(anon please... thanks!)
 
Well, we decided to get a sibling for Wednesday - and this weekend had the
experience of road-tripping a 4 year old albino male (meet Roddenberry!) from
Chicago to our east coast home.
 
The high point of amusement during the trip was when we stopped at a rest stop
for a while, walking Roddenberry on his leash, and a woman noticed me with the
ferret and said "Oh, wow! I'm road tripping with a ferret too!" and brought out
her 8 year old female ferret, Jessie. A ferret convention on the Interstate! Of
course now I'm worried due to the distemper going around... and it's a safe bet
that Roddenberry hasn't had any shots recently if ever. (He grew up in a very
poor project where he was found wandering as a youngling, and there isn't a
whole lot of money there for people health needs, let alone ferret ones). So he
and Wednesday will be taken to the vet tomorrow... or as soon as an immuno can
be FedExped in.
 
Roddenberry is not neutered either. He's lovable with people but quite the
instigator with Jessie and Wednesday. Jessie was quite the runt, so it was no
surprise to see him dominating her - but Wednesday is a BIG jill and while he
has more energy in the initial burst, he also tires a lot more quickly. And she
doesn't let up, follows him around even when he squeals defeat and ambles off.
I daren't leave them alone together.
 
Question One - Will neutering help the problem? He does initiate, but he's also
a pretty docile and not very strong ferret, and I'm wondering if it will help
calm Wednesday that he isn't aggressive or whether he will lose what little
edge he has?
 
Question Two - How long has it taken for the "family" to settle down once a new
ferret is introduced? So far there's been no sign of peace between them.
 
Roddenberry is also unfortunately a weak ferret, all fur and bones. Sleeps a
LOT - does get up to explore and irk Wednesday, seems to like to cuddle with
me, romps when on the leash outside - but is perfectly happy to be locked up
in the large cage we keep. I alternately lock up one or the other to give them
both time to roam. I have had to encourage him to eat, too - he prefers it out
of my hand and I wonder how much he eats at other times. He seems depressed
about dodging Wednesday; she seems depressed to see him get so much attention.
The two are not terribly happy with this new companionship. Interestingly
enough, Wednesday has stopped biting me.
 
Question Three - what chance does a 4 year old malnourished ferret have of
gaining back strength and weight? He's smaller than Wednesday, size and weight
wise. If I neuter him, should I wait til he's gotten stronger? I want him to
live a long ferret life, and he has had so much against him! And it's not like
the transition to a new place has been easy. Surgery right now... I don't know!
 
Anyway, I hope the pair get along soon. Sometimes they do tolerate each other.
I picked them both up earlier this week when out for a walk, and poked them
both down the top of my overalls next to my shirt, which gave them a forward
view while freeing my hands, and they stayed nestled together. Kind of cute,
though I looked like a mother kangaroo!
 
My grandmother, who can't stand cats or most pets up close, writes me that she
tells all her friends about "that darling pet!" (Wednesday). Interestingly,
Wednesday - who has no reservations about nibbling at me - is friendly and do-
cile to strangers. Stranger humans, anyway. (I'm relieved!)
 
Thanks for listening! And thanks for being such an amazing source of ferret
care info and support!
 
Love, Wednesday's and Roddenberry's Mom
 
[Posted in FML issue 0275]