Andrea:
 
This is exactly how my year-old ferret Einstein reacted to the "new baby",
Daisy, who was about 2-1/2 months when we got her.
 
He started off "dooking" at her a lot and dragging her around by the neck,
and soon, he became _very_ depressed.  When let out of his cage, he would
climb to the highest point he could reach and stare at Daisy's cage.  His
eating declined (and he was skinny to begin with).  Whenever I had them both
out at once, they'd switch cages and poop in the other's litter box and eat
their food (asked the vet about that one, he said it was a
dominance-establishing thing).
 
Einstein also became very snuggly; he'd climb my pants leg to get in my lap.
He'd also let you hold him for literally hours on end; quite a switch from
my independent ferret who would _not_ be held.
 
My vet said Einstein could stand to gain some weight, but was not dangerously
thin, and gave me some bitter apple for Daisy's ears.  The ferret information
I found said it could take months for them to adjust, so I prepared to wait.
 
And wait I did!  It took about a month and a half for Einie to start
behaving normally again, and another month for the two to start interacting
on a (somewhat) friendly basis.  Now, seven months later, they share a three
level cage and often sleep together in their hammock.  They keep each other
entertained while my boyfriend and I are at class and work, so I do think it
was worth it, and I haven't observed any permanent damage.
 
On another topic, I read something in the archives on the Minnesota ferret
association or something like that, does anyone know if it still exists and
who I contact?
 
        Janna, Einstein, & Daisy
[Posted in FML issue 1715]