# Ferret pregnancy



## Fertle (May 20, 2008)

I have two jills, one of which I know is pregnant by our male. However, the other jill escaped before she was properly in season and we couldn't find her for two weeks - then she just came home!

Anyway, she is showing all the signs of being pregnant but she definitely hasn't been put with our male. Is it at all possible for a ferret jill to get pregnant by a stoat or weasel or could it be a phantom pregnancy because she's been able to hear and smell our male and the female she is caged with is giving out pregnancy hormones?

The jill we're sure is pregnant has been lethargic and sleepy, completely different to normal, while the other female hasn't been much different to normal.

I have homes for the babies of the planned pregnancy but would like to know if I'm likely to need a few more... lol.


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## gwinni (Oct 8, 2007)

There could be other free roaming ferrets she might have met on her adventure. I don't think they can breed together (with stoats or weasles i mean) they are the same family but not sure they would breed. Are you sure she's pregnant?


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## TianRunty (Apr 15, 2008)

when you say showing all the signs what do you mean?
the chances of her getting mated while out of your care are very slim, unless she was found by someone who put her with a male and then she escaped. there are cases of ferrets surviving out in the wild but the chances of her coming upon them are slim. she could also breed with a polecat but to my knowledge the only data shows small numbers in a little part of wales.
if she is just round in the belly department it could be worms, depending on what she ate while out and about. to be on the safe side i would take her to the vet


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## Layla (Feb 12, 2007)

Yup I agree, she could also have a touch of pyo if you didnt mate/jab her. Not something you want to leave her with. Good luck with her.


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## TianRunty (Apr 15, 2008)

if shes only been in season a couple of weeks you shouldnt need to worry too much about any problems from being in season too long, although there is cases of problems coming up quick in some ferrets so its always good to be prepared


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## daisyleo (Nov 23, 2006)

I would say take her to the vets and get him to check her over, he will be able to feel babies if she is getting sleepy etc she will be at the end of pregnancy and he'll definately be able to feel them.

If not he can tell you what it is and what you need to do


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## Fertle (May 20, 2008)

She was pregnant, we had 10 babies born today! I still have no idea who the dad is!


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## Layla (Feb 12, 2007)

Was she in with the male before she got out? Even if you didnt know she was in full season he would have. Good luck with the babies, hope you have homes for all those kits!


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## Fertle (May 20, 2008)

No, we didn't have the male before she escaped. 

We have homes for most babies, but if necessary we're happy to keep any homeless ones ourselves. We knew that would be a possibility before breeding and are prepared to do so.


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## TianRunty (Apr 15, 2008)

good luck your going to need it! i just hope they arent hybrids cos they hurt when growning up lol


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## Fertle (May 20, 2008)




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## Kylie (Mar 12, 2006)

congrats on your kits try not to disturb them too much in the first 2-4weeks just make sure mummy has lots of raw meat and cat milk to keep her strength up good luck!!

they do look cute!
where are you based? if you get stuck for homes i know a couple of people looking for kits


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## chickens4ever05 (Feb 5, 2008)

keep me informed on them i may be interested in a jill kit.
where abouts are you


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## Fertle (May 20, 2008)

Just a quick update - All the kits are doing well. About half are turning grey while the rest are still white. I'm guessing the darker ones will end up polecats and the others silver, although I have spied one with pink eye slits which I assume will be albino.


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## Kylie (Mar 12, 2006)

glad everything is going well you should be able to see the eye colour of all of them now you will have to post some up to date pics of the kits would love to see them


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

Congrats with the birth and everything ...

Update Pictures? ...

Try not to disturb her/babies because she could eat them through stress.

Good luck, is there anyway to get genes tested of the babies when there older?


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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

Ferrets are very tollerant of having their kits touched. Only avoid doing it if you do not interact with her often.

Its quite strange that she gave birth before the other one that have mated in your house. Whats going on with the second female. Are you sure you didnt get the two confused.

Marina


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## Fertle (May 20, 2008)

It's a bit of a long winded story really.... lol.

We'd intended to jill jab one (the escaped one) and breed the other. The one that escaped did so before we could take her to the vets. They came into season around the same time so I'm guessing she met the dad a couple of days before she came home, by which time the other one had been mated a couple of days earlier. I assume whatever male she met mated her around the same time as we mated the other, they gave birth on the same day! The escaped one had her kits in the morning and the other in the evening of the same day.

They are all gorgeous kits and we've had no losses .

In total we have 22 kits and we've homes for 15 at the moment. I want to keep 2/3 so ideally we just need two more homes.(I'm letting them go in pairs unless the potential owner already has ferrets.)

The mum's seem okay about us peeking in the nest box, they are very friendly ferrets and I have a feeling they associate us with tasty titbits lol.


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## Fertle (May 20, 2008)




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## Robbie (Dec 4, 2006)

Aw lovely!
I miss my wee 'business'.
As far as I'm aware most other mustela won't breed successfully with one another. Somewhere along the line your hob has probably seen both jills.

Do let us know what coats you get out of your litters. I always kept back my silver mits and white tails  Not long now until your girls are at wits end dragging those kits back into the hide!


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## TianRunty (Apr 15, 2008)

Robbie said:


> As far as I'm aware most other mustela won't breed successfully with one another


your right most wont, well not easily anyway but you do get polecat ferret hybrids. i've met a few, none of which were 100% pets. most are seriously confused animals since one half of their genes screams run the other screams dook and steal socks!!
i really hope that it was another ferret and not a polecat cos kits from that mating would HURT lol
good luck nip training them, hope you have the patience of a saint: victory:


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## Fertle (May 20, 2008)




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## Fertle (May 20, 2008)




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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

Awwww all mine turned grey and then in to poles. 

Marina


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