Is This Normal?

[Lancashire Hunter 22]

Hi my jill had her kits just over 3 weeks ago i have noticed recently that when i put some mince or bits of chicken she eats some then the other half she drags near to her nest and hides it.

Is this normal?

[Jamie m 668]

Hi my jill had her kits just over 3 weeks ago i have noticed recently that when i put some mince or bits of chicken she eats some then the other half she drags near to her nest and hides it.

Is this normal?

 

Yes she's putting it in for the kits , this is what you should be doing 3 weeks on kits need meat

[Jamie m 668]

At 5 weeks I get the kits used to water 6 weeks I then take the jill away for a few days normally about four days then reunite them and let the rest of the jills meet them to then when they leave there fully weened and very used to other ferrets ,

[Lancashire Hunter 22]

At what age will they leave the nest? They havent even been out of it yet. Whats the best thing to ween them off on?

[Jamie m 668]

Meet just put it in the nest box near them chicken rabbit mince ,

[The one 8,595]

Aye shes dragging it in to feed the kits but as there three weeks old you could be putting it in the nest for them and dont bother mincing it they have teeth

[Lancashire Hunter 22]

She isnt actually putting it in the nest she is putting it here there and everywere and i have put a bowl of meat in the nest for the kits but she eats half her meat hides it then goes back to the nest eats most of it then takes it out and hides it in diffrent areas of the court. Its puddled me a bit.

[skycat 6,174]

Jills stash bits of food all over the place: normal behaviour as a wild mustelid never knows where the next meal is coming from. Be very careful and remove all raw meat that hasn't been eaten within a few hours as it can go off and kill ferrets very quickly in warm weather. Best thing to wean kits on, and feed adult ferrets is whole rabbits: that way they find it harder to hide little bits under the straw etc. Put the rabbit near the pop hole of the nest and the young will come out and chew on it when they want to.

Whole rabbits, fur and all, but gutted, will go bad less quickly than minced meat of any kind as the meat fibres are still intact. Kits need access to fresh meat 24/7 as they only have tiny stomachs and need to eat very often.

Hope this helps

[Lancashire Hunter 22]

Cheers skycat. Thats very helpful.

[The one 8,595]

Aye i would be feeding a single jill a back rabbit leg , a head a saddle etc so she cant stash it and sits eating it then you can remove whats left in the morning

[Lancashire Hunter 22]

Well done what you guys said putting bits of rabbit in the nest and she just drags it out and moves it.