We received this question from Haley:

My ferret Joker just died of lymphoma about a month ago. I have a ferret called Katie who loved Joker dearly. She is a little lonely now and i was thinking about getting another ferret. Should I or should I wait longer so she knows I’m not replacing him? I was thinking of adopting a ferret as a friend for Katie. Would this be a good idea? Are females dominant and territorial? Please e-mail me back! i need help!

Dear Haley:

I’m so sad to hear your Joker is no longer with you guys! Having lost several ferrets myself, I know how hard it is! And I’m sure Katie is very lonely! I had a very similar situation with our first pair (Boo & Calli). Boo died ahead of his dear friend and she almost went crazy! So we got another friend for her. At first she was insanely jealous and wanted nothing to do with him. She attacked the new baby (Bondi) at every chance she got.

• It helped to put them in separate cages and force them to be near each other without actually being able to attack him. After a while, things smoothed over.
• It is also a good idea to switch their hammocks and other bedding (without washing the items beforehand) into each others cages so they get used to each others’ smells.
• We also had good luck with a litter box switching tactic. When it was time to clean all the litter boxes, we exchanged a small amount of waste in each box to the other. This helped them get used to the other’s scent as well.
• Bathing them together when you first bring the newbie home is also a great tactic. I would definitely make this a two man operation though, in case a fight does erupt.

Keep in mind, though, that some ferrets just won’t accept another after their mate is gone. Some take to another ferret straight away. I’m sure you have noticed each personality is completely different, therefore, one method may work better than others for your Katie.

Another situation we had before was another pair (Jinx & Chloe) was separated by a death, but Chloe was just fine with it Jinx being gone after an initial mourning period. We just gave her some additional attention and she seemed perfectly happy being alone and reaping the benefits of being an only ferret. Again, the situation is personality dependent. If she does seem lonely, getting her a new friend is a fantastic idea. But if you’re not up for a new addition, try giving her extra attention and see how she heals from her loss over time.

Regarding your question about females: Everything I have read about females says that the answer to your question is no they are not territorial. All I can go on really is our experiences. We had one female that was VERY territorial - more so than any of our males. She became quite aggressive when encountering any new ferrets and we were unable to find her a suitable friend replacement. however, another female we had was not that way at all. She rolled with whatever punches we threw. Maybe we had the exception to the rule with the first one.

As far as adopting her a new friend, I’m assuming you mean instead of purchasing a new kit? It really depends on Katie’s age and energy level. If you think she could keep up with a kit and wouldn’t be annoyed by the constant high energy level, then either option would probably be just fine. However, if she is older and has calmed a bit, an adopted ferret closer to her age may be more appropriate.

Please keep me posted! If you do decide to get another, please let me know how it goes and send me a pic!