Phyco ferret!

[driller killer 33]

Hello,

My ferret had kits must be about 3/4wks ago now. I wanted a new edition and so did a couple of mates.

Anyway, since she has had them she has turned phyco. will simply dive in for the kill as soon as you open the hutch or handel her at all. Shes not just playing or doing it half heartedly, she has managed to get hold a couple of times and really bites as hard as she can and rags you as if her life depended on it. She is usually very happy and relaxed when i handel her.

I realise she is only protecting the young.

Before she had the kits she was fine to hold, didnt try to bite you at all. Allthough you could tell she was a little bit wilder/up for it than my other one. and is a great worker due to this i believe,(she really is a brilliant worker best 1 i know or known, everyone who goes out with us agree also) has a big brave heart.

Have had her for about say 7mth, give or take. She must have been about 12mths when i got her and was a little bit nippy. Dont know what the previous owners were like, she was a rescue.

I usually handel them at least 3 times a day, often more. Since she has turned attack ferret has not been so much. I have also left her alone for little bit to settle in with her young uns.

What i would like to know is when does the protective instinct ware off a bit?

Any advice on calming her down? I know handeling her will help, im trying, have the scars to prove it.

Also i moved her out of the main ferret court, which is very big, in to a smaller hutch (bout 5ft) to have her kits, when would i be able to move her back? obviously im worried about her attacking the other ferret.

There is one other jill in the court, that is a little younger, smaller and i would say the more submissive out of the 2.

Thanks in advance for any advice or help.

Neil

[Kay 3,709]

She should be fine in a month or so its quite normal for a mother

[jack_frost 0]

Got bitten about 30 mins ago by my girl she has kits and put it down to that as was the same last year then returned back to normal but i know what you mean as she had me and hung on bless her its normal buddy as she never bites when kits in involved she will be right i am sure as will my hand when it stops beating with my heart lol.

[driller killer 33]

She should be fine in a month or so its quite normal for a mother

Cheers,

Nice picture Kay, is that you??

[driller killer 33]

Thanks for letting me know its normal, not just phyco ferret disease.

Women and hormones, not a good mix!

Any idea when she can go in with the other? Will she attack her also?

[Kay 3,709]

Thanks for letting me know its normal, not just phyco ferret disease.

Women and hormones, not a good mix!

Any idea when she can go in with the other? Will she attack her also?

 

the kits your keeping & her can go in the court when there old enough to hold there own, she may still mother them & the other ferrets for a while , it really does depend on the jill, there all different

[jack_frost 0]

Thanks for letting me know its normal, not just phyco ferret disease.

Women and hormones, not a good mix!

Any idea when she can go in with the other? Will she attack her also?

 

the kits your keeping & her can go in the court when there old enough to hold there own, she may still mother them & the other ferrets for a while , it really does depend on the jill, there all different

If it was me mate i would listen to kay as i my mate did not and lost a jill so bad bitten vet had to put her to sleep so sound advice mate and watch your hands lol i thought my girl was asleep reachen in for food bowl and she had me fast as that hurts like hell.

[driller killer 33]

Thanks for letting me know its normal, not just phyco ferret disease.

Women and hormones, not a good mix!

Any idea when she can go in with the other? Will she attack her also?

 

the kits your keeping & her can go in the court when there old enough to hold there own, she may still mother them & the other ferrets for a while , it really does depend on the jill, there all different

 

The other ferret in the court is really chilled out, i really cant see her causing any problems. i was more worried about mom getting over protective with her. but it is a very big court so easy for them to have there own space. is 4wks to early to move them in? the other ferret could do with the company and theres a lot of space for mom also.

Maybe if i moved mom and the kits in to a little part of the court and blocked it off to the main part, let them settle in for a few days then let them have the run of the place? i heard other jills can take the place of an aunty and actually help with the care of the kits.

What do people think with the mother being so protective?

Also at this age is there still a chance that mom might kill them if disturbed?

I am having to move them all in a few day, hutch and all, will be a 20/30min drive. was just gonna put hutch mom and kits still inside in the back of my mates van and go, or should i seperate them do you think?

Would not move them if had a choice.

[Kay 3,709]

4 weks is way to early imo leave them untill there racing around a court could pose lots of hazzards for such a tiny kit

[driller killer 33]

4 weks is way to early imo leave them untill there racing around a court could pose lots of hazzards for such a tiny kit

 

Ok, cheers for the advice, I am having to move it all and im going to have a lot more room to extend so will do this when moving.

At the moment they have a 6ft by 4ft shed with 3 levels of hutches with ramps to each level, then theres a pipe that leads a 4ft by 2ft run with a 2ft by 2ft hutch on top, they have access to all of this with pipes hammocks toys ets and about 3 sleepin areas, so lots of room allready.

Im thinking of adding a 8ft by 4ft aviary on to it, will add a few levels pipes etc and maybe bury netting a bit so they got some soil to dig about in, whats peoples opinion on a small pool/pond thing? I wouldnt think ferrets liked water but one day out with them we were rabbiting by a river and my mates hobb as soon as it got near the water jumped straight in, i had to wade in before it went flying down river!