>From:    Anonymous Poster <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: breeding practices
>Everyone always insists "you can't make money breeding ferrets", unless of
>course you are a mass breeder such as Path Valley or Marshall Farms.  Does
>anyone disagree with this >statement?
 
Well, as breeders ourselves, I don't disagree with this statement.  When one
figures in the costs of caring for breeding ferrets (basics: food, housing,
vaccinations etc, plus vet bills due to complications and so on) one
discovers they're probably *losing* more money than they're making.  Of
course, if one doesn't take into account those costs, then of course there's
a few bucks to be made.
 
For example:
When we sell kits, we include 1st and 2nd vaccinations (it's not possible
here to purchase vaccines to vaccinate ourselves, so we have to go to a
veterinarian for that) and spay/neuter when they animal reaches maturity.
So that costs us, all told, about $120.00.  If we sell a kit for $150.00,
the $30.00 we "make" from the sale scarcely covers the costs of feeding,
providing litter and cleaning bedding for the kits from 3 through 11 weeks
of age.
 
>The reason I ask is I know there are a lot of people that run shelters that
>also breed ferrets "on-the-side", but is this considered a hobby or as a
>legitimate form of fund raising?
 
That depends largely on the breeder.  Some breed as a hobby because they
enjoy breeding.  Others make a few extra dollars from breeding and toss it
into the rescue fund.  In our case, we do a little bit of both.
 
>If you are fund raising, how many breeders do you have compared to shelter
>ferrets and how many kits are produced per year?
 
That's difficult to estimate, because the number of rescues changes as they
come and go.  But as an estimate, let's say, last year we took and adopted
out something like 85 rescues, while we bred and sold 4 kits.  So far this
year we've taken in and adopted out about 40 ferrets, we've bred and sold 6.
We try to produce about 2-3 litters a year, and have about 16 breeding
animals.  This year, the local rescues have had a large influx of rescues so
we have curtailed our breeding appropriately.  We are trying to maintain a
good balance, not flood the market.
 
>Do you seperate the costs of your breeding ferrets from the shelter ferrets,
>and not just lump all care and supplies together?
 
We use rescue funds for rescued ferrets.  We use personal funds for rescued
ferrets.  We use any surplus breeding funds for rescued ferrets.  Everything
goes to the rescues! :-)
 
>Do you physically keep your breeding ferrets seperate from the shelter
>ferrets (in a different room, for example)?
 
We have a "ferretry" that we built onto our house where our breeders and
rescues and boarders all stay.  New rescues are quarantined in a small room
in our house until determined healthy.  Jills and kits are brought into our
bedroom, or the laundry room, where no other ferrets or animals can disturb
them (besides, the dryer makes the kits sleepy and gives the jills a break).
 
>Are your breeders considered pets (and get that special interaction with
>you that pets get) or are they more of an investment?
 
This is where lots of anti-breeder people get their knickers in a knot.  As
a ferret fancier, I love all my ferrets and I play with all of them as much
as I can.  However, when one is breeding one has to consider that to ensure
a good genetic selection breeding ferrets must sometimes be traded, sold
etc.  And though we love our breeding ferrets, we know that sometimes things
can go wrong during pregnancies etc and there's always a possiblity of
losing a ferret to illness or death (just as with "pet" ferrets, only for
different reasons) so we -- at least personally -- try to maintain a
somewhat detached view of them.  Otherwise it's emotional hell.  And for
reasons of both space and hygeine, our breeders cannot live and play in our
home.  They pee (mark) on *everything* and bite the dogs, and some of our
elderly indoor ferrets are intimidated by the whole hobs.  It's difficult to
sell a visitor on the good points of ferrets when our home smells strongly
and badly.  It's a delicate balance.
 
>When you list you shelter numbers, do you include breeders and pets, or
>just list the actual shelter animals?
 
Assuming you mean shelter reports on the FML -- we only list rescued ferrets
in those reports.
 
>Examples of the level of standards I am talking about are:
>1. Only breeding ferrets that are not  "nippy"
 
We only breed ferrets with gregarious temperaments, though jills are
sometimes iffy as they change personalities as they go in and out of season.
If we breed a litter that doesn't turn out as well as we'd like in terms of
temperament, we don't breed those parents again.
 
>2. Only breeding ferrets with known backgrounds and acquired specifically
>   for breeding (not individuals that have come in as shelter ferrets)
 
This was recently discussed on this forum.  Most conscientious breeders
don't breed rescues, although exceptions are sometimes made in cases of
exceptional ferrets.  We don't breed our rescues.
 
>3. Following the health of kits and curtailing the breeding of lines that
>   have shown medical problems
 
This can be difficult to do, but again, most conscientious breeders try to
do this as well as they can.
 
>4. All kits are sold to good homes before they are ___ age
>and
>6. Kits are left with their mother for ____ weeks before they are sold
 
We let our kits wean naturally and they are generally sold between 9 - 12
weeks.  If a kit doesn't sell, they stay with us until they do.
 
>5. Breeders and their kits are cleaned and handled daily
 
"As needed" might be a more acceptable expectation.  We clean cages every
two days, sometimes every three if we are exceptionally busy.
 
>7. Kits are sterilized at an appropriate age
 
This depends largely on the breeder's personal view.  We don't like early
spay/neuter, so we include a spay/neuter certificate in the price and a
non-breeding contract at time of purchase.  Some breeders prefer to alter
before sale.
 
>8. Breeders are retired after a certain age and become your pets or
    are adopted out.
 
Again, that's debatable.  We allow our jills to have a maximum of three
litters before they are spayed.  Then we keep them ourselves or adopt them
to new homes.  Others may have different methods.  There are no hard rules
for how many litters are or are not acceptable, although we generally also
won't breed a jill when she's over 4 years old, or under a year old.
Usually we don't let any of our jills have as many as 3 litters for reasons
of genetic diversity anyway.
 
>I'm sure you have other opinions and ideas, and I want to hear them.  How
>many of these standards can be violated before the ethics of the breeder
>comes int question, even if they think they are doing it for a good cause
>(such as making money to support a shelter)?
 
It's difficult, because for many people it's an extremely emotional issue.
There are some people who have a problem with the breeding of any animals
(so where are they supposed to come from?) and there are people who think
only large ranches should breed ferrets because these ranches are regularly
inspected (really?  Then why was the ranch in Alberta finally closed down 4
years ago, *only* after several years of terrible conditions and abuse to
the animals and the production of genetically inferior, bad temperament
kits?)  Some breeders are very lax because they don't feel it's their place
to criticize other breeders, while other breeders are very harsh because
they don't like the competition.  You're right; it *is* a volatile subject
for some.
 
Rather than have non-breeding types pass judgement on breeders (which is a
pet peeve of mine, I will admit) I think it would be more fruitful if a
sanctioning registry was set up (similar to a Kennel Club) where breeders
would have to adhere to certain standards in order to register with the
organization and become a "recommended" breeder.  However, I think those
standards / regulations should be drafted by people who have experience
breeding ferrets, not by people who feel like dictating an issue they have
no experience in.
 
We've enjoyed the experience of various people who have never bred a ferret,
and haven't bothered to ask what we're about, make extreme expectations for
breeders part of their mantra, which only invites conflict because they set
breeders up to fail because they *can't* meet those expectations.  One
"ferret lady" demanded that all breeders have several thousand dollars in
emergency funds for vet bills or else she would slander the breeders
mercilessly in her publications.  I throw out this question: how many ferret
*owners* have such an account set up?  Shouldn't the altered ferrets receive
the same courtesy, if this is such a realistic demand?  How many rescue
operations have a similar system?
 
In contrast, we've had first time potential owners make appointments to view
the ferretry and ask questions before they make a committment to buy.  I
have much more respect for these people, who obviously only want to ensure
they are buying from someone who cares about the animals they are breeding.
I accomodate these people where ever possible, because they want -- and will
get -- well bred ferrets from a good breeder.
 
It's a great topic to debate, as long as both sides are willing to listen to
reasonable points of view.  Reasonable meaning not being rude / inflammatory
and not making unrealistic demands, from both parties.  All we ask is that
people learn something about what we do, before making erroneous assumptions
about us, and I think most breeders would expect only the same.
 
Happy Ferreting!
 
Sheena - [log in to unmask]  | "To Err is Ferret ... To Forgive|
VP - Greater Vancouver      | "... Well, That's Our Job"      |
     Ferret Association      (Wherret Web Pages Coming Soon!)
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[Posted in FML issue 2026]