How to Introduce Animals

When a lot of love and a bit of TLC it's quite easy to introduce two totally different species to each other and have them grow up as Best Friends

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Two young pets
• A way to separate them (possibly the door to a room - or baby gate)
• Patience!

1. Carefully cradle your new pet in your arms, and allow the "dominant" pet to approach at will. This is where the baby gate or screen door comes in handy. They can sniff through it at each other to catch scents. If the new pet is a small a baby it becomes easy to lift him/her out of range should the dominant pet get aggressive.

2. Give each pet his/her OWN area that they can claim as their turf with food bowls, water, and litter pans (if applicable). Separate toys help them adjust to the change so they have something they can claim as "Mine!". (i.e. one on closed-in patio - one in kitchen separated by screen door) Be sure to give the dominant pet plenty of alone attention.

3. Carefully monitor playtime so that tussling doesn't turn into actual fighting. After a couple of weeks I find using a toy to engage both of them to play is a good way to encourage bonding.

4. 
    
   Jack lounging

   With patience, attention, and praise nearly any animal can learn to get along with any other. My ferret *shown* and my kitten play every afternoon and have been best friends for nearly a year now.

Tips & Warnings

• I find the younger the age of the animals that are introduced - the easier to process becomes.
• I feed my kids treats at the same time so they understand that being together means food/something good!
• never try to break up a fight. I use a broom to gently separate them and put them in separate rooms until they calm down.