Can't we all just get along!?

In an attempt to make things easier on myself, I wanted
to try and integrate 2 of the groups I have. Right now
there are 3 separate groups who have their own run times.
Lil and Starlight are what is left of the original bunch
from when I moved into my house 7 years ago. Having
seniority in the house as it were, they get to have
during the day while I am at work for their run time.
The next group is JJ and Austin. They get to be out
from when I get home around 5:30 pm until I go to bed.
Now to try and make things fair I try to stay up until
midnight so they have equal time out. Then just before
I turn in I put the boys to bed and let out the kids.
These are Sasha, LizBeth, and Ozzie. LizBeth is barely
a year old and Sasha is 2 and half or so. I think
Alicia said Ozzie is 5, so he isn't technically a kid,
but who's counting? These guys stay out until I wake
up around 5 am. Sometimes I get home late if I am doing
something after work, so somebody gets cheated out of
their play time. So I make up for it on the weekends
if I can and leave that group out a little longer.

I have these groupings because nobody has tolerated
anybody from outside their own group. The drawback to
this all is I don't end up getting a lot of sleep during
the week and have to try and make up for it on the weekend
myself, which means I don't get a lot done around the
house, and I am pretty run down most of the time. So I
thought, these guys have all been in the same room with
each other for a year or so, they must be used to each
other by now. So I tried a little experimentation to
see if I could cut down to 2 run times. Lil pretty much
has disliked everyone except for Starlight since her
brother Phil and Sinbad passed away. I was hoping that
the melatonin chip would have mellowed her a little. It
did such a great job otherwise, she has a wonderful winter
coat this year! ( Her tail was nearly bald back in October).
So I put her out with Austin figuring that he is about
as mellow a guy as you can get. No go, she went right for
him and wouldn't let go. I didn't even want to think what
would happen with JJ. I waited a day, and then tried to
see what she would do with Sasha, who is the definite
dominant one in her group. No go there either. Lil likes
who she likes.

So I waited a week and thought I would try and see if JJ
wanted make nice with another ferret. So I put him and
Ozzie out. JJ is a ferret who likes people, not ferrets.
He thinks he is a person. He likes Austin and that's
about it. JJ pounced right on Ozzie and got him by the scruff
and wouldn't let go. It took a couple of minutes to get him
to let go. So much for that experiment. I felt bad for Ozzie,
he didn't do anything! So he came out and watched TV with me
for a while. Which wasn't long, there isn't a ferret around
that will sit still for more than 5 minutes when in a new
place. I couldn't let him roam out where we were though, it
is not ferret proofed, and the cat doesn't seem to like
ferrets. But he seemed to have gotten over the ordeal. I gave
him a chicken N-bone, and he was content. (This meant I
had to give Sasha and Lizbeth one as well. Fairs fair.).
SO the integration of groups is not to be. I think I am going
try and make some kind of room divider so I can let the
boys and the kids out at the same time. We'll see.

I have to add that this is in no way a complain post about the
ferrets. I love my kids to death. It is just me rambling on
about the latest madness going on around here. peace.