Maya writes
>I was told once, that ferrets give birth only once a year , about
>May-June, and that they can give birth in the winter, but the babies
>never survive.  never.  not even at breeders.
 
My two girls Cassie and Andi were born January 12, 2001, and I assure you
they are doing just fine!  Their 8 siblings (I think there were 10 in the
litter) also survived and grew to healthy happy ferrety adulthood.
 
In a natural light setting, most jills will give birth during the summer
and have one litter.  In a small breeder's home setting, or at the large
farms with artificial lighting, jills can have 2 or even 3 litters a year
at any time of the year.  Most private breeders only breed once a year,
as more often can be very stressful for the jill.
 
Linda Iroff
Oberlin OH
[Posted in FML issue 3875]