sheri 0 Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Good afternoon all, I wonder if anyone can offer some insight into my breeding problem... My 1year old Jill came into season a while ago so we put our 1 year old Hob in with her, they had a weekend of passion then I took him out. She came out of season and remained 'heavy' whilst our others went lightweight for the summer and she started to get teats and pluck her fur to nest - 7 weeks later she came back into season so I presume she had a phantom. By now we had already had our Hob neutered I borrowed an older proven Hob (5 Jills this year and all caught)and popped him in with her.....Nothing!! She loves him jumps all over him, washes him and he just shrugs her off I've not seen him go for her at all, no excited ferret noise, grabbing of neck - you would honestly think there were two Jills in there!! I really have no idea why, I do have a pet rabbit in the garden and the Hob is a hunter so I have covered them over just in case he is more interested in killing than breeding but still nothing and my Jill is STILL in season and I am aware of how late in the season its getting. Could the Hob be pining for home? Any help would be greatly appreciated Quote Link to post
Ideation 8,216 Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 It's unlikely the hob is pining for home, usually anything else goes out the window when they get a whiff of a jill in season, so that is very strange indeed. Just a question, but why are you breeding from 1yr old ferrets anyway? Maybe nature is trying to tell you something! Quote Link to post
The one 8,461 Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Maybe the times just no spot on any good hob will do the deed Quote Link to post
theferreter 311 Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Maybe the times just no spot on any good hob will do the deed Quote Link to post
philkemp 50 Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Is the jill fully back in season which they have to be for them to breed? Quote Link to post
2bob 9 Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 why do you wan't to breed so late in the year. it's only six week's before the season start's again an you say your jill is only 12 month's old so you should be looking at giving her all the experience you can. atb 2bob. Quote Link to post
Jamie m 668 Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 It ain't ment to be and probablly fir the best all in all Quote Link to post
sheri 0 Posted July 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Just a question, but why are you breeding from 1yr old ferrets anyway? Maybe nature is trying to tell you something! Thank you all for your help, As she came into season this spring and we wanted to have a litter from her, I just thought I had to breed from her that year because of the jill's not coming out of season I just presumed that she wouldn't come into season until she was old enough to breed! Could this be why she didn't catch with my hob and the more experienced ferret just sees her as a kit? I have separated them now and it looks like she is coming out of season, will be ok for her remain entire until next spring? I'd love to breed from her but I don't want to put her health at risk. as before any help is appreciated Quote Link to post
Ideation 8,216 Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Just a question, but why are you breeding from 1yr old ferrets anyway? Maybe nature is trying to tell you something! Thank you all for your help, As she came into season this spring and we wanted to have a litter from her, I just thought I had to breed from her that year because of the jill's not coming out of season I just presumed that she wouldn't come into season until she was old enough to breed! Could this be why she didn't catch with my hob and the more experienced ferret just sees her as a kit? I have separated them now and it looks like she is coming out of season, will be ok for her remain entire until next spring? I'd love to breed from her but I don't want to put her health at risk. as before any help is appreciated I'm not meaning to be nasty with this, but maybe do a good bit of research into an animal before getting it and especially before breeding it? They come into season every year from 1yr old, and the season is brought on by the lengthening of the daylight hours, and they come out when the daylight hours shorten. Most advise taking them out of season, mainly using a vacectomised hob ferret or using the 'jill jab'. With regard to breeding, you can breed any year of a ferrets life from 1yr old, but most would wait to see if the ferret was worth breeding off if they work them, and even if just a pet, i would advise giving it a couple of years, just to check it really is healthy etc, and besides it's fairer on the jill. How long ago was the hob in with her? If she is coming out, she may have taken? I'm confused what you mean by is it safe for her to remain entire until next spring? Quote Link to post
sheri 0 Posted July 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 I'm not meaning to be nasty with this, but maybe do a good bit of research into an animal before getting it and especially before breeding it? They come into season every year from 1yr old, and the season is brought on by the lengthening of the daylight hours, and they come out when the daylight hours shorten. Most advise taking them out of season, mainly using a vacectomised hob ferret or using the 'jill jab'. With regard to breeding, you can breed any year of a ferrets life from 1yr old, but most would wait to see if the ferret was worth breeding off if they work them, and even if just a pet, i would advise giving it a couple of years, just to check it really is healthy etc, and besides it's fairer on the jill. How long ago was the hob in with her? If she is coming out, she may have taken? I'm confused what you mean by is it safe for her to remain entire until next spring? Thanks for the reply, I have had ferrets for 5 years, but this is the first time I have wanted to breed from them (my origonal 2 are neutered). When I started to read up on the subject I learnt that they can breed in their first season but I was just a little confused when Ideation said maybe nature is trying to tell me something! I think I confused myself when people mentioned 'the season' I was thinking of breeding and think you guys meant ferreting season (can you tell mine are pets rather than workers!! It wasn't until I read it out to my Dad (who hunts) that it was explained to me! I was panicing thinking that she would only breed certain times of the year and by not getting pregnant this year she would be left in season until next spring thus possibly making her unwell! The first hob was in with her for a weekend, the hob this time round has been with her a week tomorrow, maybe she has caught and I just didn't think they were getting up to anything as I hadn't seen him take an interest in her - time will tell. The hob a worker (apparently very good) and my jill came from working stock but has never worked herself. My Dad and Finace want to start ferreting as they currently hunt with air arms and lurchers on the farm where we have horses, so we thought we would breed our own (we have a few homes lined up for the others). I realise that I have made myself look like a complete fool and have come accross like I haven't got a clue about ferrets, but please believe me I do know how to care for them and I honestly did research breeding but just couldn't find the answers to my questions when it hadn't worked as planned, so I thought better to ask people that had done it! Quote Link to post
Ideation 8,216 Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 I'm not meaning to be nasty with this, but maybe do a good bit of research into an animal before getting it and especially before breeding it? They come into season every year from 1yr old, and the season is brought on by the lengthening of the daylight hours, and they come out when the daylight hours shorten. Most advise taking them out of season, mainly using a vacectomised hob ferret or using the 'jill jab'. With regard to breeding, you can breed any year of a ferrets life from 1yr old, but most would wait to see if the ferret was worth breeding off if they work them, and even if just a pet, i would advise giving it a couple of years, just to check it really is healthy etc, and besides it's fairer on the jill. How long ago was the hob in with her? If she is coming out, she may have taken? I'm confused what you mean by is it safe for her to remain entire until next spring? Thanks for the reply, I have had ferrets for 5 years, but this is the first time I have wanted to breed from them (my origonal 2 are neutered). When I started to read up on the subject I learnt that they can breed in their first season but I was just a little confused when Ideation said maybe nature is trying to tell me something! I think I confused myself when people mentioned 'the season' I was thinking of breeding and think you guys meant ferreting season (can you tell mine are pets rather than workers!! It wasn't until I read it out to my Dad (who hunts) that it was explained to me! I was panicing thinking that she would only breed certain times of the year and by not getting pregnant this year she would be left in season until next spring thus possibly making her unwell! The first hob was in with her for a weekend, the hob this time round has been with her a week tomorrow, maybe she has caught and I just didn't think they were getting up to anything as I hadn't seen him take an interest in her - time will tell. The hob a worker (apparently very good) and my jill came from working stock but has never worked herself. My Dad and Finace want to start ferreting as they currently hunt with air arms and lurchers on the farm where we have horses, so we thought we would breed our own (we have a few homes lined up for the others). I realise that I have made myself look like a complete fool and have come accross like I haven't got a clue about ferrets, but please believe me I do know how to care for them and I honestly did research breeding but just couldn't find the answers to my questions when it hadn't worked as planned, so I thought better to ask people that had done it! What i meant when i said that nature might be trying to tell you something, i just meant that maybe breeding off that jill isn't the best idea. It's just me maybe, but i'm not keen on breeding any animal in their first season (as in when they come into season for the first time). Maybe that's just me. The jills come into season about April and tend to usually go out themselves about september / october, if they have not been taken out of season by some means (jill jab / vac hob / mated). It's good to hear that you have homes for the kits if you do manage to breed. Far too many folk just breed them willy nilly and don't think about what they are going to do with the surplus kits. Most folk also breed from stuff not worth breeding from. Good luck, and if she has taken, you will notice her swelling in a couple of weeks, and some hair loss on the belly, and the nipples becoming more prominent. If that happens, do some research into looking after a litter, as a dozen kits can be a real handful. Quote Link to post
sheri 0 Posted July 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Ahh I see what you mean. I thought you had to breed them on their first season otherwise they permanently remained in season which wasn't good for their health. If she's not pregnant this time, I will contact my vet and see about the Jill Jab. Thanks all very much for your advice and help.....I will keep you posted Quote Link to post
The one 8,461 Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 See if her swellings gone down like you said after the hob being in with her for a week check her neck ,see if the hobs marked it .If he has hes mated with her and you havent noticed and you will get your kits Quote Link to post
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