Do ferrets really bond that strongly? I've made it a part of my
contract that bonded pairs don't ever get split up unless there's
a veterinary reason for it, but I'm seeing reason to believe it
may not be that big of a deal.

Right now, all of my ADV tested ferrets live in a few big cages -
they choose more or less at bedtime where they go to sleep, though I
intervene to make sure there are appropriate numbers for the size of
each cage and no snarking (I have a couple of rabblerousers). The same
ferrets don't seem to pile up together from night to night. They all
generally seem to be happy as long as they're with other ferrets.

I actually had three ferrets come to me after what I believe was an
abusive, neglectful situation, and all three were very hard to handle,
very quick to bite, and always irritable. I tried and tried to settle
them down...but one instantly started acting better the day she chose
to move to a different cage without the ferrets she had lived with for
most of three years.

I've made agreements with surrendering owners that their ferrets will
stay together, which has left me with some healthy, happy ferrets that
I can't place because their "mate" is ill with something like adrenal
disease or insulinoma. I won't go back on my promises, but I'm
wondering if it even makes sense, keeping ferrets together when they're
not particularly bonded and one has slowed down significantly because
of illness.

Becky

[Posted in FML 5719]