I would like to know if anyone has any ideas about the problems I am having
with my ferrets.  I have five ferrets.  First I got Gypsy, then I got Chance
from Jim and Cathy, who had six ferrets left after I got him.  Gypsy happily
accepted Chance and played very well with Jim and Cathy's six.  So then I
added Rom, and then Sassy.  She loved them.  Jim and Cathy added a kit, Kiwi
to their collection and she was accepted by everyone.  Here is the problem.
about three weeks ago Jim and Cathy got two whole kits a breeding pair.  I
also got a whole kit little Cinder, a female.  Gypsy accepted her for about
an hour.  Then I took the ferrets over to play with Jim and Cathy's (a
regular occurance, two or three times a week).  While we were there, Gypsy
started attacking Cinder and the other two whole kits and has not stopped.
Since then, Sassy and then Chance (my little sweety-pie, I'm so suprised!)
have also taken to attacking Cinder.  Gypsy and Sassy will even circle
Cinder's cage trying to get to her.  Gypsy will scratch at the carpet and
pull at the bars, all the while dooking happily at the thought of getting
poor little Cinder.  And this about the only time Gypsy dooks too!
 
Also, whenever I take the ferrets over to Jim and Cathy's, the three kits
stay in one cage and my other four go in with their adults.  Well a few days
ago, they kept all five of my ferrets for me (my air conditioner was acting
up and I was afraid it would go out while I was at work and leave them in 90
degree heat.  Jim says Gypsy started attacking some of the other adult
ferrets.  So she Chance and Sassy switched places with the kits.
 
I'm a bit confused.  Has Gypsy become a loner ferret?  Has anyone else had
any problems like this?  Can anyone shed any light on this sudden
personality change.  It can't be that she feels crowded because she has been
in the cage with all the other ferrets many times with no problem.  Is it
just a simple case of jelously?  I just wish she wouldn't seem quite so
happy when she is thinking about attacking Cinder.  Rom is the only on who
loves Cinder.  Are the other two just following Gypsy's lead?
 
Sorry if the post is a little confusing. I would apreciate anyone's
comments.
 
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? Victoria Foster                  /       \  /  //^^^\\   \    ?
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[Posted in FML issue 1965]