, hats, shoes, umbrellas. They don't steal or even break any dolls, but they take all their accessories.
Same thing happens when three ferrets pass a doll.
Ferrets not only swipe things, they also stash them. This means that when a ferret has stolen your keys and you need to get them back, you will first have to figure out where the fur-bearing filcher has stashed his loot. If everything in the stash absolutely must be returned to its rightful owner, then leave behind a new treasure for the little thief. Ferret owners need more education and personal consultation on how to care for their pets than is readily available. The Ferret Mailing List on the Internet was also praised as an excellent source of information for new pet owners.