Hello all,
 
Last Wednesday my wife took a co-worker to the GCFA shelter to find him a
friend (he lives alone) and decided to take our jill Rikki Tikki Tavi (Tikki)
along to play with some of the other fuzzies in the playpens in front of the
shelter.  Karin tried Tikki out with 4 or 5 males (our preference for a second
ferret) to no avail - instant poofy tail (bottlebrush) and vehement attacking
and screaming in a chase around the pen.  Finally, as Karin's co-worker found
a buddy (Cochise - a gorgeous, cuddly Sterling) they put his cagemate
Pocohontas in the pen with Tikki and lo and behold - ferrets at play.  Karin
called me and told me about it and we decided to put Pocohontas on hold until
Friday when her co-worker had to come pick up Cochise.  I went along Friday
and fell in love with the not-so-little girl (I'd guess she goes 3-3.5 lbs).
I watched the two jills at play in the pen for a good hour, getting along
quite famously.  I was sold and the check was written.
 
We took Pocohontas (we've taken to calling her Pocus) home and released the
two ferrets under close supervision.  It was quite hilarious to watch.  Pocus
wandered around the apartment checking out the lay of the land while Tikki
stayed 3 feet behind her the entire time, watching her every move and giving a
little hiss  -kihhh- whenever Pocus got too close.  I could almost hear Tikki
saying to herself, "hey, it was fun playing and all but I didn't think you'd
be coming to MY house.  That's mine.............so's that.................and
that.........."  This has gone on the entire weekend, when the two were out
and about together.  We were home most of the weekend and just let the two
have the run of the place.  For the most part it seemed that they would sleep
in shifts while the other played.  When Karin and I left the apartment we put
Pocus in the cage and let Tikki stay out to run.
 
The main reason I wrote this long (and hopefully not too painful) story was to
ask opinions as to when I can put the two together in the cage while we are
at work.  There has been no violent behavior from Tikki - just the
aforementioned snobbishness and hissing.  Should I try putting the two
together in the cage while we are home to see how Tikki reacts??  Any and all
other suggestions are helpful.
 
Thanks in advance
 
Tom and Karin  -  the silly humans
Tikki and Pocus  -  the thin and the fat
Tod and Copper  -  the spastic hamsters
 
 
--
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*  Thomas C. Isabell            *                                            *
*  [log in to unmask]   * "Back off man, I'm a scientist."           *
*  (708) 491-7798               *                    --- Peter Venkman       *
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[Posted in FML issue 0949]