billy UK wrote
>Only my second posting but what a load of information it contains,
>the content is amazing anything from toilet training to the most
>advanced vet care going??.  If i can help with any problems i will
>be sure to add to the vast info has much has i can, i currently have
>4 Jill's and 1 hob, with plans to bred from all 4 Jill's this spring.
 
Why do you want to breed all 4 jills?
 
I hope that you have homes lined up for all the kits you intend to breed in
the spring, if you haven't please don't breed from your 4 jills.  Have you
worked out how much it costs to rear a kit properly?  If you do it properly
it'll cost an arm and a leg and you won't get your money back - folk over
here won't pay much more that a tenner for a ferret, why should they when
they can get one for nowt from a chap in the next town!  It's not a get
rich quick scheme!
 
I went to Lurcher, Terrier and Ferret Show at Astley Green, near
Manchester.  There was a low life there that was selling ferret kits to all
and sundry - kits that weren't even weaned... one I saw couldn't have been
much over 5 weeks old, the swine had sold it to youngster - he was probably
12 y.o.  When I tackled him about it he swore blind that the kits were 10
weeks old.  I can't repeat here what I called him... he was selling the
kits for 2 quid each and I doubt if any of them survived more than a day
with their new keepers.  BTW it was a really hot day and this low life
didn't even have any water in the cage for the kits, not that they knew how
to lap or use a water bottle.
 
Gotta go now - I've got to take one of my in-season jills to the vet for
a jill jab.  She came in oestrus before I could get her spayed.  I am
currently getting all my jills spayed, at the rate of one a week, still
another 10 to go.  Just in case you're wondering I'm one of the many ferret
rescues in the UK that pick up the rejects from other folk who over breed
ferrets...
 
BTW we have have brilliant ferret veterinary surgeons in the UK plus a
whole heap more that are learning about ferrets just as quick as they can.
 
Sheila
Bolton Ferret Welfare.
[Posted in FML issue 2929]