In issue 382 Laura L'Heureux writes:
 
>I'm
>thinking about getting a new ferret to keep Trella company.  First of all, I'm
>wondering, everyone says that having more than one seems to make the first one
>come out of his/her shell more -- although Trella has become quite
>affectionate of late all on her own.
 
Well, Buddy may be an exception, but when he was an 'only ferret' he seemed
bored a lot of the time, and slept an *awful* lot (even more, I think, than
you'd normally expect from a ferret). He was *sometimes* playful with me, but
seldom affectionate (except for the occasional 'lick-fest'). I thought he might
be happier with another ferret around to play with, so I bought Cassidy. At
first Buddy didn't like her, and would bite (hard) or run away when I put them
together (Cassidy, on the other hand, just wanted to play). Buddy also seemed
to want more attention at first, as if he was either jealous or wanted to be
reassured in a strange situation. Anyway, after the first week Buddy's attitude
suddenly turned around, and they have gotten along ever since. They follow each
other around, chase each other, wrestle together, and sleep together, and Buddy
is more bouncy and energetic than he ever was before. He also seems to enjoy
being petted a _little_ more often now (he usually used to squirm away) though
he still usually isn't very playful with me. On the other hand, Cassidy is very
playful and affectionate. As soon as I get home at night she's waiting there
for some cuddles, tickles, and rough-housing. Anyway, I'm certainly glad I got
Cassidy, both for the positive effect on Buddy and also because she's a wonder-
ful little bundle of joy in her own right.
 
>Does this hold true if there are already
>other animals in the house that she plays with?  I mean, since she's already
>got company (except when I'm not home -- which is a lot -- one reason I've
>decided I want an addition -- guilt!), is she probably as active/affectionate
>as she's going to get (aside from maturing) or does getting another of the
>same species seem to add a special ingredient to the formula?
 
Well, I wouldn't know for sure about other animals, but I expect once they
got to know each other that a playmate would be a playmate to a ferret. As
for her being as active/affectionate as she's going to get, well, Buddy's
behavior towards *me* didn't change much after I got Cassidy, but some of
the time he used to spend lying around bored he now spends playing with her.
 
>Someone said that twice the ferrets = ten times the mischief.
 
I said this, though that was just my initial reaction, as they seemed at first
to intentionally wreak havoc in opposite directions :).
 
>I can deal with this, but does having two ever mean they entertain
>each other instead of getting into everything out of boredom.  Or does their
>curiousity still win out and they're always going to be into something --
 
I think you can expect them always to be into something; it's the ferret way :).
Except with two you'll sometimes have them getting into mischief together, and
sometimes causing separate mischief at opposite ends of your home :).
 
John, Buddy, and Cassidy
 
[Posted in FML issue 0383]