Hi all!
 
Three days ago, we rescued a 7 month-old jill named Mishika -- the previous
human, who received her in April as a surprise birthday present, really
didn't have the resources to care for a ferret, and we are glad to take her
into our lives.
 
2 year-old Baldrick, however, is used to being an "only ferret" and has had
the rule of the roost so far, since the cats allow him to think he is in
charge.  I suspect Mishika is accustomed to being caged almost all the
time, so there has been a period of adjustment for both of them, since we
only cage them when there is a good reason for it.
 
I've read the FAQ bits about introducing new ferrets, but I was hoping
people with more experience could tell me what's going on here.  First of
all, there have been some pretty hardcore boxing matches between them, and
since Baldrick is very definitely the heavyweight (Mishika is very small
and will require some fattening up, but she's getting used to the proper
high-fat high-protein diet already) it looks like he will retain the title,
but Mishika still keeps him on his toes.  But I do want to make sure that
they are only going through normal dominance-type fighting or else play
fighting, and not trying to kill each other.
 
Baldrick has never been very vocal at all; in fact I've only heard him
squeak twice, and only in dire circumstances; he doesn't dook or hiss or
anything.  He can be aggressive and nippy sometimes, though, much to the
cats' (and my mother's) dismay (he never nips us but he thinks everybody
else is fair game).  So Baldrick is sort of an SBD (silent but deadly)
ferret.  Mishika, on the other hand, is sweet, and not nippy at all.  But
she is vocal, especially when she and Baldrick get into it.  At first I
thought it was because he was biting her way too hard, but sometimes she
hisses and squeaks in the same way before he even gets close enough to nip,
almost as a warning.  And she gets her own nips in, too.  Baldrick always
seems to be the aggressor, and he does sometimes "strike" like a snake ...
I mean, his head darts forward and back; in the FAQ it said this is
aggressive fighting and not play fighting, but I'm not sure.
 
Also, I'm not 100% sure that Baldrick really *is* the aggressor, or if
Mishika is simply good at making it look like he is ... he might actually
just be interested in playing with her, but she freaks out and hisses and
bites him so then he bites her MIGHT be what's happening, but I would
need a slo-mo "instant replay" to find out for sure.  One of those rare
situations in which it would be nice if life were more like television.
She doesn't appear to be afraid of him on those occasions that he's not
going after her; she'll run away when he's chasing her but not otherwise;
on the other hand, she doesn't usually approach him.  Meanie that he is, he
chases her out of all his hiding spots, which means most of the good hiding
spots in the bedroom.
 
For the time being, they're taking turns being in the cage when we can't
supervise them but today I mindlessly left them unsupervised while I loaded
the dishwasher and sorted laundry.  We have a laundry hamper which traps
ferrets when it's left out of its normal latched cupboard -- the outside is
textured and easy to climb up, but the inside is smooth; it's like one of
those pitcher plants, except for ferrets.  Baldrick routinely gets stuck in
it on laundry day.  When I came back into the room, I checked the hamper
and this time not one, but two ferrets were stuck in it; Mishika was asleep
in a t-shirt and Baldrick was starting to get drowsy, so I suppose they
*can* get along when they have to.  Does this necessarily mean they will
eventually work out their differences and start getting along together?  Is
it normal for some ferrets to be very vocal in the heat of battle if they
aren't really being hurt?  Could she maybe just be overly sensitive to
play-type nips because she is skinny and underexercised?  (She appears to
be happy and interested in things otherwise.)
 
Do I need to hover over Baldrick and scruff him every time Mishika squeaks?
I don't want Baldrick to feel he's been replaced or that he's lost his
status as the ferret o' my heart.  And, of course, I want Mishika to fit in
and be happy as well.  So does it sound like things are going to work out?
Are there any helpful suggestions?
[Posted in FML issue 3167]