About two weeks ago I adopted a second ferret, Faerie, a 3-year-old female.
Her previous owner really loved her but had a 6-month-old baby with Down's
syndrome and felt she couldn't give Faerie the time she deserved any more.
Faerie was well cared for and is sweet and loving to all humans in the
household, but she's not too thrilled about our other ferret, Scamper, a
9-month-old male whom we've had since he was a kit.  (They live in separate
cages.)
 
Scamper is full of energy ( he's a sweetie to humans too, BTW), while Faerie
is more sedate, and a bit overweight (we're working on that).  Faerie, I
guess because she's older and more used to being a single ferret, likes to
sneak up on Scamper and bite him.  This really scared Scamper at first, but
after a few sneak attacks he had had enough and finally turned on Faerie.
By the time I separated them, she was on her back and squeaking.
 
This now seems to be the pattern for their interaction (they're always very
well supervised when they're in a room together).  If Scamper shows overt
interest in Faerie, she will back off with arched back and go hide under
something (usually the wood box).  But when he's not looking, she still
sneaks up and bites him, whereupon Scamper tears into her.
 
We've observed these fights carefully and have noticed that, although they
look vicious and there is lots of noise, no blood is drawn and no one is
really biting hard.  My question is, should I stop them when they fight or
let them duke it out as long as no one gets hurt?  It's all about dominance,
I realize, and I would really like them to work out their differences and be
friends someday.  I need some advice on the best way to accomplish this.
Interestingly, the one place they don't fight is on the screen porch, where
there are just a few folding chairs and nothing to hide under--or mount a
sneak attack from.
 
To fight or not to fight--that is the question! <g>
 
Barbara
Scamper ("There she is! Get her!)
Faerie ("Oh good, he just turned his back. Lunch!")
[Posted in FML issue 1565]