Help with new baby

[zferretmom]

My boyfriend and I got a ten-week-old baby boy, Izzy, September 2001, he is now over a year old. My boyfriend's younger brother and girlfriend got an eight-week-old baby boy, Buddy, about two months after us. We recently got Buddy and went about it as well as we could, introducing Izzy to Buddy's smell, giving Buddy time to explore the environment before meeting Izzy, we did all that stuff. Now, about 3 1/2 weeks later, they still don't seem to be getting along too well. My boyfriend works at a pet store and seems to think that they are just playing, but as a worried ferret mommy I don't think it is all the time. Izzy still grabs onto Buddy and shakes hard, but Buddy has gained ground since their first meeting. As much as I have read, I can't find anything else to try to further acquaint them. I don't want to get rid of Buddy, we love him so. Does anyone have any advice for a concerned ferret mom?

[Dooker]

Don't give up....it took my boys **6** MONTHS to get along.

When I first brought Spike home (I already had Muccles) and introduced him to Muccles, they hated each other, Muccles was WAY too rough. I thought it would NEVER end, really. They just hated each other! So, of course I had to do something....I bought a cage on ebay for about $30, cheap! and then I had two seperate cages but they lived in the same room, in different cages though. Every time I wanted to play with them (which was at least 4 hours *at the least* every day) I had to take them out seperatly and play. Sometimes they would sniff at each other through their cages. After about two weeks, I let them out together, of course they still fought like mad (and I thought they were being WAY to rough) but I had to remember, ferrets have much tougher skin then humans... So I just let them fight and fight and fight. Yes, they did cry, but certainly they never drew blood! Here is a rule, if they draw blood, them imediately take them apart from fighting. Watch them closly as they fight. Ferrets like to drag each other by the ear or neck, and this is considered "playing" to them. Anyway, after all the fighting, they finally started to actaully walk past each other and not start a fight. Then they began sleeping together...but I still was caustious and kept Spike in a different cage than Muccles. After 6 LONG months, I bought a brand new 3 story HUGE cage and put them together...and they have been best buds ever since..

Never Ever Loose Hope! :agree: I HOPE this is not too late. :bawling:

[zferretmom]

Oh, thank you for the advice. You're certainly not too late. I wouldn't have the heart to give him up. I love all of my babies too much! We've always had a rule that, unless under helpless circumstances, when we take an animal into our home, it's for good. I want our babies to know that they are home now.
The ferts are getting along a little better. No blood has been drawn, knock on wood, and all is well. We're working on it! Thanks again for your advice. I will certainly take it under consideration!

:D

[Dooker]

I am so glad that things are going a little better!:D You sound like a very loving and caring family. Please update us on how things are doing in a little while if you can. :agree:

((HUGS))

-Kyla

[Halo]

Hello, zferretmom. I have been a ferret mom myself now for at least 7 years and I have learned a lot from all 4 ferrets that I had. All of them, with two still living, have lived up to their expectancy age. When I first introduced my ferret, Owen, to the first ferret, Hemi, they didn't get along either. Hemi looked like he beat Owen down all the time and I cried when I saw it and thought the same as you. But I didn't give up either and as soon as Owen stood his own ground and showed Hemi he could be just as dominant, they became best friends. Then I introduced Tanner to the two boys one day and they gave him the same kind of trouble too until Tanner learned to stand his own ground. The three of them became inseperable after and Tanner even helped take care of Hemi when he became ill as he was ready to pass on. Tanner actually slipped his head under Hemi's head so Hemi could continue to hold his head up when he really couldn't. Both Tanner and Owen would also curl around Hemi near the time of his death to keep him warm. I pray that your ferrets become just as inseperable as mine were and that they are always there to help take care of one another in their own little special way. Ferrets are really a remarkable companion. Please keep us posted on your sweet little fuzzies and God bless you and your family.

Sincerely,
Halo

In memory of Hemi & Owen

:angel: :angel5: