hello.  I'm writing for advice from all of you multiple ferret owners who
have successfully integrated two separate groups of ferrets together.  I
adopted 3 ferrets from the local shelter as a Christmas present to my bf and
I.  I was originally only going to take the 2 males, but the group of three
was so bonded that I had to take them all.  There's Gavin (which means
"white hawk") who is a deaf marked white.  He is big and muscular but the
sweetest thing ever.  The other male, whom we named Gareth (meaning gentle)
is a cinnamon sable.  He's about the same size as Gavin, but more fur and
less muscle.  The female, who's name is yet to be decided.  We're debating
between Kiara ("little and dark") and Kenna ("beautiful").  She's a gorgeous
black sable, who's definately all fluff.
 
My "original" two female sables are Katie and Kaylin (Katie just recently
had surgery and has almost completely recovered).  Kaylin is definately the
dominant one and since I brought the "new kids" home, she's been beating up
on Katie...so I'm keeping her in a third cage alone.  I have let Gavin and
Kaylin loose to "go at it" and they chase each other, scream, hiss, poop in
the middle of the room and spray (or is it scent?), wrestle and then stop
and stare at each other with their tails all bushy.
 
Katie on the other hand has slowly and timidly walked up to him and tried to
curl up w/him and go to sleep.  I was almost going to let them be in the
same cage together and then Katie pounced on him.  They did the chase,
scream, bite thing, until I broke it up and noticed that Katie had some
scratches on her fur-less tummy (I'm guessing from his claws).  So they're
separate again.
 
Now, what's my next step?  I am letting each on "play" separately for about
5 min and then I separate them.  I don't feel comfortable leaving them out
of the cages alone when I'm not in the room.  Do I just let them "duke it
out" or do I extend their "playtime" a little each day?  I know I'm probably
being overprotective and their screams are worse than their bites.  Any
advice would be appreciated.
 
Lori (but honey I HAD to take all three, they were homeless)
Jeff (my gf has really lost it this time)
Katie (can I snuggle w/this big guy?)
Kaylin (LET ME AT HIM, I'LL SHOW HIM WHO'S BOSS)
Gareth (I'm cute, come play w/me)
Gavin (I can't hear you)
Kenna/Kiara (I'm the cutest of them all)
[Posted in FML issue 2163]