How many ferrets in a DFN?

[lightningkarma]

Wow, I haven't been on the forum in a long time. But I have a new question for all you experts!

I currently have two males living in a double ferret nation. They will be a year old in October and November, respectively. My shelter has 3 female ferrets (2 are two years old, one is 5) that they have had for a very long time because no potential adopters have had a suitable setup or home for them. I told them my situation and experience and they said they would be happy to let me adopt them.

So, finally, my question is this: How many ferrets can fit in my double ferret nation cage? I should say COMFORTABLY fit. They are free roaming most of the day but I do not want them to be cramped at night when they sleep in there. The shelter will not break the girls up as they are extremely bonded (I believe the older female is the mother of the two younger ones). Is this enough space? Thanks for helping!

[unclejoe]

5 is no problem. If they all get a long, great. the FN allows to separate groups of they don't. As long as they have out time I see no problem. We have had as many as 9 sleeping in a double, but they had plenty of free time out of the cage. We had 3 litter boxes, a couple hammocks and 2-3 beds. They will work it out. They will learn that cage time is bed time.

[lightningkarma]

Thank you so much! Wow, I sometimes wish I had nine ferrets! But yes, they only sleep in the cage and free roam all day.

My follow up question is how should I introduce them? I introduced the two boys to each other because I had gotten them from different places. Since I'd gotten them at 10 weeks old, there were no problems.

I'm concerned because now I will be introducing two separate groups: my boys and the shelter females. And while my boys are still young and will probably have no issues, the females are older and have been established for quite a long time.

I imagine introductions are different with groups than introducing two individuals. After all of the obvious scent swapping and cage swapping steps, should I just put both groups on neutral territory together? Should I introduce them one at a time? Thanks!

[unclejoe]

Intros are exciting. I have always just thrown the newbs in with the old crowd, and as long as they were all Marshall's never had a problem. Whenever there was an oddball, like a Real Canadian, or our one private bred, there were issues. What are your pedigrees?

9 is a lot of work.  I went from 1 to 9 in 3 months, taking in pairs of rescues.  One pair came with a ferret nation, so the rest got to enjoy going from smaller cages to the FN all together.  It had 3 litter boxes, plus a half dozen outside the cage, and newspapers or puppy pads in EVERY corner of the house.

[lightningkarma]

The two I already have are Marshall ferrets, but I don't think the three shelter ferrets are Marshalls; one is the mother of the younger two, and since Marshalls "fixes" their ferrets, I assume she couldn't have come from a pet store, at least not a petco or something like that. Maybe a small local store that breeds their own animals or a special ferret breeder. I hope that doesn't complicate things and I also hope the mother isn't too protective of her daughters. Currently have the girls in a single ferret nation next to my boys just to be safe while they get used to each other.