New, Hello!

[hierah]

Hi everyone,

My name is Holly and I've never really joined a forum before so this would be my first, haha. I have two ferrets, Loki, a sable/polecat, who I got a few months ago.(I've actually been stalking the forum for a while as I used it to switch my stubborn little guy). I've noticed since he's switched, his fur is beautiful, though... He's also got a lot more energy but I'm not sure if thats a good or a bad thing!

;D I also got another ferret yesterday, I can't think of a name for him yet though.. He's a champagne/albino mix and the poor thing doesn't even know how to play. When I got him home he'd forgotten how to use his legs and would slide on the floor with his legs trailing behind him.. After a while of Loki pouncing on him, though, he seems to have remembered. He was in small cages (around 1footx1foot.. or less) with two other ferrets, he had fleas, overgrown nails, and he also smelt like maggots.. After a sleep, a bath and having his nails cut though, he seems fine.
He's somewhat grumpy though, he hisses at Loki's attempt to wrestle with him... It doesn't stop Loki from jumping on him though! He just carries on, dooking as he goes!
I was suprised to find that he's already on a raw diet.

I was wondering though (as I'm not sure where to post this, I'll post it here),
Does anyone know how I can teach him to play? (I was thinking about just letting Loki teach him, haha)
And can anyone think of a name for him?
Thank you if you can help me! Haha.

[Heather]

Hi and welcome on board. Please prowl and ask questions....I guess prowling is a bit late as far as advice . Great use of the files to switch your Loki. Fantastic initiative . Check out the enrichment section. There is a ton of useful information in there on playing and offering stimulation to a fuzzie. I can remember when I got Captain Jack and Calypso. They had spent their whole life in a cage (it was large enough and they were loved) they just weren't allowed to be ferrets. They both only knew how to snuggle. Their people took them everywhere, but they were never allowed to play. They both would lie in your arms by the hour and watch the world go by and would sleep while they were in their cage. I put them with Fun-Go (who was a nasty piece of work who trusted and loved no one, probably one of my hardest abuse cases). I was hoping that Captain Jack would "rub off" on Fun-Go....NOT ...Fun-Go taught Jack how to be a ferret . No matter, Captain Jack now plays, roughs, climbs, open cupboards and gets in trouble with the best of them. It was during this time that we discovered that Calypso had a spinal injury (because she never moved and was snuggled all the time we weren't even aware that she had been hurt, her people hadn't mentioned it and we never thought to check her that way)
Give him time, he will learn to play, just play with him. Offer different interactive games, drag the towel, steal the washcloth, offer tennis balls, cat tickles....do some of the things that you do with Loki. Just remember he has to learn to do these types of things.
There is a thread that was going on, where everyone posted some of their favourite names, check that out . I often allow my little scamps to go nameless for awhile, while I wait to see their personalities blossom
ciao

[rarnold18]

Hi and Welcome to the group! I know in the general section there is a thread about names maybe you can get an idea for your new fuzz there?

[1]

Weal you hit the bulls eye your first try Welcome To The Forum! How to get him to play is already said so I'll say this, if you don't know wear to put a ferret related thread put it in general ferret chatter and if it don't go their Heather will put it wear it belongs . If its about food it always goes hear
holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=rawwhole
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[sherrylynne]

Hi, and welcome! I also had a little girl who didn't know how to be a ferret. After several attempts at interactions, she finally realized she liked to play "chase", where I'd "stomp" after her Almost 2 years later, it's still her favourite game, although she has learned how to play since.
The main thing is to find ONE thing he likes, whether it be "stomp", a cat teaser toy, towel rides, tummy tickles, what have you, and work it up from there!