Help needed introducing a new ferret Hello. I don't post often, but I'm a regular lurker. I have two 3yo neutered boys. They are my babies and they know it. One of my boys, Rusty has a weak chest. He's been having problems with allergies and asthma for which he needs daily medication. He can't play for as long as he used to and my other boy, George has been getting a bit board and restless, and as a result acting up to get extra attention from my partner and me. I decided to get another ferret to give him another playmate. I decided to get a girl as Rusty is a puny little thing and I thought another boy might be too rough with him. So last week a brought home a beautiful little 8 week old silver girl I got from a breeder. To give a little background on her, her mother died when the litter was 3 weeks old and had to be hand reared. I was expecting a little resistance to the new addition to our fuzzy family, but not the over the top reaction I received. Rusty, whom I thought would be the most welcoming because he's so gentle and not very cuddly with his mommy (and hence I thought less likely to be jealous) keeps throwing sulking fits. He lies flat on the floor looking miserable, like we've broken his little heart. When I try little supervised introductions he darts in like an adder and attacks her so badly that it takes two of us to pull him off. He will no longer play in his tunnels, because she's been in them. He won't accept any treats, not even his favourites and he has lost weight. He has never been a cuddler, but when I pick him up from his sulk on the floor, he just sighs and lies limp on my lap, he used to squirm like crazy when I picked him up. I get no licks or kisses anymore. George is reacting how I thought he would. He's mummy's little boy and I knew he'd be jealous of another ferret getting any attention. He just seems over excited and wriggles his tail when he looks at her through the cage. He does however bite her through the bars and if I have them out together for an "introduction' he will attack her. What I've done My new little girl, who I have named Arleigh, was given the spare cage and the boys kept their own very large cage. I put the cages next to each other, so they could get used to each other's scent. And I've swapped bedding. The boys are getting lots of cuddles and just as much attention as they always have. I now get up earlier each morning and stay up later each night so I can still give them the attention they are used to as well as playing with Arleigh. I've tried short 'introductions' one at a time (the first time I tried introducing them together it was a disaster) and as soon as they attack her, they get scruffed, a smack on the nose, a hiss and get a time out I've tried playing with them in the lounge with Arleigh present in her cage, to get them used to her presence. Things don't seem to be improving, if anything Rusty is becoming more violent with her. George has taken to patrolling the lounge room at night to make sure I'm not cuddling her. If he smells her on me he poofs on me. Am I over reacting? I know it's only been a week, but Rusty seems so unhappy and seems to hate Arleigh so much. Am I doing something wrong? Any advice would be appreciated. Erin [Posted in FML issue 5092]