QUESTION:

Unfortunately, due to some unhappy circumstances I am now hand-rearing a 3 weeks old baby female ferret. I'm giving her a home made humid food made with: boiled chicken breast/leg, a bit of boiled egg, a bit of lactose-free milk; among other recipes.(If you know of some good ones feel free to tell me about it, it would be much appreciated). My question is, at what age should I start teaching her to use the litter box? Right now I'm using a warm, wet cloth to clean her genital area after every time I give her food, which is every 2, 5/3 hours, so that she poops and pees. I'm keeping her in a cat carrier with bit of fleece and a heating pad underneath the base of the carrier(not too hot, just to keep her warm). Your help would be much appreciated.

ANSWER:

Give her a warm fleecy blanket to cuddle up in, so she thinks it is her Mama. Keep feeding her as much of the chicken pureed, (not milk) as often as every 2 hours. Once she starts to move around she will go to the bathroom herself, so place some paper towel at the end of your carrier she will scoot onto the paper. Ferrets are very clean so she will not want to go on her bed. In about a week you can put some food in a shallow bowl, or lid and she will start to eat from it herself, once she does, then start introducing ferret food. Give her 2 bowls one with the chicken and one with ferret food that is soft, she will not be able to eat hard food for a few weeks yet. You can soften hard food with water.

QUESTION:

My female ferret had her first litter of kits about a month or two ago but none of the babies survived. She is now pregnant again and I have increased the amount of protein in her diet but I want the babies to survive. do you think I should feed them myself or was it just because she had not had experience with babies last time? Also she did not eat the babies last time. I am keeping her in a cat carrier cage while she is pregnant to separate her from my male. Is this to small of an area?

ANSWER:

Cat carrier is far too small! She should have a large cage with a small nesting box inside, one that you can open the top and check to see if Mom and kits are doing okay. She needs to be able to get far enough away from kits to use the bathroom and stretch her legs, being confined in a carrier is not enough room.

You should not try to feed them yourself, they need mother's milk and colostrum to survive, plus her warmth and care. She will clean their genitals for several weeks to stimulate their need to urinate and defecate, they will not go on their own, plus she will feed them every 2 hours. Keep her in a quiet and relatively dark place away from people. Once you check after birth, do not touch the babies, just make sure Mom has lots of soft protein to eat fast as she will not want to leave the kits for long while she eats. If the kits do not survive then it would be best to spay the mother and neuter the male.

QUESTION:

My father has decided to breed his two female ferrets for the first time this year. Both of the ferrets have reached their due date. Two days before Bumfuzzle reached her due date she appeared slimmer and less bumpy in the belly when she awoke for breakfast. Dad decided to leave her alone as he had heard playing with the nest could end in tears. Up until now they assumed Bumfuzzle had had her litter as she only came out of her box occassionally for eating and drinking, and her nipples looked like they were in action. Less than a week later and Cleo gives birth a quite vocal bunch of babies. The noise coming from the second cage made Dad wonder about the first litter so he decided to have a look. Inside Bumfuzzle's cage there is a perfectly constructed nest and no babies. My question is, is it likely bumfuzzle ate her babies, and how come there is no blood or gooey stuff from giving birth in the first place. Is there a possibility it was a phantom pregnancy as well? Bumfuzzle was in heat for longer than Cleo before meeting Onslo.

We are quite worried about Bumfuzzle, is it just best to let nature take its course and get her desexed when appropriate? or is there something we can do?

ANSWER:

Since it was Bumfuzzles first time, it could have been a false pregnancy, or she may have eaten the babies (she would have eaten everything if so). It is best to have a nesting box with a lid, so you can check to make sure babies are doing fine and not tangled in their cords, plus if any have died you do need to remove them. Always look when Mum is occupied with food, if you give pureed chicken it takes longer for her to eat and you can take a thorough look into the nest box.

What country are you in. You will need to watch bumfuzzle to make sure she does not come back into heat, it will depend on how long your breeding season is? If she does start herheat cycle agin then you must breed her, however if you do not want more kits, get her spayed BEFORE she returns to another heat cycle.

QUESTION:

I have two beautiful ferrets – Cleo is a pole cat with sable markings, three years old and her boyfriend is Fryman, a one year old very cute ginger. My ferret (Cleopatra) has now had her second ever litter of kits (last year this time was her first litter). Last year she had a litter of 10, sadly 1 died, this year she had a littler of 9 and one died of the same causes at birth. The kits are now two weeks old and Cleo (it seems) has killed one (by evidence of a small puncture hole through the kit and it lying on the ground outside the cage) and tried to discard her kits. This afternoon I found all of her kits on the floor outside their cage! (I have bought a new cage and baby proofed the bottom 20cm of the cage but Cleo must be lifting them up above this and pushing them through the ½ inch wide caps). The only thing I can think to be different from last year otherwise is the weather – it has been very hot and today (this same day I’ve found the ferrets on the floor), we experienced 48degreesC followed by lightening, rain and thunder storms. One of the kits I found on the floor dead - probably from the fall or shock or heat. And the others didn’t look great to be honest - Is it possible that she’s just freaking out with the lightening etc or is she trying to kill her babies? I’m worried because now with only 6 kits left – I don’t want her to kill every last one of them!

I have put the ferrets back into their old cage which gives her no possibility of pushing them out and should hopefully keep them a little cooler, but if worst comes to worse is it possible for me to hand rear them by feeding them milk through a syringe or something? Have you ever heard of behavior like this before? I have heard of birds killing their young when frightened but never ferrets.

ANSWER:

Have you checked to see if Cleo has milk? Are her teats still producing or are her breasts hard lumps. It is very common for ferrets to get mastitis and usually about the time the ferrets are 2 weeks old. You can try using warm compresses on her breasts to see if it will help, you may need to take her to the vet.

You can buy a KITTEN MILK REPLACER to feed the kits, if they are not eating from their Mom. You will need to feed them every 2 hours with an eye dropper( do NOT use a syringe as you can get milk into their lungs). You will also need to keep them warm if you take them away from their mother. Use a heating pad(on lowest setting) if necessary, but put several layers of towels on the pad and under a box lined with fleece, so it does not get too hot. The kits cannot keep warm on their own.

After feeding each one make sure you gently wipe their genitals with a damp cotton ball until the urinate and defecate, they cannot go without stimulation, which the mother normally provides. If you feel that Cleo will wash, clean them without harming them, you can leave them with her and just take them out for feeding. However it might be too stressful for her and the babies and probably the best thing would be to remove the babies at this time.

The heat could definitely be a factor, Cleo could be overheating and this may have dried up her milk, you will need to find a cool place for her the temperature is way too high and you are at risk of losing your ferrets. If you have air conditioning then keep them in until the heat abates, do not take them in and out, from cool to heat, that is far too stressful and may even kill them. If you cannot keep the ferrets indoors then please provide a shallow bowl of water for them to get wet. You can freeze a plastic bottle of water and wrap in a pillowcase for them to keep cool, you will not do this for the kits only the adults.

QUESTION:
I have 3 friendly ferrets (1 neutered hob and 2 jills, Nipper and Whisper) and I mated the 2 jills in the middle of April. But only Nipper got pregnant. After the mating Whisper's swelled vulva went back to normal and seemed like it brought her out of season but did not make her pregnant. Would there be a reason why this happened?

But the more pressing matter now is Nipper. About 2 weeks before she was due to have the kits she started acting quite aggressive. She didn't want to be touched and would nip my hands whenever I got close enough to her (whether it was to take her out her cage to clean it or to put food or water in). Although I knew it was a problem I though she was just acting that way because of the hormones and the fact this would be her first litter and it was almost due.

2 weeks ago she had 7 kits (although sadly 1 died at birth) but she is now very aggressive. I cannot go anywhere near her now. About a week ago she is bit me several times on my hand and a couple of times on my arm and drew a lot of blood. Now I wear leather bike gloves to take her out the cage and put her in a separate cage while I put food or water in or clean it out. I do it as quick as I can so I can put her back with the kits (never longer than 5 minutes). If I have not cleaned them within 5 minutes then I put the mother back in and wait a few hours and go through the process again. Hoping that that method will not stress her out as much as she is not leaving the kits that long each time.
One more thing is that when I do take her out the cage she has never ever tried to bite the gloves but if she manage to reach any other part of me she will sink her teeth in.

The man I got her off said she was just over a year old and now I have had her for about a year so i would say she is around 2 years old now. When I first got Nipper she was a bit skittish and would run away and hide all the time but she came round after she got use to me and the other ferrets and became very friendly although she preferred playing and running to being stroked. But the way she is acting now has shocked me especially how she really seems to be trying to hurt me.

I was wondering if she will grow out of this and start being more friendly again?

And what can I do with the kits?
I know at 3 weeks they open their eyes and they start playing and need socializing and human contact about then but how can I do this without stressing Nipper out because she obviously do not want anyone near them. Would I be able to take Nipper out of the cage while I play with the kits or would that risk her hurting them as they would have my scent on them?

I don't know what to do for the best and though I best get expert help rather than guessing and risking it.

ANSWER:

First of all, I am not sure why you are cleaning the cage? If she has a secluded area with her babies, leave her alone. Just give her some pureed chicken, or some meat protein that she can eat while you quickly scoop her poop, you should not be taking her out, or touching babies. She is trying to protect them, that why she is biting! The poor thing is frantic about her young and thinks you are going to take them away, so PLEASE leave her and babies alone.

At 3-4 weeks of age they will start to use the bathroom on their own and will open their eyes, soon after they will want some softened kibble or meat protein of their own, to go along with mother's milk, so you will need to provide that for them around the clock. A HUNGRY FERRET IS A BITING FERRET!

Once they start coming out of the nest, you should be able to handle them for short periods, but wait until their bellies are full and Mama doesn't seem to mind. If you can keep her occupied with food, she will not bother you or them, if she does then leave them alone. Are you feeding her enough, as she needs lots of meat protein to feed all those babies? Dry kibble does not have enough meat protein, so you must supplement with meat or meat baby food, something she can eat fast, so she can get back to her babies.

Please buy some Bach's RESCUE REMEDY, available at your local HEALTHFOOD store, put 4 drops in her water bottle/dish EACH DAY and it will help calm her down, IT WILL NOT HURT THE BABIES, AS IT IS ALL NATURAL. Once the babies are 7-8 weeks old you can find them homes, hope you have some lined up as they grow very quickly?

You should consider having Nipper spayed as with that temperament she does not need to pass on those traits to her young. She should calm down after her hormones settle down, but please give her some time after babies are gone.

As far as Whisper, she may start her heat cycle again, so watch to make sure her vulva doesn't swell again, she will need to be spayed, or bred if you have homes for her babies, do consider the amount of ferrets needing homes and consider spaying. She may have had a false pregnancy which happens often with young ferrets, but keep watch for her second cycle it is early in the year yet.

QUESTION:
We were given a ferret just under 2 months ago and she has just had 7 babies and we don't no if she's had them before. She's eating and it looks like she's coping well, but what should I look out for and how long should they be kept with her?

ANSWER:

The babies should be left with Mama until 7-8 weeks of age. You must leave food available all the time for Mama ferret and increase her MEAT PROTEIN. Babies will be cared for by the mother, do not touch or interfer, unless you suspect something is wrong. She will feed and clean them, until they can use the bathroom on their own at about 3-4 weeks old, they will then open their eyes.

Once they start coming out to eat the Mama's food you should give them a shallow dish of softened kibble/ meat that they can eat along with milk from mother. At this time you can start handling them.

QUESTION:
My ferret is about to have her first babies and she has stopped eating and she is only a couple of days away from having them should i be concerned about this?

ANSWER:

Are you sure she hasn't had them and eaten them? If you think she still is pregnant then feed her pureed cooked chicken, it will be easier for her to digest and is high in meat protein. If she doesn't want to eat then you need to take her to a vet, her babies could be dead inside, or she may need help!.

QUESTION:
I am first time owner, our female is 2 weeks pregnant . I would like to know as many facts about it as possible. I am finding it hard to find information about the pregnancy like what if it goes wrong, does it matter that we think she is only 11 months old, should we take her to a vet so she can give birth, what if a kit isn't breathing, how long does a labor go? If she wont feed them, what do we feed them? Should we think about kitten milk to be on hand. How old will the kits be before starting on solids???

ANSWER:

Some ferrets can breed at 4 months of age, depending on when they start their heat cycle, which also depends on the length of daylight. Ferrets have to be bred or spayed, if left more than 2 weeks in heat, they usually die from aplastic anemia. If you do not plan to breed again, then please spay as soon as you can, BEFORE she comes in heat again. What country are you in, there are several books you can buy on breeding ferrets. Also read my article on my site in FERRET SCHOOL, under HEALTH and BREEDING FERRETS. You can also get info from ferret breeders in your area.

Gestation is 42 days, so have a place that is dark and quiet for your ferret to have her babies. A box that you can open from the top will be best, so you can look in to see if mother and babies are fine. Try to leave her alone while she is having the babies, unless you suspect something is wrong. It is difficult to care for kits unless they are 2-3 weeks old, even then it is around the clock care, usually mother takes good care of babies. Although some first time mothers eat their babies.

You would be best to give her cooked chicken, ground up in blender, to help provide more protein for her, plus it will be easier for her to digest. Continue to give her regular diet but supplement with the chicken, at least twice a day now, and then more once she is nursing. When kits are about 4 weeks old they will come out to eat the soft chicken, and at that time you can also soak kibble in warm water for them. They will open their eyes about that time. Leave them with mother until 8 weeks old.

QUESTION:
My ferret has just had babies for the first time, but she doesn't seem to be feeding them, as we had 8 babies and 3 of them have died. (she had her babies on the 31/10/07) I was just wandering if you could please advise me on what I am to do.

ANSWER:
Sometimes first time mother's have difficulty, is she eating herself? Did you augment her diet with lots of protein while she was pregnant? Do you have prepared CHICKEN BABYFOOD in Australia? If you do you can give her 3-4 teaspoonfuls 3 times a day while she is nursing, it is easy for her to digest and will help her produce milk faster.

Try to keep her in a dark secluded area and do not let a lot of people bother her, she needs quiet and seclusion. Also are the babies warm? Provide her with a box that she can enter and exit with ease, but put a small warm blanket inside(make sure babies cannot get suffocated underneath). While Mama feeds, check to make sure babies are okay, do not handle as she may choose to not feed them.

It is difficult to feed tiny kits as they will need feeding every 2 hours, kept warm and also they will need to have stimulation with a wet cotton ball to encourage them to eliminate (they will not go on their own).

QUESTION:
My ferret is pregnant what do I do?

ANSWER:
When did you mate your ferret? It takes 42 days for her to have the kits. You will need to put her in a separate cage with a box that you will be able to open from the top, so you can look in to make sure kits are being born without any problems. She will need to be in a quiet place without visitors, so she does not get too stressed. Make sure you give her lots of meat protein to help the babies grow and after to keep her producing milk.

QUESTION:
I have 2 Jills in the same cage, when the birth time is due should they be separated, or could they still be left together,with both sets of kits in the same Cage?

ANSWER:
YES, they should be separated. One of the mothers might need some attention, also babies, ... how will you be able to tell what is going on with both in the same place?

They should both have a quiet dark place such as a cage with nesting box, where they will not be disturbed. You should be able to look in to check on them to make sure the birthing process is going okay and babies are not tangled in the umbilical cords, but try not to interfere. First time mothers will often kill and eat their babies, so best leave them to tend to the young unless they need help. You will also need to check to make sure Mama is feeding and that her milk does not dry up, but DO NOT keep looking or TOUCHING babies. You may receive some very nasty bites along the way if you interfere too much, as Mothers become very protective of their young and even the sweetest pet ferret will become a 'dragon'! I do hope you have homes for all these babies???

QUESTION:
I have 3 (jills), would it be ok if i housed all three together, even if two of my females are pregnant?

ANSWER:
They should be housed separately at least a week before due date, do you know when they were mated? If it is their first litter, they may have problems, so you need to be able to look in on them. They often eat the babies if something is not quite right and having other ferrets present could cause anxiety.

You will need to see who belongs to who and to monitor mother's care of the babies, plus making sure her milk does not dry up and that she does not have too many babies to feed. Mother's will become very protective of their young, so keeping each one in a separate, quiet and dark area will give her the security she requires to take care of her young.

QUESTION:
Polar, my albino Jill for the first time since she was a kit bit me. She's a few days from giving birth, she's due to give birth between wednesday and next saturday. I'm wondering if this is normal? Lately she seems so happy to see me and be around me, constantly licking my hands and cuddling into me, which is not normally like her as she's more of a playful kind. But today shocked me. It was only the once but it seemed like she meant it, whatever it was about. I'm putting it down to the fact she's close to giving birth and its her first time so it could getting to her. Do ferrets act in this way when there pregnant?

ANSWER:
Polar is experiencing a lot of changes and her hormones are reacting, hence the licking, grooming, getting ready for her job as mother! She probably is trying to tell you to leave her alone, that is one reason she may have bitten you. Do you have an area with a box ready for her to have the babies in? It will need to be in a quiet place where no one will disturb her, somewhere where she does not feel threatened by intruders.

You should check on babies and mother to make sure birthing is going correctly, so an opening in top of box would be good, but one you can close up after. Once you know everything is okay then leave her alone. You might want to give her a supplemental diet of soft foods to help her eat quickly so she can get back to being a busy mother.

QUESTION:
My friends ferret is pregnant I would like to know if she has to remove the male ferret from the cage, also how long will she stay pregnant for.

ANSWER:
It would be better to remove the male and the ferret will have her babies in 42 days.

QUESTION:
I have three ferrets that are all pregnant and should be due in the next week or two but I mistakenly found that one of my ferrets had ten babies and I want to know can I look at the babies now or will the mother eat them?

ANSWER:
Where do you live, this is very late in the year for ferrets to be having babies? How well do you know your ferrets? Are they indoors or outside?

If you handle your ferrets a lot, they will not mind YOU looking at the babies to make sure that they are all fine, how do you know there are 10, if you haven't looked already? However, I would not be handling or moving them around, or the mother will get very anxious and might bite even you!

Also do not let any other people look into her nest or she may panic and come out biting. You know your ferrets and you should be able to tell by their reaction whether they like you to be present. Once you check to make sure everyone is okay then I would leave them alone to take care of the babies.

Several times when I used to breed ferrets we found all the babies tangled together in their umbilical cords and had to separate them. Also the mother can die from birthing, so you need to check that all is well. Try giving the mothers some warm GERBERS CHICKEN BABYFOOD in a shallow dish, it help with a good 'meat protein' to make good healthy milk for the babies.