Post by gilowyn on Nov 11, 2006 8:43:26 GMT -5
As some of you might have noticed, I am strongly opposed to keeping ferrets alone. In my opinion, ferrets need ferrets - no human can ever replace the cuddling, playing and rough-housing that another ferret offers. Two ferrets are actually less work, they don't cost much more in food and only slightly more in vet costs, and they are just as attached to you when they are not alone. Also, you just don't fit in the hammock. 
Depending on the age of your ferret, adding a new ferret to the group might be difficult - but never impossible. If your ferret has been alone for a longer time, he will probably be scared of other ferrets; neverthless it's just a matter of patience and finding the right partner.
Is it really necessary to have more than one ferret?
I often hear the argument that the polecat is a solitary animal. Please don't forget that ferrets are domesticated, which can also be seen in a decreased brain size of 20-30%. Keeping a ferret as a pet is not very demanding for them - no threats, hardly no new smells or challenges... they get bored easily. Ferrets regard their group as litter mates - which is why they play and cuddle with them, just as they would with their siblings.
This is also a reason why groups of more than 6-7 ferrets often experience stress-related sicknesses. A typical litter would be app. 7 pups - which in my opinion is the max you should have in one group. There are exceptions, as always... For me, a perfect group consists of 2-4 ferrets. If you have 3, no one is left alone when one of them dies...
Important
Don't attempt adding another ferret if your fuzzball is sickly - since introducing a new ferret is often stressful, underlying sicknesses can easily break out. When introducing a new family member, be especially vigilant for their health and poop - helicobacter and coccidiosis are often caused through stress. Also, never add a ferret that hasn't had its shots yet - wait for a couple of weeks after the shots and then introduce them.
Preparation
The most important thing when choosing a new playmate for your ferret is actually - not choosing it. Your ferret needs to choose his new playmate, and he doesn't care about gender or color. Since this makes buying from a petstore difficult, I suggest taking a trip to a nearby shelter or breeder.
Take your ferret along and introduce him to one ferret at a time, or a pair if you are planning on adding more than one ferret to your group. This should best be done on neutral ground. Since the whole environment is so new and interesting, they will most probably not attack each other. If they do, they might not be a perfect match. It is just as it is with humans - some people you meet and immediately don't like.
Coming home
Although they might have liked each other on neutral ground, at home it will probably a whole different story. You can best prepare your home by washing all bedding in advance and rearranging some stuff. Please also be aware that you need an extra cage at the beginning, as they will probably not sleep together right from the beginning.
When you arrive at home, let the new ferret out first. Give him some time to look around the appartment and find the hidey-holes. When he seems comfortable enough, after app. 30-60 minutes, add your other ferret. You should also have a tube of vitamine stuff at hand and a bottle of water.
If you already have a group of more than two animals, you need to decide if you want to introduce them one by one, starting with the friendliest one, or just let them out all at once.
Rough fighting
Please don't be alarmed if the fighting gets rough - ferrets do communicate with their teeth and anal glands (which most of your ferrets probably don't have anymore) and know how to use them without actually hurting each other. They need to establish the hierarchy within the group - don't interfere, if possible.
Only when feces start flying and one actually starts bleeding should the owner separate them. If the injury looks serious (and I don't mean just some scratches), keep them apart for a couple of days until the neck is better - and then try again.
If they are locked when biting and don't let go, just throw some water on their heads - they will let go and be distracted for a while. Adding vitamine stuff to their neck usually works as well, but only for a short time - otherwise just let them lick simultaneously from the tube.
It is very important that you don't take sides! Don't hug and cuddle the weaker one, as the other ferret might get the wrong signal.
Screaming
Many ferrets start screaming like mad when they feel threatened - most times, nothing is actually the matter when they scream, though. My jill had me running through the appartment to rescue her, only to see her biting my hob while screaming like a banshee... :roll:
Be extra careful when you have a deaf ferret, though. He will not hear the screams and might not realize that he is hurting the other one - separate them more often and be careful that no one gets hurt.
To separate, or not to separate?
As long as the weaker ferret still follows the stronger one when he turns away, nothing is the matter. Only when he continuously tries getting away should you take a break and try another day. Again, no serious injury should occur, but some scratches in the neck are likely and no reason for distress.
I personally try not to separate them again as long as no serious injuries have occurred. In my opinion, the fighting only starts anew when I put them together the next day, while it slowly becomes less when they are continuously together. If your cage is big enough that they can avoid each other, you can even place them in there together - but please be prepared for some screaming when they don't want to share the same hammock or bed. Otherwise keep an extra cage at hand.
Some other tricks
If they don't seem to get along indoors, take them for a walk - the outside is always more interesting than the intruder.
To get them to eat together, start off with a very big plate and decrease the size - we had ferrets eating off a saucer within 2 weeks.
Let them into rooms that are usually off-limits for the fuzzballs, as long as that room is ferret-proof. Again, this is a new environment and interesting for all parties involved.
Switching the bedding is a tip I've read in many books, but it hasn't worked for me yet. I also had two groups in separate rooms, with a door in between - constantly smelling each other while not getting to the intruder only got my jill to build up some serious aggression... When I once didn't close the door quickly enough, the hob took a serious beating from her. She met him again on Thursday, by the way, on neutral ground - and nothing happened.
How long does it take?
That really, really depends... You know you have won when they sleep together for the first time. This can be after a couple of days, weeks, or even months. The last scenario only applies to ferrets that have been alone for a number of years - but even then I have not met a ferret that did not appreciate a fuzzy friend.
The reward
There is nothing as endearing as ferrets playing together or cuddling in a hammock.
I hope this helps - feel free to ask additional questions if I forgot something?
Best regards from Germany,
Gila
plus Buddy, Lotte & Speedy
Depending on the age of your ferret, adding a new ferret to the group might be difficult - but never impossible. If your ferret has been alone for a longer time, he will probably be scared of other ferrets; neverthless it's just a matter of patience and finding the right partner.
Is it really necessary to have more than one ferret?
I often hear the argument that the polecat is a solitary animal. Please don't forget that ferrets are domesticated, which can also be seen in a decreased brain size of 20-30%. Keeping a ferret as a pet is not very demanding for them - no threats, hardly no new smells or challenges... they get bored easily. Ferrets regard their group as litter mates - which is why they play and cuddle with them, just as they would with their siblings.
This is also a reason why groups of more than 6-7 ferrets often experience stress-related sicknesses. A typical litter would be app. 7 pups - which in my opinion is the max you should have in one group. There are exceptions, as always... For me, a perfect group consists of 2-4 ferrets. If you have 3, no one is left alone when one of them dies...
Important
Don't attempt adding another ferret if your fuzzball is sickly - since introducing a new ferret is often stressful, underlying sicknesses can easily break out. When introducing a new family member, be especially vigilant for their health and poop - helicobacter and coccidiosis are often caused through stress. Also, never add a ferret that hasn't had its shots yet - wait for a couple of weeks after the shots and then introduce them.
Preparation
The most important thing when choosing a new playmate for your ferret is actually - not choosing it. Your ferret needs to choose his new playmate, and he doesn't care about gender or color. Since this makes buying from a petstore difficult, I suggest taking a trip to a nearby shelter or breeder.
Take your ferret along and introduce him to one ferret at a time, or a pair if you are planning on adding more than one ferret to your group. This should best be done on neutral ground. Since the whole environment is so new and interesting, they will most probably not attack each other. If they do, they might not be a perfect match. It is just as it is with humans - some people you meet and immediately don't like.
Coming home
Although they might have liked each other on neutral ground, at home it will probably a whole different story. You can best prepare your home by washing all bedding in advance and rearranging some stuff. Please also be aware that you need an extra cage at the beginning, as they will probably not sleep together right from the beginning.
When you arrive at home, let the new ferret out first. Give him some time to look around the appartment and find the hidey-holes. When he seems comfortable enough, after app. 30-60 minutes, add your other ferret. You should also have a tube of vitamine stuff at hand and a bottle of water.
If you already have a group of more than two animals, you need to decide if you want to introduce them one by one, starting with the friendliest one, or just let them out all at once.
Rough fighting
Please don't be alarmed if the fighting gets rough - ferrets do communicate with their teeth and anal glands (which most of your ferrets probably don't have anymore) and know how to use them without actually hurting each other. They need to establish the hierarchy within the group - don't interfere, if possible.
Only when feces start flying and one actually starts bleeding should the owner separate them. If the injury looks serious (and I don't mean just some scratches), keep them apart for a couple of days until the neck is better - and then try again.
If they are locked when biting and don't let go, just throw some water on their heads - they will let go and be distracted for a while. Adding vitamine stuff to their neck usually works as well, but only for a short time - otherwise just let them lick simultaneously from the tube.
It is very important that you don't take sides! Don't hug and cuddle the weaker one, as the other ferret might get the wrong signal.
Screaming
Many ferrets start screaming like mad when they feel threatened - most times, nothing is actually the matter when they scream, though. My jill had me running through the appartment to rescue her, only to see her biting my hob while screaming like a banshee... :roll:
Be extra careful when you have a deaf ferret, though. He will not hear the screams and might not realize that he is hurting the other one - separate them more often and be careful that no one gets hurt.
To separate, or not to separate?
As long as the weaker ferret still follows the stronger one when he turns away, nothing is the matter. Only when he continuously tries getting away should you take a break and try another day. Again, no serious injury should occur, but some scratches in the neck are likely and no reason for distress.
I personally try not to separate them again as long as no serious injuries have occurred. In my opinion, the fighting only starts anew when I put them together the next day, while it slowly becomes less when they are continuously together. If your cage is big enough that they can avoid each other, you can even place them in there together - but please be prepared for some screaming when they don't want to share the same hammock or bed. Otherwise keep an extra cage at hand.
Some other tricks
If they don't seem to get along indoors, take them for a walk - the outside is always more interesting than the intruder.
To get them to eat together, start off with a very big plate and decrease the size - we had ferrets eating off a saucer within 2 weeks.
Let them into rooms that are usually off-limits for the fuzzballs, as long as that room is ferret-proof. Again, this is a new environment and interesting for all parties involved.
Switching the bedding is a tip I've read in many books, but it hasn't worked for me yet. I also had two groups in separate rooms, with a door in between - constantly smelling each other while not getting to the intruder only got my jill to build up some serious aggression... When I once didn't close the door quickly enough, the hob took a serious beating from her. She met him again on Thursday, by the way, on neutral ground - and nothing happened.
How long does it take?
That really, really depends... You know you have won when they sleep together for the first time. This can be after a couple of days, weeks, or even months. The last scenario only applies to ferrets that have been alone for a number of years - but even then I have not met a ferret that did not appreciate a fuzzy friend.
The reward
There is nothing as endearing as ferrets playing together or cuddling in a hammock.
I hope this helps - feel free to ask additional questions if I forgot something?
Best regards from Germany,
Gila
plus Buddy, Lotte & Speedy
all my kids are doing well otter is getting real beefy feeling <winter weight?> and his coat is getting real soft not many noticeable changes overall,, new guy is getting big