I've been under the weather a bit, and I understand my darling (but creepy)
daughter has been telling stories about me again.  She obviously needs more
to do.  Ummmmm.  Maybe wash the windows AND change the brakes on the car.  I
will get even.
 
I've been running back and forth to St. Louis of physical meetings; only a
few hours, but eats up the time I have to get on-line, so I'm way behind
reading e-mail and the FML.  I go back to St.  Louis tomorrow, then off to
Nashville for the rest of the week for the archaeology meetings.  There is
simply no rest for mothers, the weary, or graduate students.  In the
meantime...
 
Q: (FML thread/Private Mail): "...my new ferret is being picked on...":
 
A: You can't sing the blues if you don't pay yer dues.
 
Remember were ferrets came from: polecats.  Polecats and almost all other
mustelids are very territorial, and live a solitary existence for the most
part.  They do not tolerate other mustelids in their territories, because
there is only enough food for one.  The stronger of the two gets to stay.
Once a territory is established, the owner must quickly send all interlopers
packing, otherwise they may lose the deed to the ranch.  A territory is
important for three reasons; A) it insures an adequate food supply, B)
knowing the area gives a better chance to hide from predators, and 3) it
increases the chance of successful reproduction.
 
Ferrets also follow this pattern, although not nearly as well as their
polecat ancestors.  However, we have changed the rules on them somewhat; we
force them into close association with each other for most or all of their
lives.  But that's ok, because domestication has caused some of their
behaviors to get stuck in a juvenile mode.  So a group of ferrets that
normally wouldn't have any business sticking together do so in a domestic
setting.  Why?  They just think of each other as siblings.  The fighting
behaviors are modified for siblings into mostly play-hunting and
play-dominance attacks, and neither are dangerous.
 
(OK, here is the "however...") However, new ferrets are strangers.  They are
not considered to be siblings or family, and are treated as interlopers.  So
the fighting behaviors are meaner, more dangerous, and more prolonged.  It
is not unusual for a new-comer to have a scabby neck or facial bites during
these encounters, but even then, the vast majority of fights might look,
sound and smell nasty, but little harm comes from them.  The bottom line is,
until the scent of the new guy is established into the group, they will
never be accepted as a peer.  And the only way that can happen, is simply by
the passage of time.
 
How long can this take?  It honestly depends on each ferret, because
behaviors are a combination of nature and nurture.  In other words, genetics
and environment, which makes predictions impossible.  Some generallities
suggest small groups accept newbees faster, but groups like TLE's have
little problems.  I personally think groups about the size of a normal
sibling group (4-8) are the worst, with single individuals and large groups
the best.
 
The best suggestions are to get the new guy smelling like the group as soon
as possible.  I put me ferts to bed at night, and alternate cages between
the old and new guys.  I also swap bedding and toliets between them (unless
they are quarentined).  If the fighting is severe, I let them get to know
each other through the bars of a cage.  Sooner or later, they will have to
get the fighting out of their system, and you will just have to stand there
and watch the fur (and scent) fly.  I must say that for myself, even really
tough groups have become part of the business within a couple of weeks, but
then I am hard-hearted and let them fight.
 
One last thing.  Once a group is established, fighting is still occur from
time to time as ferrets change.  One ferret may age, another grow up and a
fight will take place to establish a new dominance structure.  (Anyone with
a teenaged son will understand...) Mine seem to have a flurry of furry
fights each spring, which makes sense.  Lastly, the biggest ferret doesn't
always get to be the top dog.  I've seen ferrets gang up on a bigger ferret,
and have seen a smarter but smaller ferret put moves on the big dumb guy.
(That is what I call Chrys; he's big, he's dumb, but he ain't the top gun.)
Just watch group dynamics of your business and you will gain a new
appreciation for the corporate world.
 
Bob C and the Missouri 17 (In Memory of Buddy and Gus)
[Posted in FML issue 1891]