Need advise

[Guss33 375]

What is the best way to introducing new ferrets to other ferrets. I have 3 ferrets that get along really well two of them are brother and sister around 18 months old and a hob that is around 5 months old who is the sun of my Jill. I have just picked up two more hobs that are around 4 to 5 months old I have Had all of  them together for short periods of time but the two old hobs seem to be picking on the two new ones biting them and dragging them around. Unsure weather to leave them all together and let them sort it out but I don’t really want to do that. Any advise will great as in the past I have always bought ferrets in small numbers of three or four that have been together and never had to worry about it. What I am trying to achieve is four good working bucks that I will get cut. 

[Bobtheferret 1,248]

Are the two older hobs in season? Balls still on show? Only time I have known hobs fight is when the testosterone is up. If not occasionally they just need to assert a pecking order but it sounds like hormones rather than dominance to me. 

[Guss33 375]

No the older hob is out of season and the younger hobs haven’t dropped yet the main ferret that seems to be causing the problem is the young one but the big hob doesn’t seem to be fussed. The old hob and the five month hob never seem to have a problem with each other  maybe tomorrow morning I will put the old hob with the two new ones and keep a close eye on them  My second question when is the best time to get the hobs  cut  I always liked the cut hobs as I can work them all year around  and don’t have to worry about breading 4 or 5 jills  my last litter I ended up with 5 jills and one hob from my Jill  

 

 

 

 

[Luckee legs 471]

Don't have the answer, currently I've 2 young Jills separate to main group  .  A few ferrets are pure evil on newbies even if there is a lot of space. I've a Jill who will ruthlessly visit every sleeping quarter (5 in my run) trying to evict 2 new Jill's.  She is a demon rabbiter so I suck it up. What I've learnt over the years. In cages you just can't always expect to mix them up. So you'll need more cages. In a run try to have about the same number of sleeping quarters as ferrets and make entrances easy to defend. I prefer new stock as same sex pairs from same litter, I find that helps them defend themselves as they get older and usually they stay good mates. On the plus side I've also observed It only really affects working late on as ferrets come into season, mine focus on hunting. Not separating persistent fighters will cost in vets bills when inevitably a bite gets infected. Best of luck

[Guss33 375]

Thank you to all for help I have 4 large cages so separating them is not a problem it’s when I work them as some of warrens and wood piles I do I like to use 3 or 4 ferrets as they are quite large and I seem to get better results with a team of ferrets than using just to. Anyway today I am at home and I am able to put them in a large cage that I have and be able to keep an eye on them do a little bit of mixing the about and see how they go. 

[Guss33 375]

Well today while doing things in the back yard I put the two new hobs together with my Jill all was good for the day the Jill is the albino. I did put the other hob in every now and then and took him out for a break he is the son of the Jill not in the photo. All seems to be going well if I keep at it hopefully I can put them all together.  One question when is the best time to get the hobs cut I have planes to get four of them done so I can hopefully have a good team of workers that won’t fight with each other 

[terryd 8,499]

If you forget about the being in season thing for a moment. If you have ferrets that don't mix well just swapping hutches every day for a few days helps. 

[Guss33 375]

At the moment the ferrets are out of season but what I have being doing is introducing the new ones with the female and than been put in her back with the other ones. With your idea sounds great and I will definitely take it on board and give it a shot. I will give you guys an up date on how I go so everyone can learn. Tnx for the advice. 

[Guss33 375]

Well guys just an update on the ferrets and thank you to all for the advise.  I have been swapping the ferrets around in their cages and been feeding them all together and swapping them around the last week or two. I now have 4 of the five ferrets getting along well. Three hobs and one Jill. The two white / sandy ones are brother and sister from the same litter. The other two the pole cats got from a mate swapped them for three jills. Only draped them as no one was interested in them. When time comes I will get all the hobs cut. I still have one hob that is still punching on who is the son of the Jill.  It I will work on it if all else fails he can go and I will get another one. And try again to build a good team. If their is anyone else out their with any ideas please pass on the ideas. At the end of the day and everyone has their own opinion but I have always worked cut hobs ( in Australia we call them cut bucks ) with my Jill when not in season. Once again thanks for all the advice. 

[Guss33 375]

All good being putting them all together of and on what I found was when my Jill was in the cage them they the one hob would fight with the others with out the Jill near them they were all happy unsure why but all is great. Thanks to all with the advice. The photos are not the best but they are all happy together.