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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2015 17:58:51 GMT -5
So.. we said we'll stick to 4 ferrets max. So, as we all know how that progresses, I introduce to you Freya (4yo, champagne), Frankie (4 yo champagne) and Titu (5 yo albino). Their previous owner had to give them away because she developed horrible allergies. She gave them to someone else first, but she couldn't keep them either. So thy had nowhere to go. They are used to meat + kibble diet, so we're trying to eliminate the kibble now. So, 7 it is...
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2015 18:05:43 GMT -5
They are absolutely lovely. Thank you so much for taking all three home. I'm so pleased that they could stay together and find their Forever Home.
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Post by FireAngel on Jul 9, 2015 19:04:10 GMT -5
So cute!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2015 19:09:59 GMT -5
That is so sweet of u.
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Post by FerretsnFalcons on Jul 9, 2015 19:50:53 GMT -5
Yay, more fuzzies! (dance) Thank you for taking them in, they are all beautiful!
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Post by unclejoe on Jul 9, 2015 20:13:06 GMT -5
Good night. Another victim. We said we wanted to get down to 4. When we did 3 years ago, we ran out ad adopted 4 more. Congrats on the new fuzzbutts. They're precious. But ain't they all?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2015 8:22:46 GMT -5
And so the ferret madness begins... hmm I remember 8 then a poor boy needed a home turns out our Dominate male hated him then began business 2. good luck they are all so adorable.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2015 15:46:57 GMT -5
Thanks! For now we are still in the "trial" phase, because it's a matter of my crew accepting them. All 7 have been used and raised as free roam, so there is no option for caging and separate playtimes. For now they try to kill each other, repeatedly, so we have a large playpen in the living room (there is zero access to anything in that room now). We don't have two separate rooms to keep them free either. I surely hope it'll work out well and hope I won't need to just foster until they find a suitable home. I started to see their personalities, Freya is satan's spawn, she's mean and talkative, Frankie is really aggressive towards other ferrets, he goes to fight and jumps at our boys to beat them up in their sleep, and Titu is the sweetest ferret in the universe, he is very gentle, cuddly, has no idea how to fight (or fight back), he loves cuddling and sleeping on my lap, but he feels so defenseless. He's quite skinny (I see him as too skinny) and his tail is half naked, with dark dots. The previous owner mentioned that it's seasonal and it always happens in the summer, but of course my first fear was adrenal. He is implanted already, NOT neutered, but still I got a bit worried. I am also worried about them getting along because I'm quicky becoming attached to them and I don't want to have to let them go...and I really don't want them separated, and it seemed that it was their only option if I didn't take them...Freya is implanted too, but it's already been a year so I am now waiting to see when we have to go redo it, as I assume it's going to be soon. Now everyone is asleep, they had a good meal of turkey wing and chicken hearts, which the new ones took on without any fuss! Marbella had one canine and one molar extracted today (she had damaged her teeth in her previous home), and Aramis had a molar extracted (I have no idea what he did but it was wiggly and hurting him), Gabriel had a teeth cleaning for his gingivitis...so they are still a bit dizzy after anesthetic, so everything around is even more stressful for them..
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2015 20:20:20 GMT -5
Update: we had an ugly battle between aramis and frankie (the two alphas), frankie getting some bloody wounds on the neck:( we spent one evening also on neutral territory, together with some other ferrets (kits were confusing them so much, bouncing all over the place with excitement), playing in the rain and digging in dirt - that confused them so it went decent - they slept in the same playpen afterwards. There is still a lot of tension. I am wondering if Titu is deaf or just very fearful. I've never heard a ferret scream that loud when another ferret comes close. It's a really high pitched scream that makes you think he's being murdered. And he screams a lot. I'll try test him with the keys. He's my sweetheart, he loves being held , cuddled and talked to. Frankie and freya have a very strong bond, ge comes in an instant to protect her if arguments start - he kisses and sleeps with her. And darn marbella hates her. And the other way around. They both are really talkative and yell at each other when they meet. At least for now. I was told that they were used to raw - and indeed they were, they took onto it instantly. But they were eating mainly totally ferret kibble I think. I now removed the kibble completely. However, they are eating me out of the house! It's unbelievable how much they eat - for ex, they had day old chicks in the morning , 1 each, plus 2 chicken wings for all 3.Later they had reindeer grinds with bone and liver. then chicken necks + raw eggs (3/7ferrets). After dinner, Titu ate another chick. He goes crazy over them! The amounts the new ones eat are insane. And titu is sooooo skinny, i can see his spine and ribcage bone. But he eats like crazy
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2015 20:30:46 GMT -5
I'll be updating here so I have a journal as well. I became very fond of them... i really want them to fit in... the situation is very tense now, and I feel so sorry for both the new and old, the stress they go through... and titu screams so loud in the middle of the night that the neighbours are pounding on the wall, I'm afraid they'll call the police for animal abuse. I do mention that titu screams without being hurt - gizmo sat next to him and he started yelling, he's terrified. He secured a spot in my heart and I care for him dearly.. but I would need advice on how to deal with him, to make him feel more confident. Alphas are still in battle. And marbella just wants to beat everyone up (no, she can't, but she likes to show off and make a scene). They all took a bath today with pure vanilla drops to mixup their smells. Didn't seem to work much, but they seemed to have had some fun running around soaked. Any other tips for introducing two bonded groups are greatly appreciated! P.S. i was caught in between so many times I have pretty bad botes on my arms and legs, they bleed me daily. My husband isn't treated much better either
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2015 6:22:22 GMT -5
And then there was blood. Aramis got to Frankie right when I though wverything was going well. He has wounds on his nose and back ( separated now...
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Post by Jeremy's Boggle on Jul 15, 2015 6:43:54 GMT -5
Maybe slow down a bit. Rotate who is in the play pen and who is out for a while. Only let one or two interact until those two get along then add another one. With multiple alpha ferret it is best to take things really slow.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2015 17:28:52 GMT -5
I'm just wondering- besides the alphas, they all have to establish their position, right? As in, they will all fight with each other until they settle? I noticed now that the alphas are done, Frankie is officially under Aramis. He sometimes tests him by going towards him, scratching the floor, and when Frankie steps back he just walks away. He laid down next to where Frankie was without doing anything. Just looking - if Frankie didn't attack, Aramis didn't. Frankie now backs away from everyone, he doesn't fight anymore. I think he's done, or learned his place hopefully. Aramis and Gabriel now go for Titu. And the ladies are fighting each other. Gizmo doesn't care. He used to be the bully when we got Gabriel, but now he is peaceful and acts like everyone's friend. He's a bit afraid of the new arrivals but he doesn't fight. He's being the nice guy. I wonder how this will move on - will each fight every one of them to establish their role?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2015 5:04:46 GMT -5
Frankie doesn't react to Aramis - he bit him and Frankie didn't fight back, didn't react at all..
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Post by RedSky on Jul 20, 2015 3:16:46 GMT -5
Sounds like Frankie has learnt his lesson. Is Titu only screaming at the original four? Or does he even scream at his friends? He might be able to hear, but can he see? Smell? Could be something that is making it difficult for him, or he could just be really stressed out. If he's screaming at everyone and doesn't seem that closely bonded with the other two I would be tempted to keep him on his own on a night, so that his screaming isn't causing issues with the neighbours. That's not something to be taken lightly if they are all ready banging on the wall. Not sure what laws are like over there, but here it could cause problems. A small cage, the bathroom or a bedroom would do. Even if you made him a safe pen in your room so he wasn't all alone.
Have you tried RR to help settle everyones stress? It's my go to when ever we are doing something different and my three have only ever had positive reactions to it.
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