Melissa and Potpie here - hi.
 
For the second or third time in her life, Potpie met another ferret. She
absolutely, 100%, utterly detested him - but the level of her aggression
towards him goes well beyond what ive heard reported for other ferrets on
this list.
 
Normally - to people - she is calm, inquisitive, cuddly, and above all,
gentle (when not excited and playing). The other ferret's handler and i
introduced them slowly, allowing them to sniff each other only when we
were holding them, only allowing one to run around when the other was
being held, etc etc. The chilling parts came when Potpie came within
touching distance of the other ferret (a very happy, slow, poky and
good-natured guy) - she'd spit out this high-pitched "shriek" and lunge
for him. No hissing, no fur fluffing, just calm patient waiting until he
came within reach, and then a vicious attack.
 
Does anyone think there is any way to get around this? I would like
eventually to get a kit, but i havent heard of this level of
aggressiveness being gotten around successfully...Potpie has always been
fine with cats, rats, birds - anything except other ferrets. Before the
other owner and i had realized how upset she was, she'd bitten both of us
quite solidly and attacked the toy we had given her to get her used to
the other ferret's scent. I realize we startled and alarmed her unfairly
by bringing the other ferret in, and that she's not the one to blame for
her reaction. But..
 
Is there going to be any way to get her accustomed to other ferrets
without - as i suspect it may be - a long and arduous acclimation
process?
 
Potpie,
i did not like him, no, i didnt,
and
Melissa,
good thing i had those bandaids lying around.
 
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      Melissa Litwicki         "It's big, sharp teeth and claws versus
      [log in to unmask]              a mind of questionable wit."
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[Posted in FML issue 1097]