This has been on my mind for a while, but I've hesitated to make a comment
because I am such a new fert person.  However, my recent contribution to the
FML has resulted in a number of private responses welcoming us back, so
maybe there are a few people here that want to hear what I have to say.
 
My credentials: I've owned, trained and/or worked with cats, dogs, frogs,
fish, snakes, monkeys, rats, mice, eels, crabs, spiders, horned-toads,
lizards, etc., etc.  Oh yeah, I almost forgot, a baby elephant at the
Houston Zoo.  Ever play tug-o-war with a 500# baby elephant that was only
4' tall.  Bestest pet fun I ever did done have, until I's owned by ferts,
that is.
 
My ferret credentials: A few months ago, I decided I might want to have a
ferret here with me.  I read the ferret FAQ and followed the FML.  Then one
day (2/17/96) I brought two kits home, Bilbo & Missy.
 
Anyhow, in response to all the comments about introducing new ferrets, I've
got a few comments.  They's no charge for these ideas, so maybe that's all
they's worth, NOTHING.
 
Bilbo & Missy were bought from the same petstore at the same time and seemed
about the same age.  I decided they wouldn't mind having a b-day on
Christmas Day, so that is when I decided they was born.  Easy to remember
and I only has to buy presents once a year.  Yeah right!  ;-) They get
presents every time I go to the grocery store.
 
Bilbo & Missy *FIGHT* harder than any other pets I have ever had.  (With the
possible execption of Samuri Fighting fish ;-) ) BUT, in the middle of one
of thier SCARY fights, I stuck my hand in their cage to break them up.  My
experience with cat & dog fights of similar intensity made me expect a
bloody finger or three.  But they immediately quit and came over to sniff at
my fingers.  No need at all for a garden hose.  Since then I have often
stuck my hand into the fray when they were apparently killing each other.
 
Not ONCE have they bit me when I do this.  Oh, they have scratched my arms
and legs as we play.  And they have nipped at my toes or ankles as I walk
across the flooor or sit at the computer.  But they have never bit me when I
interupted an over-rambuncious play (fight?) session.  Something I can't say
about the cat & dog introductions that didn't go so well.
 
It is hard to describe in words just how *HARD* these two play.  But when
Bilbo grabs Missy by the back of the neck with his teeth and shakes her like
a rag doll and drags her around the cage, I think this just might be a
little much.  Except that even when I take Missy out of the cage after such
an incident, the first thing she wants to do is get back in the cage to do
the same thing to Bilbo.
 
The bigger cage (with multi-levels & some play tubes) has helped.  At least
now I know they can call their own time-outs by hiding in a corner or a tube
if it gets out of hand.  It hasn't actually lessened their intensity yet,
but I sleep better.
 
I guess the point of this is to say that ferrets don't play (or fight) like
cats or dogs or people.  And that's who we are most used to seeing get
alone.  I'm not suggesting that we let an established fert make dinner out
of a new kit, but maybe we need to let them play a little rougher than we
would let some of the other pets we have had more experience with.
 
just us crazies,
ken & Missy & Bilbo
[Posted in FML issue 1540]