Hi,
 
Kris asked about pack behavior in ferrets.  The European polecat is solitary
and territorial by nature.  A female will allow a male into her territory at
mating time, but it is not exactly a welcoming happy-happy-joy-joy
experience for the male (who can expect to be attacked at random intervals) -
or the female, either, for that matter.  Ferrets have been domesticated for
quite some time, however, and since hunting ferrets were kennelled together
in relatively close proximity, it is not surprising that the surviving
strain of domestic ferret is relatively accepting of other ferrets.  Lines
that were genetically predisposed to stress out about being close to other
ferrets would not be bred by the breeder - and a high level of stress would
tend to surpress fertility anyway.
 
I'm not really sure when ferrets started to be bred for docility - but in
that breeding scheme, acceptance of other animals (e.g.  humans!) would be
even more important, I would think.  Anyway, that's my thought on this -
sorry, I'm not an expert, but this would seem to make sense.
 
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Gwen M. Daley
[log in to unmask]
http://www.vt.edu:10021/G/gdaley/gmd.html
Department of Geological Sciences
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0420
[Posted in FML issue 1699]