Ferret fighting help!

[patterdalejoel 669]

I got a hob kit at the weekend, he will be 6 months old and is quite a tiny thing, and i introduced him to my hutch with 3 jills in and they gave him a sniff then ignored him, not a sign of aggression, just curiosity. went out to check them in the morning and he had been fairly battered, the top of his head looked wet with ferret spit where they had been biting. they hadnt broken the skin so i thought it was just a bit of jostling. went out the day after and he was fine, top of his head looked fine, i picked him up to check him and as soon as i put him back down in the hutch and my jill just latched on and shook him and rolled around like a terrier, locking onto his head. the poor fcuker was screaming, so i choked her off, then a few minutes later put him back in and they were fine with him.

 

i have introduced hobs in before and i have put them in, watched and they were fine, but they were large hobs, maybe that was a factor? this one will be half the size of the jills, one of them especially is pretty large.

 

it seems to happen a lot when i am there or open the hutch? he isnt bullied 24/7 as his head is fine most of the time. i am loathed to take him out as he will become a stranger to them again and it will start from scratch. what can i do to help without seperating him or is that the only option? will they ever tolerate him? i want whats best for him as he is from good stock (apparently! ) as isay it isnt a constant thing, so he isnt suffering 24/7 but obvs he cant enjoy it!

 

any ideas???

[DeepEarth 104]

Send him down the road.

[patterdalejoel 669]

just to add he has a full belly every morning so is being allowed to eat, but isnt allowed to sleep with the rest of them.

[blond 8]

put him in a seperate hutch then slowly introduce the jills to him

[The one 8,512]

Think shes just putting him in his place but as he gets bigger and older things will change , I going to try putting my two hobs together tommorrow and then back in with the jills if it all works out and i wasn't looking for any problems

[dave1600d 35]

try to introduce them on neutral ground mate,theyre probably territorial coz hes going into their space,,,,,i know youre gonna put him into theirs in the end but try it to start,,,,,,,,,i introduced 3 like that and it works,,,they do scuffle for about a week or so,,,my latest one weve had for just over a fortnight now,,hes right laid back and was getting a bit bullied,,,but he stands his ground now,,,and they all sleep together and get on,,ive got 5 and started with 2,,theyre all ok together,,,,,if he sleeps seperate make sure hes got plenty of bedding to keep him warm as hes alone,,,,,mine slept seperate for about 4 or 5 days,,now theyre all in together and when i feed em early [bANNED TEXT] i got to work,,,their beds like toast now ,just persevere,,,,,if theres no broken skin and no screaming or sh==ting when they fight let them be,,its just sorting out the peckin order,,GOOD LUCK MATE,,DAVE,

[Stretch177 39]

Yeah neutral ground is sound advice as thats what i do, although it doesn't stop them sorting out the hierarchy of the group, but like has been mentioned this will soon change when he gets bigger and he starts putting himself about.

[TOMO 26,908]

He won't get bigger,, he was born in may, so is 8 month old,,, that's fully grown for a ferret

[The one 8,512]

His post says its six months old but shall we change it to matures ?. then he wont be getting pushed about by a jill unless hes on a promise . :laugh:

[TOMO 26,908]

It was my fault I told him it was 6 month,,, got it wrong checked my diary and they were born in may

[patterdalejoel 669]

so will they take to him do you think or is he just too small/submissive?

[TOMO 26,908]

I honestly don't know Joel ,,, al I would say is keep trying , but sometimes there are ferrets that never accept some ferrets

[The one 8,512]

No think hes still immature ? and as he matures he wont take that off the jills ?. as said the question is do you want to keep trying him and leave him in with them or rehouse him by himself ?