This is my first post to the FML.  We got a male ferret, Nibblit about 6
months ago and a female, Penny, about 3 months ago.  Neither of mine are real
social and both have really different personalities.  When we first got
Nibblet, he would sleep with you for a little while and socialize some. (We
had never had one before and confined him to the living room or his cage.)
By the time Penny came along, he had free run of the house.  Oh how he beat
on her.  He's was so big, 2.1 pounds then, (3+ pounds now) and she was so
tiny, less than one half pound, (only 1+ now).  He would make her scream, and
when you tried to rescue her, he would try to drag her under things to beat
on her.  We took turns locking them in the cage and slowly let them be
togeather during which times we'd plug our ears and try to detect "blood
curddling" screams from "blood is flowing" screams.  They are best buds now.
They jump and hide with every sound or move toward them.  They run and
attack you when they're interested but won't let you attack back.  They love
pounce and milk bones, but not raisins.  Nibblit did discover watermelon.
They got over chocolate.  Penny was addicted to soda's, but as we cut back
on drinking them she had to also.  They don't like people food or fruit.
They dig in plants and my husband is fed up with their damage.  He makes
them stay in their cage most of the time now.  (They had free run of the
house and slept locked in the computer room at night.  Penny shredded the
carpet to make holes under the door to get out.  Oh boy did he love that.)
Now they're really rowdy when they get out and really don't want to let you
hold on to them.  Penny has taken to eating wires (chew through the outside
of the TV cable wire, ate all the way through my computer speaker cord, and
has damaged some other wires.)  Any one who can give me ideas on toys or
activites to entertain them and get them more social (and hopefully less
destructive) please send them.  They love to steal stuff, but don't care too
much for any of the toys I've bought for them.  They spend most of their free
time under the kitchen cabinets (when they ran free, they use to crawl in the
pans and sleep).  Will they get more social as they get older or is their
jumpiness just part of their personalities?  I really want to be a good
care-keeper and appreciate some guidance.  [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1275]