Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Description of your first forum.

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by Mike » Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:28:03



Hello people whonare still about. I was wondering if anyone can help.

I have two ferrets. One about 4, female and called britney, and one who is 1, male called Justin.  They get on great. Sleep and play together.

I had just adopted a new male ferret who is about 2 called alvin. Before we got him we bought home some bedding of his, she took to immediately sleeping in it and what we thought was looking around the house for him.

On bringing him home, it turns out britney doest like him. They sniff, she follows and then there is a lot of loud squeaking and *** play. One of them often sents and I have to separate.

I have tried them sharing treats, that works until the treat is empty then britney goes for him. Have tried giving them a bath together which didn't really work and tried holding them which sometimes works then other times they will go for each other in my hands.

Generally the ferrets walk about the house all day and sleep in a drawer in the kitchen. The new ferret alvin currently has a cage and sleeps in a separate room. Is only our for playtime.

Britney often will go to his room and lay in his bed when he isn't about.

Anyone got any ideas as to how to get them to bond together? I don't want to give alvin back. But if it is upsetting britney too much I might have to.

Thanks guys!

 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by FerretDa » Mon, 10 Oct 2011 22:41:24


No worries, Mikey.
Let them be together and fight for awhile....they are deciding who is the
*** one.  I've had 2 ferrets die, then bring in a new one for a friend
for the survivor and they always fight for a little while.

If the fighting seems too ***, separate them for a while but do put them
back together later.  They will eventually accept one another and will
eventually become best friends and mates for life.

Keep Alvin forever and be patient with Britney.  It just takes ferrets a
little time to adjust to the newer one.  I've been through it twice
now...the new ferret will get picked on by the other(s) for up to a month or
so.

In the end, they will all get along great and love each other.

  Gary

PS - again...to reassure you here.  Each time I got a new ferret and the
fighting started, I wondered if maybe I shouldn't have gotten a new one.
But each time, given a little time to adjust to each other...and to decide
who will be in charge, they always bond very closely and become best
friends.

PSS- it's always the older one that you've had who ends up being the
*** ferret.  It was his/her home to start with and the new one will
accept that.

Keep little Alvin and be patient!  :-D

 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by steve robinso » Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:37:03


Quote:

> Hello people whonare still about. I was wondering if anyone can
> help.

> I have two ferrets. One about 4, female and called britney, and one
> who is 1, male called Justin.  They get on great. Sleep and play
> together.

> I had just adopted a new male ferret who is about 2 called alvin.
> Before we got him we bought home some bedding of his, she took to
> immediately sleeping in it and what we thought was looking around
> the house for him.

> On bringing him home, it turns out britney doest like him. They
> sniff, she follows and then there is a lot of loud squeaking and
> *** play. One of them often sents and I have to separate.

> I have tried them sharing treats, that works until the treat is
> empty then britney goes for him. Have tried giving them a bath
> together which didn't really work and tried holding them which
> sometimes works then other times they will go for each other in my
> hands.

> Generally the ferrets walk about the house all day and sleep in a
> drawer in the kitchen. The new ferret alvin currently has a cage
> and sleeps in a separate room. Is only our for playtime.

> Britney often will go to his room and lay in his bed when he isn't
> about.

> Anyone got any ideas as to how to get them to bond together? I
> don't want to give alvin back. But if it is upsetting britney too
> much I might have to.

> Thanks guys!

keep swapping the bedding around so they all start to have a similar
smell, give britney extra play time on her own , allow them to mix
slowly under supervision , make sure there is plenty of food about so
your originals do not feel threatened

Eventually they will bond it just takes time

 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by steve robinso » Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:38:16


Quote:

> No worries, Mikey.
> Let them be together and fight for awhile....they are deciding who
> is the *** one.  I've had 2 ferrets die, then bring in a new
> one for a friend for the survivor and they always fight for a
> little while.

> If the fighting seems too ***, separate them for a while but do
> put them back together later.  They will eventually accept one
> another and will eventually become best friends and mates for life.

> Keep Alvin forever and be patient with Britney.  It just takes
> ferrets a little time to adjust to the newer one.  I've been
> through it twice now...the new ferret will get picked on by the
> other(s) for up to a month or so.

> In the end, they will all get along great and love each other.

>   Gary

> PS - again...to reassure you here.  Each time I got a new ferret
> and the fighting started, I wondered if maybe I shouldn't have
> gotten a new one.  But each time, given a little time to adjust to
> each other...and to decide who will be in charge, they always bond
> very closely and become best friends.

> PSS- it's always the older one that you've had who ends up being the
> *** ferret.  It was his/her home to start with and the new one
> will accept that.

> Keep little Alvin and be patient!  :-D

Psss once bonded your going to be the new toy :)
 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by FerretDa » Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:42:22


Quote:

> No worries, Mikey.
  <snip>
> Keep little Alvin and be patient!  :-D

One other thing.  Alvin has a new home now but he's being picked on just for
a little while. Put him with them often but also give him some extra alone
time with you until the others accept him.  Give him some extra loving and
reassurance from you for now.

This will comfort him during the transition time PLUS he will bond with you
even better in the long run.  

  :-D

 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by FerretDa » Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:59:20


Quote:


> > Keep little Alvin and be patient!  :-D

> Psss once bonded your going to be the new toy :)

How are you Steve and fuzzies?  Good to hear from you again.  Seems like we
two are the only ones still here on a regular basis.

And yes, I agree with you....Mikey will become the new Alvin toy.  And the
other ferrets he has will become good mates soon enough too.

I was playing seriously with Mia the other day.  I was putting a women's
hair scrunchy on her neck and she immediately got it off...so then I put it
around her body (behind the front legs) and she spent much more time to
remove it, but she did eventually.  she was so e***d that her "play
biting" got much more *** as I scruffed her.  She didn't draw *** but
she was biting very hard.  It was funny.....I was happy to get her that
riled up and e***d. ;)

 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by steve robinso » Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:22:37


Quote:



> > > Keep little Alvin and be patient!  :-D

> > Psss once bonded your going to be the new toy :)

> How are you Steve and fuzzies?  Good to hear from you again.  Seems
> like we two are the only ones still here on a regular basis.

> And yes, I agree with you....Mikey will become the new Alvin toy.
> And the other ferrets he has will become good mates soon enough too.

> I was playing seriously with Mia the other day.  I was putting a
> women's hair scrunchy on her neck and she immediately got it
> off...so then I put it around her body (behind the front legs) and
> she spent much more time to remove it, but she did eventually.  she
> was so e***d that her "play biting" got much more *** as I
> scruffed her.  She didn't draw *** but she was biting very hard.
> It was funny.....I was happy to get her that riled up and e***d.
> ;)

Yes it is fun to get thier gander up, you get to see the
'killer'instinct in them.

My fuzzies are fine although i cant handle them now because a bite
could cause me to be hospitalised, my wife gets feret duty now.

The little rogues do miss me though, you can see on thier little
faces why dont you play anymore daddy , why have'nt you been in the
pen , hopefully soon things will get back to normal

 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by Mike » Tue, 11 Oct 2011 01:25:35


Thanks for the assistance. I have had britney all along. Introduced Justin and they just seemed to get on. Just she seems like she doesn't like alvin.

Is it common for them to squeek very loudly and keep going for each other? Also I have never had one if them give off scent like that either.

 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by steve robinso » Tue, 11 Oct 2011 03:19:42


Quote:

> Thanks for the assistance. I have had britney all along. Introduced
> Justin and they just seemed to get on. Just she seems like she
> doesn't like alvin.

> Is it common for them to squeek very loudly and keep going for each
> other? Also I have never had one if them give off scent like that
> either.

Yes its normal ferret behaviour , you only need to intervene if alvin
becomes frightened or distressed
 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by Mike » Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:41:05


Well have taken onboard everything said.  

Alvin started to attack Justin. At first was play fighting but then he drew ***. Justin was *** towards us when we got him but now isn't at all voilent.

It seems alvin tries to play. Is very energetic and jumps all over the place. Starts to play with Justin and britney but then I think he takes it too far. Britney fights back but Justin seems to submit then *** is drawn.

 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by FerretDa » Wed, 12 Oct 2011 05:54:42


Quote:

> It seems alvin tries to play. Is very energetic and jumps all over the
> place. Starts to play with Justin and britney but then I think he takes
> it too far. Britney fights back but Justin seems to submit then ***
> is drawn.

Yes....from all you've said, Alvin just wants to play and is doing it too
roughly for now.  He'll learn to adjust to the others.

For now, if the play gets too rough, stop him and hold him for a few
minutes...give it all a time out. Then put him back with them. One month
from now all your ferrets will get along fine. Until then, just supervise
the contact.

New ferrets always need some time to adjust to a new home with ferrets.

 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by Mike » Wed, 12 Oct 2011 06:44:39


Thanks for all your help. Wouldn't bare taking him back to the RSPCA. Will keep you updated as to what happens
 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by Mike » Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:35:07


Well they seem to be calming down. Britney started chasing him about the place, and was going for him any chance. I took her away if too rough. Alvin didnt look that happy, and was kinda being picked on, but britney started slowing down with the running, and has laid off him recently.

More just sits there watching him, or lays next to him watching. seems to go for the occasional nip, but not as bad as it was before!

Hopefully in the next few days they will get on alot better

 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by Mike » Wed, 19 Oct 2011 05:44:16


Hey guys.
It's been a week or two and they are still going for each other. I
feel really bad for alvin having to isolate him so many times. Britney
seems happy and couldn't care less when he is in the cage.

They seem to be a little better. She will follow him and not always go
for a bite. But then they do have a go at each other. Their necks are
covered in scratches from when they get each other round the neck.

Don't really know who's picking on who as its all too fast

 
 
 

Introducing a new ferret - help needed

Post by Mike » Wed, 19 Oct 2011 05:44:25


Hey guys.
It's been a week or two and they are still going for each other. I
feel really bad for alvin having to isolate him so many times. Britney
seems happy and couldn't care less when he is in the cage.

They seem to be a little better. She will follow him and not always go
for a bite. But then they do have a go at each other. Their necks are
covered in scratches from when they get each other round the neck.

Don't really know who's picking on who as its all too fast