Hi, all.  I just need an outlet for my current fuzzie heartaches.  Eloise
and Sabine are *not* adjusting to Blizzard (now called Lizard) or Baby
(sometimes called Bumble Puppy -- three raisins for the first to name the
literary source).  It was bad enough when Sabine tracked Baby til she
couldn't take it and Eloise either attacked Lizard or marked everything in
her cage in one way or another.  (In spite of my original fears, stealing
her precious toy is the only thing Eloise hasn't done.) The aggravations
mostly led to warning screams from the new girls, but the actual physical
encounters were brief.  Eloise did nothing when Baby claimed her favorite
bag.
 
But tonight!  First Eloise went for Baby, ignoring Lizard altogether.  She
chased her so hard and so seriously that Baby pooped and wet the floor as
she ran.  Eloise got a scruffing, scolding and time out.  While I was
cleaning up, Sabine drove Baby under a chair and they screamed and fought
where I couldn't stop them.  No sooner did I release Eloise than she
attacked again, with the same effect on Baby.  She grabbed her throat and
shook her as hard as she could.  It not only scared me, it broke my heart.
I *love* Eloise.  She is my wild little character.  But poor (wet) Baby just
lay limply in my arms or cuddled on my chest for about 15 minutes.  She
looked like she had gone into shock at being treated that way.  I finally
had to set her down on the couch to reassure myself that all her parts were
still working.
 
I have been giving my original pair lots of extra love on their own, and
they only run around with the new girls during one play period.  Sabine had
been acting very much as Dee McNally describes her Alexander -- dejected and
far more cuddly after watching me with Baby.  Tonight was a shock.  I am
glad it wasn't poor Lizard under such attack, because she is too weak (and
naked) to take it.  But I had hopes E & S would be making friends with Baby
soon.  She is such a fat little Bumble Puppy who prefers to roll around at
my side and invite me to play and snuggle.
 
We have moved the cages together so that they can get more used to each
other's smell.  I thought Baby would react, but they all seem to know
nothing gets through those bars and acted like nothing had changed.  I
think I will let only Sabine play with the new girls for a while, in
the hope that if she can make friends, Eloise might grudgingly follow
her lead.  It just made me *so* sad to have things get worse instead of
better.  This was supposed to be fun for all, not mortal combat.
 
Judith White
[Posted in FML issue 1522]