Fuzzy experiments
Jun. 24th, 2002 11:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
joflasherI decided that Tira was healed enough to start reintroductions.
Saturday evening, I stole all of their bedding and washed it with vinegar to get rid of any smell. Boy and I then washed both ferrets together (misery theory) and put vanilla on their noses so they couldn't smell one another. We threw a bunch of towels and blankets on the kitchen floor, shut all the doors so they were stuck in the kitchen and turned them loose. It seemed to take about 10 minutes for them to get over the "shit, I'm wet" panic attack and notice each other, despite the fact that they had been trying to dry themselves by rubbing on one another off and on. No real fights took place...Midori wanted to lick Tira's ears, Tira wanted to scratch at the doors, basically best case scenario. I didn't want to put them into the same cage that night since we were going out to S and A's for dinner and I was afraid they might fight while we were gone. Maybe I should have just stayed home and watched them.
Sunday morning, round 2. Tried to just turn them out together in the kitchen. Midori promptly attacked Tira, causing hideous ferret screams from one or both of them. Boy and I eached grabbed one and dunked them into water and vanilla'ed them. Brief panic attack later and Midori was trying to attack Tira again. This time I left it go until Tira had Midori down and Midori was the only one screaming. Repeat about 10 times. Eventually it got to the point where one would approach the other in the course of their rambling about the kitchen, sniff, and then both would back away hissing. Every once in awhile one would attack and the screams would start. I think there was more noise than pain, though, since I caught Tira mid-pounce once and she started screaming and I KNOW I wasn't hurting her. I also saw Midori scream when Tira jumped on her tail, no teeth involved.
After about an hour, the only time fights would break out was when one was in a small space, like under a towel, and the other would try to come in too. Eventually Midori got really tired and kept trying to go to sleep and failing. Tira would poke her nose under Midori's blanket, a brief fight or hissing fit would occur, Midori would wander to another blanket and it would repeat. I felt sorry for her and put them back in their cages so she could get some rest.
Tonight, ferret experiment # 3.
Saturday evening, I stole all of their bedding and washed it with vinegar to get rid of any smell. Boy and I then washed both ferrets together (misery theory) and put vanilla on their noses so they couldn't smell one another. We threw a bunch of towels and blankets on the kitchen floor, shut all the doors so they were stuck in the kitchen and turned them loose. It seemed to take about 10 minutes for them to get over the "shit, I'm wet" panic attack and notice each other, despite the fact that they had been trying to dry themselves by rubbing on one another off and on. No real fights took place...Midori wanted to lick Tira's ears, Tira wanted to scratch at the doors, basically best case scenario. I didn't want to put them into the same cage that night since we were going out to S and A's for dinner and I was afraid they might fight while we were gone. Maybe I should have just stayed home and watched them.
Sunday morning, round 2. Tried to just turn them out together in the kitchen. Midori promptly attacked Tira, causing hideous ferret screams from one or both of them. Boy and I eached grabbed one and dunked them into water and vanilla'ed them. Brief panic attack later and Midori was trying to attack Tira again. This time I left it go until Tira had Midori down and Midori was the only one screaming. Repeat about 10 times. Eventually it got to the point where one would approach the other in the course of their rambling about the kitchen, sniff, and then both would back away hissing. Every once in awhile one would attack and the screams would start. I think there was more noise than pain, though, since I caught Tira mid-pounce once and she started screaming and I KNOW I wasn't hurting her. I also saw Midori scream when Tira jumped on her tail, no teeth involved.
After about an hour, the only time fights would break out was when one was in a small space, like under a towel, and the other would try to come in too. Eventually Midori got really tired and kept trying to go to sleep and failing. Tira would poke her nose under Midori's blanket, a brief fight or hissing fit would occur, Midori would wander to another blanket and it would repeat. I felt sorry for her and put them back in their cages so she could get some rest.
Tonight, ferret experiment # 3.
