x Hello FMLers!  I am desperately seeking some help a.s.a.p.  Some of you
may remember me from a few months ago.  I brought Mandy, a 5 yr.  old female
who had never been around others into my household of two cats and two
ferrets (Mojo and Mischief).  I was given all kinds of advice -from give her
away to they will eventually get together, be patient, etc.  Well, I tried
for months and it kept getting worse.  Mandy was so terrified when I first
brought her home that she picked on my other two mercilessly.  Mojo and
Mischief did not really retaliate at all, but after a couple of months of
this, I realized that I couldn't put up with it anymore.  My original two
were starting to fight back and blood was being drawn - this was still
happening after two months!!!  So, Mandy now has her own cage and is very
happy just being a people ferret.  However, it is kind of a pain for me
because I have to let my ferrets out in shifts!  Mischief now goes after
Mandy like it is a seek and destroy mission.
 
    Now, down to the current problem.  Yesterday I got Buddy, a 4-5 year old
male.  He is such a sweetie, but I HAVE to get him together with my original
ferrets.  I can't be letting ferrets out in three different shifts because
no one will end up being out for very long.  Plus, I now have four ferrets
in a one bedroom apartment.  Having two cages is pushing it but three is out
of the question.  So, the deal is - how do I get him in the same cage as
Mojo and Mischief without freaking him out like I did Mandy?  I am worried
that I am going to have the same scenario on my hands.  He is 4-5 yrs.  old
and is not used to being around any other animals from the looks of it.  I
don't want to FORCE them to be together if it is going to terrify him, but
space requires me to put them together soon.  I have let them out together
and he is reacting the same way Mandy did when I first brought her home.  He
bops around just fine on his own and when any other ferret comes near him,
he runs and hides.  I tried putting them in a confined space today (the
bathroom - I was there to supervise), and not much happened.  He is okay
until they get right in his face, then he starts barking/screaming until
they move away.  However, getting them in the same cage is my main goal
(putting him in with Mandy is totally not doable!).
 
    I am worried that forcing Mandy to be with the others may have caused
her reaction (and the result of total separation).  I don't know about that
and there is nothing I can do about it now, but I want it to be different
with Buddy.  ANY help would be greatly appreciated!!!  I am quite behind on
the FML so if you could please e-mail me directly, I could get any
suggestions much faster.
 
    Gail  ([log in to unmask])
    Halifax, Nova Scotia
 
    Mischief - "Is this another Mandy to pick on? Hmmm."
    Mojo - "Ahh, another playmate! Where's the scruff of his neck? Dook.""
    Mandy - "Oh God, not another one! Mom, I am happy by myself!"
    Buddy - "WHAT have I gotten myself into? WHAT are all these animals?"
 
    and the cats - Buster and Molly - "Another one of those smelly things!"
[Posted in FML issue 1374]