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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2015 14:27:43 GMT -5
Guess this is how it works  The fourth member if the family is Marbella (or Bella for short) that was her name so we'll just keep it. She's a tiny girl, she'll be 1 year old this month  We found the ad on a buy/sell website, and we went to see her. The person selling her said she doesn't have time for her, and her family doesn't allow her to let her roam around the house.. The owner obviously cared about her, she was crying when we left with her - it made me a bit sad, but she thought that was the best decision for her. She was living in a rabbit cage, no hammock... just a hanging tunnel and some blankets. She has been eating Totally Ferret Active kibble and the previous owner said she was used to some raw meat as treats, and with raw egg. Her owner gave her a rubber toy, and it's all chewed, with pieces missing.... I hope it all passed out since she is pooping normally now. She also had a stuffed toy that we brought home with her, but even that is chewed... I assume boredom. And her teeth are yellow... We just got home and tried to let her get used to the space and the smells, she is sooooo fast. She hisses at all my 3 boys, she attacked them. After letting her roam around for a bit I tried to let Aramis sniff her (since he's the alpha), and he bit her so I just took him away. I am afraid they'll hurt each other, I don't even know how to introduce them since she is so small.... |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2015 14:31:59 GMT -5
 This is the best picture I could get of her for now. She is from an Estonian breeder I guess, her mommy is spanish and her daddy is estonian. her head is actually silverish, and she is lighter than my Gizmo and Gabriel. She is adorable, but she is soooo tiny. I never had a girl before, only boys, so I am so afraid to handle her, being so small and seems so fragile. She has been neutered quite recently I guess, or at least that's how it looks. I so hope they'll get along, I'm really nervous.. if you have any advice, please do share:) She refuses any food for now - I guess stress. Should I let her be overnight, just leave some food there in case? I tried giving her chicken and she licked a bit and then refused. Gave her a bit of her kibble, refused that to. So I assume she is just stressed for now.. I don't know how to turn the picture! |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2015 14:46:29 GMT -5
Bella is just beautiful. She's going to be much more fun than a washing machine. Congratulations and I'm so happy that she will be with you and in kind loving hands. Will she be sleeping alone for the next few days, do you have another cage? She will be stressed for a few days. Especially if she is not use to other ferrets. I'd work on building your bond with her. Sit with her and offer her food. Tonight, make sure that she has some food, she may feel safer eating alone. Carry her around and let her see things. Ferrets in a new place are all about exploring. I'd let her explore and get comfortable. Put the others away for now, but let them see her a few times a day for the next several days. Then supervise the interaction. You know the rule. If the others become too aggressive, if there is blood or she poops, separate them. Most ferrents say let them work it out. If she is tiny and the others are strong, I'd work into it a little slower. Have fun and Thank you for taking her into your home.  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2015 15:18:59 GMT -5
Yep, I've been holding her and carrying her around, until the others got really jealous. They are free roam, I do have a cage, that stays open at all times (actually it doesn't have a bottom lock - if I close her in, I'll use an actual lock). I can keep her there, but for now, I let her stay in the bedroom and the boys are in the living room, at least until we go to sleep. I would prefer to take the slower path, I think she weighs max 500 grams and the boys are 2,5-2,7 kg, they are enormous compared to her. I know girls are smaller, but these guys look like monsters next to her I successfully got her to eat from my hand some chicken and horse meat! she took on it, I'm impressed!I'll spend some more time with her tonight and make sure she does eat a little more, and leave her a little food overnight. she seems to enjoy dehydrated chicken as well, and I have some of that too. If she takes on this right away, I'll ditch the kibble asap |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 7:04:45 GMT -5
Update - Gizmo and Gabriel accepted her. Aramis, not really. Yesterday he was hunting her down, hissing and wagging his tail. Today i held her in my arms and allowed Aramis to sniff her and the other way around. She's terrified by him. He scruffed her, but not hard - I stopped him when he bit. No poo or pee though - if I hold her, she trusts that she's safe around other ferrets. She slept on my lap last night:) However, she won't eat. She ate a little meat mush last night (very little, maybe 1.5-2 teaspoons) , overnight she didn't touch her kibble. This morning she didn't eat anything. Now the same, even though i left food available to her. When should I start worrying? I have some CC at hand just in case. She played a lot this morning, got some dooking too she's energetic, also she is quite vocal, as in, when Aramis gets close to her, she screams(without him touching her!). She isn't deaf, I tried jingle toys, keys, clap, finger snap. She reacts instantly. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 7:26:39 GMT -5
U always say the right things  And absinthefairy that is the most interesting New Topic title. (giggle) Smiling this morning. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 12:38:03 GMT -5
Two out of three is very good, this early in her intro. Aramis will come around. I say this as I'm going on 6 months or more with Keller being 'hunted' by Roamy and Juliet. (headwall)
Just so that she feels safe, I would feed her (for now) alone in a separate room. Put her on your lap and spoon feed. She's probably still anxious and stressed some. Since she trusts you, she should eat better with you protecting her and no other ferrets in sight.
Maybe you could make a kibble mush for her or let her try the meat mush again. Mine all arrived eating kibble. Once mine tasted FDR or raw, they never would eat their kibble again.
Juliet was very shy when she arrived, for the first few hours. Roamy kept checking on her.
She hid under a dresser and I handed her once piece of food at a time.
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Post by Heather on Apr 18, 2015 12:56:31 GMT -5
Remember too....your boys are going to be eating tons in comparison to her. A wee jill might eat an oz to 3 oz max. Are you sure she's spayed?
ciao
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 13:20:39 GMT -5
Heather Well, the previous owner told me she is. I'm not sure how to check.. is there any way?... omg, @poncesmom, 6 months, that's a long time! I was surprised that these two accepted her so easily. Gabriel to be honest doesn't really care, he's more of a loner. But I do hope Aramis will accept her sooner or later. Though all of them act like they've never seen a girl in their life I can happily say she seems a lot more relaxed today - she ate well in the afternoon, she even took on small chunks with bone! she had duck mince and bits of chicken necks. I held her on my lap, initially finger fed, then with the spoon, while on my lap. I can't believe it! She hasn't touched the kibble at all since she came here, and she doesn't seem to have any interest. I wouldn't have expected it to be so fast! I guess the fact that she was given raw meat treats made it easier.. Somehow all my transitions to raw have been really easy, I feel so lucky for that.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 14:44:49 GMT -5
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Post by gfountain on Apr 18, 2015 15:06:49 GMT -5
Oh, you're in for a ride with a wee girlie! Girls are so much trouble! But definitely more fun than a washing machine, lol. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 15:57:37 GMT -5
Hehe, she's a sweetheart, she doesn't bite, at all, ever! and she loves cuddles. She's really active I read that article, I'll look for a scar... She was spayed as far as I remember when she was over 6 months old, and she is turning 1....tomorrow As far as I know, here they don't neuter ferrets when they are kits. Since there are no mills, only private breeders, they are more.. ethical I guess. All the ferrets I had since they were kits came intact. I don't think the vets would do it before 6-7 months of age, and they never remove the glands (as far as I understood, unless there is a medical reason, most vets consider it mutilation). |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 20:30:43 GMT -5
Congratulations on the new fuzzy! I love the title of this thread.
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Post by Heather on Apr 18, 2015 23:35:22 GMT -5
You can try to find a scar but unless it's recent you have to take whomever you got the ferret from at face value. I can't see any reason for them to lie to you, I just wondered if she was
ciao
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2015 7:04:19 GMT -5
Alright, thanks! Uuf, I just checked her now - one of her canines (I think that's how the longer ones are called) is only half, and the other one is broken too, but a smaller piece. Will that affect her in any way? Or, is there anything a vet can do for her? I can't imagine anything else but the fact that she was caged all the time and that she chewed on the bars until she broke her teeth  she has so much energy, is exploring and playing for hours in a row, can't think of her trapped in a cage for a whole day... |
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