First Litter Of Kits - Advice Please

[Mr Whippy 1]

Ey up all

 

So it looks like before long I'll be having a couple of litters. They will be my first, so I'm after so advice.

 

I have one large polecat hob, a polecat jill and an albino jill. At the moment they are all housed together, but I have three seperate hutches that can be used.

 

So, how do I go about caring for them in the right way? For start to finish.

[northern lad 2,292]

[saluki bulls 118]

Ey up all

 

So it looks like before long I'll be having a couple of litters. They will be my first, so I'm after so advice.

 

I have one large polecat hob, a polecat jill and an albino jill. At the moment they are all housed together, but I have three seperate hutches that can be used.

 

So, how do I go about caring for them in the right way? For start to finish.

 

Would it not of been a better idea looking into it all first before breeding them ?

[Mr Whippy 1]

 

Ey up all

 

So it looks like before long I'll be having a couple of litters. They will be my first, so I'm after so advice.

 

I have one large polecat hob, a polecat jill and an albino jill. At the moment they are all housed together, but I have three seperate hutches that can be used.

 

So, how do I go about caring for them in the right way? For start to finish.

 

Would it not of been a better idea looking into it all first before breeding them ?

 

I've done a ton of reading, and there are so many conflicting opinions. I just want some unbiased advice from people that actually do it, rather than people that just write about it

[The one 8,396]

Totally up to you take the hob out run the two jill together ?. or seperate the three of them whats your plan?.

[Halfinch 51]

I have left the hob in with the females in the past, but i did lose quite a few of the young, now only having done it the once, i can't say for sure that the hob in was the reason, but i never did it again and lost less.

 

I have always left both my females together, and not had any problems, but if they are a fair bit apart coming into season, i think it would be better to seperate them as i could see a mother with say 3 week old kits, killing younger weaker ones even though they are from another mother.

This is only my assumption though, better safe than sorry if you have the space anyway.

[Country Joe 1,411]

If you have the space, i would separate the hob, then split the Jills into seperate accommodation.

You also have to remember that with two litters, you could end up with 16 kits.

a lot to get rid.

Edited March 31, 2013 by Country Joe

[bobcullen79 1,495]

I have left the hob in with the females in the past, but i did lose quite a few of the young, now only having done it the once, i can't say for sure that the hob in was the reason, but i never did it again and lost less.

 

I have always left both my females together, and not had any problems, but if they are a fair bit apart coming into season, i think it would be better to seperate them as i could see a mother with say 3 week old kits, killing younger weaker ones even though they are from another mother.

This is only my assumption though, better safe than sorry if you have the space anyway.

Or you could wait till both jills were heavy in season, you wouldnt have the 3 week gap then, both jills could be impregnated within days of each other.

Ive never really like the idea of multipul litters in the same cages, especially with a big horny hob. Just my opinion..

[Jamie m 668]

You could just leave them all together then the jills will get so stressed with each other and with the hob and kill the lot , your better off just having the one litter use it as a learning Kerb for the first time, just like the search button at the top of the page al the best j ,

[Malt 379]

I'd separate them personally, that way you'll have more control at feeding times etc and it will be easier to identify and manage any issues that any kits might have have. The one thing I would advise is stocking right up on food.. When you think you've got enough, get some more in on top because the amount of food even a single litter of kits gets through is unbelievable, never mind multiple litters! I think you might be in for a shock!

[GreyRake 108]

Move any jill your breeding into her own cage.

[nothernlite 18,026]

take the hob out and its up to you how many young you want if you can get rid of them separate the jills if you cant leave them together and they will eat some of the young and might just leave you with a couple

[Country Joe 1,411]

It all comes down to the same old question.

How are you going to get rid of spare kits, as you say you have already one hob, and two Jills,

so if you keep one from each litter you will have 5 ferrets to work, I take it, you will have a lot of permission to keep them going in work.

if I had been you, and wanted to breed, working both Jills, you would know which one was the best worker, and I would have bred from just the one Jill.

If you are keeping the two jills and maybe adding more, I would get your hob vasectomised.

[scroat 62]

you got 3 cages give them a cage each save a lot of hassle later on.and breed them whithin a day or 2 of each other.

[paulus 26]

your problems are going to be 1) food (they eat for england)

2) socialising the kits (with 2 litters it will take up alot of time to do a propper job)

 

 

just a question, why put both jills in kit??? personally ive left a hob and multiple jills together to rear kits without any troubles, even witnessed the hob playing with the kits for hours and the jills will spend hours robbing and moving each others kits to their nest box. but if something goes wrong it will effect all of them, this should not be the case if housed indiviual. either way i think your in for one steep learning curve.