Predetor and prey animal companions

[candidus_cogitens]

If you have two animal companions, one of which is a natural predator of the other, would you be able to train them to coexist in peace?

Same for familiars. Would my hawk companion kill your weasel familiar?

Would this require a special "trick" to be acquired by the animal? Woud a trick even be sufficient to handle such a problem?

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

Well, since in RL my rat has gone on rides on the back of my girlfriend's cat, I really don't see a problem.

Furthermore, animals raised together will treat each other in all kinds of unusual ways. I've seen female cats suckle puppies and even a cat who liked snakes.

 

[candidus_cogitens]

Those are illuminating examples. I am reminded also of sheepdogs, which, being raised with the sheep, come to think of themselves as being sheep too.

However, these are exceptions to the norm, and would require at least a little bit of training, wouldn't you say?

It would be a lot easier to get a Hawk familiar to refrain from attacking a weasel companion than to get a Hawk companion to refrain from attacking a weasel familiar. Right? .... because of the unusual intelligence and empathic abilities of familiars.

I think I would still be nervous for my familiar, if a natural predetor was accompanying the party.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

...
However, these are exceptions to the norm, and would require at least a little bit of training, wouldn't you say?

It would be a lot easier to get a Hawk familiar to refrain from attacking a weasel companion than to get a Hawk companion to refrain from attacking a weasel familiar. Right? .... because of the unusual intelligence and empathic abilities of familiars.

I think I would still be nervous for my familiar, if a natural predetor was accompanying the party.

Yeah, unless they were raised together, there would probably have to be a period of training, but I don't think it woud require the use of a "trick." Animals are pretty empathic, and most pets quickly learn to value other creatures you value (there are certainly exceptions). It may have something to do with their perception, or lack thereof, of you as Alpha and don't want to get on your bad side, but it does work. I imagine animal companions would be similar.

I don't know, you might hood your hawk companion (or a similar punishment) every time it looked sideways at the wizard's familiar. It would learn eventually that you meant business (even if, IMO, birds are much less tractable than mammals). Though if I were the weasel, I'd keep out of the open for a while.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

I dont see it as that big a danger. My dwarven wizard has a toad familiar with over 20 hitpoints. I pity the druid or rangers pet hawk that swoops down trying to eat him.