Last week I wrote about getting our 2 new kids, Atlas and Hijinx. Well, the
introductions to Squirt and Pippi are going well. In the first supervised
encounter, Squirt and Pippi were pretty mellow and more intent on smelling
the new kids than anything else. Squirt was even going to "lazy play" (lay
on his back and bat at 'ya) with Atlas. Atlas decided HE was going to be top
banana since he's been kicking Hijinx's butt for months. Since Squirt wasn't
expecting this both he and Atlas each won a round before we decided it was
enough sparring for the first night. Atlas then decided he had to kick Pippi's
butt. She wasn't expecting it either. There was more or less a draw here,
maybe Pippi getting the worst of it. She wasn't happy.
 
The next night, when we had the new kids out, Squirt was sleeping and Pippi
wanted to see them. Pippi made up for getting bit the day before. *Whew!*
She was unrelenting and tenacious - with her tail as bushy as she could get
it. Wow - she taught both Atlas and Hijinx (mostly Atlas) that she was *their*
boss. They ran from her and Atlas even got dragged by her. (kind of a David
and Goliath thing with the smallest taking on the biggest!)
 
The next day when Squirt and Pippi saw them, Atlas ran from both Pippi and
Squirt. Atlas was a lot less confrontational. There was dominance sparring (now
started by Squirt and Pippi), but it would settle down after a little while.
Squirt and Pippi took no guff from the youngsters and the youngsters began to
learn their "place" and how to behave. With each successive meeting there
seems to be more playing and less of "I'm going kick your A**!", although that
occasionally breaks out too with experience winning out over youth.
 
It seems as though the Burkard Ferret Kingdom is now ruled by King Squirt and
Queen Pippi with subjects Knight Atlas and lowly page Hijinx.
 
 
I just wanted to let everybody know (especially newer ferret owners) that
sometimes the introductions go well. We've been trying to take it slow....and
it seems to be working. Not all ferrets turn into the barking, hissing,
screaching, "psycho" ferrets with the introduction of a new fuzzie or two. They
are individuals with different personalities. The unique personalities is part
of what we love about them so much! :) Take the first encounters slow and judge
from there how fast or slow to proceed.
 
-kim, mike, Squirt (I'm the KING of this castle!), Pippi (Can I crown 'ya?),
Atlas (You're King. Just don't kick my butt.), and Hijinx (What's a King?)
 
Kimberly Burkard        |              _
Xerox, Rochester, NY    |       _____C .._. fu-til'i-ty   n. 1. an act having
[log in to unmask] |  ____/     \___/  no useful result  2. herding
[log in to unmask] <____/\_---\_\    ferrets.
[Posted in FML issue 1172]