I am new to the ferret mailing list and I love it!  I have already learned so
many new things, and I love to hear stories of other ferrets.  My sympathy to
all who have lost fuzzies in the past couple of weeks since I have joined.
We have a 3 month old MF ferret a female named Tara, we have had her about a
month.  She is truly a joy to have!  She has learned so much and is so
loving!  Tara is alone much of day, I work four days a week, she is alone
from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm, when my husband gets home and lets her out.  I let
her out in the morning before we got to work, and at night she stays oy until
either we go to bed or she falls asleep.  Tara LOVES to play with our 4 year
old cocker, Mandy.  Mandy does not like ferret games though, when she does
play she puts her mouth on her or trys to roll on her.  Tara thinks all this
is great fun.
I decided to get Tara a ferret friend, I am on vacation all next week so I
figured this would be a good time.  I called a shelter..we visted on Thursday
night with Tara.  We had gone to look at a two year old female, the shelter
said that when he let her out she got kind rough with another ferret.  So we
put Tara down she thought this was great all these cages and ferrets!  Tara
is not a vocal ferret by the way, well the two year old got her and bit Tara
hard, Tara screamed and my husband rushed over to seperate them.  I picked
Tara up she was shaking.  I did not know until later that my husband told me
she had bit Tara hard enough on the neck to draw blood.  We looked at a 3
year lod female, and they seemed to get along ok, so we adopted her.  When
ever they are let out to play she chases Tara down and bites her, so far 7
times, and Tara is not a happy ferret, she cries whenever the new ferret
comes near her caged or uncaged.  They don't play together Tara runs upstairs
and if the new ferret comes up, Tara comes down.  Tara has gotten to be
nervous, she is scared of loud noises, they both have bell collars, and
several toys have bells, whenever you shake a bell, Tara takes off running
for the nearest hiding spot, i'm thinking she thinks it's the new ferret
approaching, she has lost intrest in playing also, she plays a little, but as
soon as she sees or hears the other ferret, she takes off.  What have I
done?????  I was trying to give Tara a friend, now she is terrified.  I have
read of other peoples troubles introducing new ferrets, I have tried Bitter
Apple, she could care less.
I have let them explore each others cages(Tara could care less) I was holding
Tara today, when Mitzi came over I picked Mitzi up and showed her to Tara, Tara
started crying and went crazy to get away. I feel terrible!!! What should I do?
Tara just isen't the same ferret as before, she is eating & drinking, any
ideas?  Sorry this is so long. I would appreciate any ideas or advice!
                                     Michelle Tonkinson
                                     75757,[log in to unmask]
 
                              Michelle
[Posted in FML issue 1187]