Hob Living With Jills Permanently

[Micheala Robinson 400]

Can I hob live with jills all year round without causing too much distress to Jill's?

Vasectomy vs castration what are the differences in the two regarding behaviour and can a castrated hob bring a Jill out of season the same as vasectomy.

[Terrier1978 14]

A castrated hob loses his nuts and with it his sex drive so won't bring Jills out of season, he won't have any interest or ability, a vasectomized hob will bring Jills out just same as a man having snip, but he might still need pulling out of the jills quarters as he mite pester them too much, hope this helps,

[Micheala Robinson 400]

Thank you for explaining

[mick20 23]

CASTRATION

This is a surgical procedure whereby both testicles are completely removed. The ferret remains at the surgery for the day. A general anaesthetic is administered and the testicles are removed through a small incision beside the scrotum, which is then usually stitched with dissolving sutures.

Because the testicles produce male hormones, the ferret be sterile and show less interest in the females. This can make him a better pet, as he will show less aggression during the breeding season. He can also live with other castrated/female ferrets all year.

Castration increases the risk of hyperadrenalcorticism [adrenal disease] - the so-called 'rat tail' and body-balding of older ferrets. Castration at 9-12 months decreases this risk.

Nowadays it is thought that a Suprelorin implant is the better option - [see the fact sheet on Jill's oestrus control. ]

VASECTOMY

This is when the vas deferens (the spermatic cord) is cut and a small section removed. The testicle is left in place. Again, this is a surgical procedure, done under general anaesthesia. The operation site is in a similar place as for castration..

Because the testicles remain, male hormones are still produced; hence the ferret is still interested in the female, and capable of mating. However, as the spermatic cord has been cut, no sperm are ejaculated, so the ferret is sterile.

A vasectomised hob behaves exactly as an entire hob would, and can still be aggressive in the breeding season. He should be housed on his own during this time.

Unlike castration [which can be performed at any time of the year], vasectomies are normally done during the breeding season. This is because the cord is larger and easier to find]. The usual reason for vasectomising a hob is to take the female out of season with no pregnancy risks (see the fact sheet on Jill's oestrus control).

 

 

Hope this helps

ATB

Mick

[northern lad 2,292]

If you want them together all year round Michaela get him castrated,no bothereing the jills at all,and no phantom pregnancies.Couldnt decide myself when I got him done wether to snip or castrate and I'm glad I had him castrated.He still works exactly the same,he was never a problem to handle and was the same afterwards.Regarding bringing jills out of season I know a lot on here like a vac,d hob,I tried it on two of my jills a few years ago,one died a few weeks after the mating,the other was an absolute pain in the arse for months dragging any ferret back into her "nest" she lost condition and was stressed for a couple of months,never again.My ferreting partner used one on his jills last year and exactly the same thing happened one died a few weeks after the mating (two totally different vac,d hobs used btw).As I said ,a lot on here like them,but that has been my experience of them,I,ve kept ferrets for over 30 yrs and never lost a jill to being left unmated,keep the hutches nice and clean/hygienic you wont have a problem atb Dave

[Micheala Robinson 400]

Thanks for the advice, I have acquired a nice albino hob with the intention of having him vesectomised and keeping with the Jill's to knock them out of season I'm not keen on the idea of the jab personally, problem is he's doing allot of pestering.

I could keep him separate but it seems a shame and I'd need to look into getting another hutch then he would need a companion and so on ... I believe he was born in may last year he's only a year old anyway would getting his castrated help with his dominance still with him already being older?

If I were to get him castrated there a risk of him getting ill isn't there? Or is it a slight chance?

When's are hobs in rut as there's so much contradiction when googling it came up with march/ august another said Dec- July.

[leethedog 3,071]

Castration doesn't always stop an animal mating I had a Russell years back that would mount a in season bitch and he was castrated but had sired 2 litters before he was castrated so I put it down to him knowing what his bits were for

[Micheala Robinson 400]

Castration doesn't always stop an animal mating I had a Russell years back that would mount a in season bitch and he was castrated but had sired 2 litters before he was castrated so I put it down to him knowing what his bits were for

Yeah same goes for horses I'm told this has never bred!

But now it's seen the Jill's it may have a slight idea what it's all about ?

I was under the impression a vesectomised hob could happily live with Jill's all year round.

[Lamper121 239]

I just had my job vasectomised. He now lives with one Jill in the same hutch. I'm keeping my eye on them to make sure he doesnt go to mad with her with regarding mating all the time but other than that they are living fine together

[Guest vin]

I kept a Vas hob with 3 jills for a few seasons and it was a very peacefull happy set up.. But he was very laid back and never rough with them anyway.

 

I'm at the point of just keeping hobs these days..they are all castrated except for one who will be alone all summer.

 

If I was you I would get rid of the hob and just keep the 2 Jills..Or before you know it you will be stinking like an old bag lady,wearing sweatshirts with ferrets embroidered on the front and running a ferret rescue charity. . .

[Micheala Robinson 400]

I just had my job vasectomised. He now lives with one Jill in the same hutch. I'm keeping my eye on them to make sure he doesnt go to mad with her with regarding mating all the time but other than that they are living fine together

Until the anaesthetic wears off and his wound has healed lol.

Long may it continue for you, I guess it just depends on the individual doesn't it.

[Micheala Robinson 400]

I kept a Vas hob with 3 jills for a few seasons and it was a very peacefull happy set up.. But he was very laid back and never rough with them anyway.

 

I'm at the point of just keeping hobs these days..they are all castrated except for one who will be alone all summer.

 

If I was you I would get rid of the hob and just keep the 2 Jills..Or before you know it you will be stinking like an old bag lady,wearing sweatshirts with ferrets embroidered on the front and running a ferret rescue charity. . .

Nothint wrong with my sweatshirt ?

You mean to say that odour isn't suitable to wear out on a sat night? That's where I'm going wrong!

If he plays nice he can stay, he's really good to handle and I don't mind getting him castrated if it works.

[northern lad 2,292]

My castrated hob has sired two litters,one a few month before ha was done,he has no interest whatsoever in the jills when in season....not suggesting theyre all like that ,but this one is...

[stealthy1 3,964]

I have 5 jills and 2 hobs, one hob has nuts that work, the other is snipped. I keep the hobs apart all the time, the only time they see the jills are when the snipped hob sees the jills to cover them, or if I need a couple of kits, in goes the unsnipped hob, doesn't seem to bother them living alone, and they are playfull enough when they are out, or battering round in the wheel, different strokes for different folks.

[The one 8,467]

Ive a complete hob only time he sees the jills is when i need a replacement kit or two , my snipped hobs in with the ten jills all the time but during the summer i sometimes take him out for a week or two to rest him and stop him marking the jills its by far the easiest way to bring jills out of season