>From: Shea LeAnn Anson >Subject: New Addition >We went and got a new fuzzy addition to the family. Buddy is a baby >cinnamon sable..........about 11 weeks old.... And then there is Trixie. >Poor girl...............she's been a lone ferret for a year now. She's >always enjoyed playing with other ferrets.......... but this one she just >doesn't understand. He just won't go away........he won't quit following >her....... She hisses at him a lot........Does anyone have any tips in >getting these two to like each other? She is very Alpha....... and he's >a baby who hasn't "learned his place" yet. When the two do play........ >she is gentle with him.........and she seems to start a lot of it. They >seemed to like each other at the pet store!!! We don't know what to >do...................any help??? Shea, congrats on your new addition to the family! :-) Your Trixie is just adjusting to the new little bugger who is invading her territory. Don't worry...if she hasn't attacked him by now...chances are they will become good friends. I went throught the very same thing a year ago. My Spunky came to me as a rescue about two years ago, she was an only ferret all her 3 1/2 years of life. I tried to introduce her to my four fuzzies that I already had...and she was horrified of them....screamed at the top of her lungs and would urinate & poo right there on the spot. Now I know that it is normal for ferrets to go through the "alpha pecking order" when new ones are around...but she had already been subjected to abuse by her previous owner, so I did not want to put her in anymore stress. Then it happened...last year right before Christmas, I got a call from a woman who said she could no longer take care of her four year old fuzzy, Leah and had to get rid of her asap (people know me here as the ferret lady). So I agreed to adopt Leah temporarily in hopes to find her a new home. Well, knowing that Leah had been a lone ferret all her life and so was Spunky...I tried to integrate them together, hoping they could keep each other company since they were both afraid of other dominating fuzzies. Well, there was a little bit of hissing and some adjusting of each other... Spunky could just not understand why this other fuzzy wasn't trying to attack her but why she wouldn't go away either and was so sweet to her. It only took a month and a half and they were chasing each other, sleeping with each other and playing with each other. They are inseparable now and totally enjoy each other's company. I am so glad I kept Leah around...now they are happy together. I always felt so bad for Spunky...knowing she might be alone for the rest of her life...but now she has Leah and Leah is twice as happy as when she came to my house....she was never that playful her owner said. It's true ferret love. :-) So...with a little time, I bet that Trixie will warm up to Buddy and actually like the company of him...she will just need to adjust a bit more. Good luck and let me know what happens. Feel free to e-mail me anytime if you want...if you have any questions on how I got my two to finally warm up to each other. :-) Warm Fuzzy Hugs! Tracy J. Tango, Chico, Roo, Pepe', Spunky & Leah [Posted in FML issue 3244]