Tumbleweed
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Everything posted by Tumbleweed
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I don't think they'll get out just yet unless the nest is built up too high, but I was watching how active they were getting and suddenly started to worry! lol. I guess I could cover the ladder in a good layer of straw just in case. Perhaps I'm underestimating the mothering skills of my jills...
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I tried to separate them by colour lol. One of the mum's is a silver. I'm wondering if the light grey ones are sandy like dad. It's exciting watching the colours come through .
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The jills with their kits are currently in a two tier hutch (with controlled access to detachable outside run). The nest area is fairly big and there's a round pop hole in the middle for them to get in and out. I've noticed the kits - although only two weeks old - are getting quite active. I was wondering how long it is likely to take them to start clambering out of the pop hole and if they'll be at risk of falling down the ladder, or if by the time they can get out they'll manage the ladder ok. Just wondered if anyone had had a similar set up as I'm worried about the kits falling!
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I tend to use Imageshack to upload and then pop the link on the forum. I can't get the forum one to work but have a feeling it's because of my photo size and I have no idea how to change the setting for that on the camera lol.
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Yikes. Maybe hubby should go out with just the kits dad and see what they can catch without the jills helping. I might get some of the rabbit mince stuff from the petshop as it's only 50p a pack. When feeding dry to the kits is it best to soften it with water, or perhaps lactose free milk? Can they have dry from around three weeks or should dry to provided later on and only raw meat given at first? I want to stock up this week if possible so I can start offering tastes next weekend. I'm in Suffolk.
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Well, we still have twenty two and they're two weeks old now. None are exceptionally smaller than the others or have any deformities that I can see. I checked them over in detail for the first time today. We seem to have ten that have gone very dark grey, of those 3 are hobs and 7 are jills. Then we have twelve that are lighter grey or white - one is going to be albino. I'm guessing the other lighter grey will be sandy and the whitish ones silver? Anyway the albino is a hob, of the rest 8 are hobs and 3 are jills. In total that makes 10 jills and 12 hobs. Not a bad mix!
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Now my ferrets are busy raising their kits and I'm not taking them out has anyone got any idea where I can get fresh rabbit from? I don't know any other ferreters in this area to ask. I've seen blocks of rabbit meat at the pet shop but I want to get whole, fresh rabbit ideally. The butchers don't have any, I've already asked about.
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New pics taken today at 12 days old. Seems quite an array of colours at the moment.
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If anyone is interested in a couple of kits let me know, we still have a few needing homes although the majority have already been reserved. It'll be lighter ones that need homes as most people on my list are after poleys!
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Yes, same day and same nest. They have 22 between them and have had no losses to date - I managed a quick head count on the day they were born and had a proper count again yesterday while the mums were eating. One had ten and the other twelve. The one we didn't think was pregnant had them first. The mums are working well together. At first they took it in turns to go down and eat, although they're coming out together now. They've always been very close friends.
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This is the best pic for colours of my lot.
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The silver was from silver x sandy parents and the polecat from polecat x albino. She had sandy and polecat siblings. The sandy dad is from unknown parentage in regards to the colour of his parents (I checked the parents and grandparents were from unrelated lines but forgot to get details of colourings ).
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My polecat jill has gone much darker than last year. My silver could have been mistaken for a DEW a few weeks ago and now her fur is has got quite dark tipped. They also look really sleek in comparison to what they did.
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My kits are now 8 days old and some are turning grey. Will these be polecat marked kits or could they just as easily be sandy? All the kits - except one, which I assume will be albino (and is the only one so far to have a name - Alby - lol) - have dark eye slits so will the lighter ones be silver or could they also be sandy? Just really curious about how long it takes before you can be certain as to what colour they'll be. The kits are in a shared nest and I've had no losses to date even though they're both first time mums so I'm delighted about that. One mum in particular is a wonde
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Wonderful court . Our two jills have kits in the same nest and seem fine so far - approx 22 on day of birth (same day) and a quick head count today and there is still approx the same - I managed to count 20. I haven't counted a definite number as I'm only peeking quick at the moment. Kits are a week old tomorrow. With that much space I'm sure they'll be fine.
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Kits at four days old .
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Both jills are very friendly, although I'm not pushing that at the moment. I was watching them earlier and they seem to take turns coming out to feed and they are curling around the kits on opposite sides to make a nice circle around them. I have no idea if any have died or not but there seem to be plenty of lively looking kits. Although there are a lot, some are suckling and most of the rest seem to be asleep as if satisfied. I've no concerns about them being together at this time ,
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Update - Well, the ferret we hadn't intended to breed escaped soon after they came into season and was missing for a few days before coming home on her own accord (after we'd frantically searched the neighbourhood...). Anyway she got herself preg on her adventures... We weren't sure if it was a phantom preg as she wasn't as tired, hungry or big as the jill we did breed so we left them together as planned. Anyway, both jills gave birth today! The one who wasn't supposed to have kits had 10 this morning and the other had hers this evening. They are in the same nest, both feeding the kit
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Thanks for your replies. I think I will keep them together and watch carefully. They are great friends and always snuggle together, there has never been any sign of either being bad tempered towards the other to date. The one due to have kits is the slightly dominant of the two. I've read online that sometimes the other jill makes a good surrogate aunt and helps to care for the kits, yet in other places they warn that the kits will be eaten if another ferret is nearby! The hob is living in a seperate hutch. I'm guessing she's pregnant as he's not the slightest bit interested in h
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We have one jill who is pregnant and one we don't intend to breed this year (don't want too many babies as this will be our first litter so the other jill has had a jab). Anyway, these jills have been living together since they were kits, although they are unrelated. They are great friends and get on very well together. Will it be possible to keep them together when the pregnant jill has her kits or will there be problems? There seems to be a mix of advice online so wondered if anyone had experience of this situation on here. It is a two tier hutch so I could possibly block access to t
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Hi, I'm new to the forum. Basically, what we're looking for is a Jack Russell puppy to take rabbiting to work with our ferrets. I'm wondering if we should be looking for a pup that has working parents (or grandparents) or if any JR will work as well if given the right training. We're aiming to get a pup sometime this year, so I'm doing as much research now so we get the right puppy. If anyone can help with advice that would be wonderful. If anyone has puppies, either now, or planned for later in the year that they need a home for then we'd be happy to chat to you. We live in t