when?

[thurso jack 3]

Can a ferret be worked after weaning kits? my kits have all gone to there new homes bar the jill i kept back, but when is a good time to get mum back out for a bit of easy work? how long should i wait?

[ferret15 0]

i personally wait until they are looking good again healthy coats and have regained any weight they have drooped and add three weeks to make sure i don't think there is any rule on when but i think its only fair to give them a chance to recover properly better to wait to be on the safe side than to rush in to things how olds the kit you have kept back now ? you can start working that from about 16 weeks maybe start the kit along side its mother and concentrate on the handling and socializing with dogs until then ? jmo

[thurso jack 3]

Hi the kits are 8 1/2 weeks old now, mum lost a lot of weight and cond early on after birth, but is a lot heavier and in better cond now, id say almost back to normal, shes certainly shows no sign of having given birth when she is out of the hutch and running around.

[gibby 0]

You know your own ferrets better than anyone else mate so when you think she is ready the chances are she will be.

 

What i mean by that is that they all return to normal at a different rate but if like you say she is back to her normal self I would give her a try. Dont get your hopes up too much for a full day out of her or whatever just put her down and see how she fares and theres every chance she'll have full stamina again, but if not leave her a week or two and try again. but Im sure she'll be fine. Hope this helps mate.

 

I had the same predicament as you a few weeks ago needed to go ferreting and ended up only taking my hob as I didnt think my jill had recovered enough from nursing. Its down to the judgement of the owner I would say.

[ferret15 0]

as a mum myself i know that even though you look fine on the out side it can take a long time for things to settle down on the inside and for energy levels to return to normal the stress the body goes through during birth is amazing i my self learned the hard way i felt fine looked fine did to much to soon hemorrhaged and lost two and a half pints of blood !! the body goes through so many changes your not even aware of. I'm sure your Jill would be fine to work sooner i personally wouldn't because i know how she feels and like to give mine a break after there kits are weaned what dose every one else do ??

[gibby 0]

Good point that you made ferret15. However I did state that he should maybe try her out first and see how she copes. And obviously thurso jack wouldnt even try her without being pretty certain she was back to full strength and energy.

 

My jill has been away from the kits weeks now and has just had to be brought out of season again by a snipped hob. But I still wouldnt use her for now because I know my own ferrets and i know she still isnt back to normal. All I am saying is that thurso jack should be able to have a good guess at when she will back to normal as its his ferret.

[ferret15 0]

Gibby i wasn't disagreeing with you i was typing my reply when you posted so didn't see your post till after i had posted my second response

 

I'm sure if thurso jack tried his ferret and it didn't do well he would give her more time off if he didn't care about his ferts he wouldn't be asking our opinions

[gibby 0]

I'm sure if thurso jack tried his ferret and it didn't do well he would give her more time off if he didn't care about his ferts he wouldn't be asking our opinions

 

I agree entirely !

 

Sorry if you thought I was disagreeing before too I was just elaborating on my first post. Cheers

[gnipper 6,531]

If you need to try her then do so, how would she have fed her kits if she was feral or a wild poley

I doubt that she will work as well as the winter though as having kits changes their mentality imo but you will only know by trying her.

[Madcowz 0]

If you need to try her then do so, how would she have fed her kits if she was feral or a wild poley

 

 

Good point! In the wild they would continue hunting all through the pregnancy and rearing.

 

But, would probably catch one prey and then stop.

 

 

/Mad

[ferret15 0]

I agree this is a good point but are we talking about killing for survival or whens best for the ferret to work again ?

[bullet 129]

ive had my ferts out since the kits have gone to their new homes, they preformed well, make sure they have access to plenty of fluid stuff,ie water or milk, as the weather is still warm and the ferrets cant controll their body tempature, make sure your carry box has good ventilation,i have a hole in the side of mine so i can attach a drinking bottle when need be

Edited July 25, 2007 by bullet

[Kay 3,709]

as a mum myself i know that even though you look fine on the out side it can take a long time for things to settle down on the inside and for energy levels to return to normal the stress the body goes through during birth is amazing i my self learned the hard way i felt fine looked fine did to much to soon hemorrhaged and lost two and a half pints of blood !! the body goes through so many changes your not even aware of. I'm sure your Jill would be fine to work sooner i personally wouldn't because i know how she feels and like to give mine a break after there kits are weaned what dose every one else do ??

 

Couldnt agree more, having had 2 very difficult pregnancys & c sections i was shit for a good 6 months after both, but animals seem to bounce back very quickly & i would play it by ear

[stubby 175]

good idea about the water bottle on the carry box