Hi everyone.  We added another addition last night - a 9 week old female
named Ayla.  She's a light sable.  She could pass for Salt's twin.
 
Talk about surprises...when we introduced a 2 month old Snowball to our
5 months old Salt & Pepper, I was SO nervous.  I pictured massive
amounts of blood coming from this tiny baby as my two jealous children
beat her up.  Nothing like that happened.  Pepper was her shadow ALL DAY
and Salt wanted nothing to do with her most of the day.  Every once in a
while she'd go over and sniff her to see what she was.  She sulked for a
few days feeling insecure I'm sure.  We smothered her with tons of
affection and she perked up within a few days.  Now all of them get
along great.  We brought Ayla home last night and introduced her the
same way.  We got the same reaction as Pepper's was with Snowball - all
three followed Ayla around on top of her every move.  Then all of a
sudden our gentle Salt grabbed hold of her by the side of the neck and
started violently shaking her.  It WASN'T play.  I'm not a ferret expert
by any means, but I do know she wasn't playing.  I've seen Salt playing,
even at her most wound up stage.  This wasn't play.  She was shaking her
so hard she was hitting the baby's head off of the table leg.  The baby
squealed when attacked, and was more interested in checking out the
rooms rather defending herself.  We seperated them and instantly sprayed
the baby with bitter apple.  This happened several times more.  The baby
each time made her squealing noise, but it was much louder than when she
was playing with the other two (who during all of this just minded their
own business.  Neither of them seem to mind her being there.).
 
Salt never hissed, didn't draw blood and eventually wasn't so rough.
The only other time after the evening went on was when Salt was in her
hammock sleeping and the baby crawled in.  She sniffed her a little bit,
started licking her neck and then latched on and started shaking.
 
I really don't know what to make of it, if it will decrease in time.  It
just really surprised me coming from our most passive one.  My husband
thinks she's establishing who's the boss.  I hope that is all it is and
that things go smoothly.  The baby seems to take after Salt a lot, very
passive, not a nipper, etc.  She actually seems to "look up to" Salt.
Salt doesn't seem mean, just VERY curious, following her around sniffing
and then evenutally shaking.
 
Any of you with a similar experience, would you mind sharing it with me?
 I'm sure time will tell, but I'd be very grateful for any helpful
advice.
 
Thanks,
 
Michelle, Kenny, Salt (the enforcer), Pepper, Snowball & Ayla
[Posted in FML issue 1078]