Well, Ferret Math has struck our home and we brought a beautiful, chunky albino boy, Bear, home from the shelter on Sunday. He isn't nip-trained yet, so that's been interesting, but he is really sweet at the same time and seems to like being held. I have a question, however, about mating behavior. We have a *very* large cage which currently houses (generally only when we're asleep or out of the house) our two monster babies, female sisters the same age as Bear (7 months). We came home fully intending to put Bear right in with the girls if they got along decently, which they have been. They dook and play and have tons of fun. The problem is that Bear, despite having been snipped a couple of weeks ago, is exhibiting what I'm pretty sure is mating behavior. He will pin one of the girls down, grab her by the neck or the ears, and then drag her away. The girls haven't been protesting but seem to just let him have his way. I have broken up these little trysts five or six times in the past few days, and because of this I'm afraid to put them in the same cage together at night unsupervised. Am I overreacting? I mean, he has been fixed, as have both girls, of course, and so no little Bears can come of this behavior, but I'm still hesitant to let them go too far. I'm afraid he might hurt one of the girls, and quite frankly I'm also confused, since he's been snipped and I'm not sure what he is, um, capable of doing?? Does anyone have any advice? -Tasha [Posted in FML issue 1809]