Brian asked "...I was wondering if anyone has noticed intro's going smoother
when the ferrets are of the opposite sex."
 
I had only Slinky (3 year old Sable female) at first, then decided to get
her a partner (Bandit -- 1 year old Sable male).  They got along quite well
from the start.  Bandit was almost as big as Slinky even when we first got
him ...  now he is quite a bit bigger than she is!
 
Four months later I got Rascal (10 month old Silver female).  She was no
bigger than the palm of my hand when I got her and was still eating canned
kitten food and learning about the litter box!  I took longer introducing
Rascal to the other two out of concern for her size (or lack thereof) and
frailty compared to the ofttimes brutish Bandit (he means well but he
doesn't realize how big and strong he is!).  From the start Bandit and
Rascal played the most together ...  and the hardest.  They are now best
buds ...  with Slinky coming into the picture whenever she feels the urge
(can we say matriarch!).  It took Slinky a lot longer to get used to Rascal
...  Rascal was a ball of energy to start with and putting her next to
Bandit made her much worse!  Over the past few months I have noticed Slinky
acting much more energetic when she plays and she is dooking and war dancing
up a storm!!!!  Maybe Rascal is rubbing off on her!
 
So Brian, no, I haven't seen any inter-sex problems with introducing new
ferrets.  I think the more important factor is getting a ferret with a
similar or compatible personality to NIXON's.  If the new ferret is
drastically different (i.e., like Slinky and Rascal), you should take the
introduction much more slowly.  This is only my opinion as a ferret owner
who has already gone through two introductions.  I'm sure many others have
equally good advice (and probably different) to give from personal
experiences.  Good luck, Brian!
 
Marc Wilson, Slinky, Bandit and Rascal
[Posted in FML issue 1412]