Dear Lynn - I am so sorry your lost Squeek and so sorry of the problems you
experienced in this breeding.  Please accept my condolences for the little
boy you lost and I will say a prayer for him.
 
Would also like to comment.  Bear with me, my comments are usually long.  I
happen to agree with most of what you have learned since this unfortunate
experience on birth defects - specifically neural tube defects.  And I think
Dr. Williams is correct - especially since he has had the opportunity to see
follow on neural tube brith defects from same breeding hobs and in breeding
light colors to each other.  This, and in an attempt to avoid other
problems, is why I do not breed "fancy colors to fancy colors".  For
instance, this past season I bred a blaze to a black sable, a German sable
to a panda, sables/black sables to mitts, and so on.  The closest I came to
breeding like colors was chocolate to cinnamon.  However, the hob in this
case (German descent) is well proven with large litters and healthy progeny.
He has just had his last round of breeding in and out of house since
breeding hobs are retired at three years; and jills are retired after three
litters.  Also, since I breed for black sables - black sable to black sable
or sable.  But birth defects can occur no matter how much care you take -
sometimes just defective egg/sperm.  The worst case scenerio - is your
tragic experience.  You did not mention what color your jill was - assuming
she was light color?  But this is not the only reason you might see birth
defects of any type including neural tube.  This can happen anytime.
Although I have never experienced this, IMO, every breeder is apt to see it
at some time -- birth defects happen.
 
Also, IMHO, I do not think that neural tube defects are caused by too many
vitamins - but the opposite might be the case.  It might be related to folic
acid deficiency or B-Complex deficiency - but there is no research (that I
know of) to support this.  I do give my breeders NutriCal and Felovite II
and will not go on here - wrote an article on lactation in which I comment
on diet and if you wish to see it - can be accessed at
http://www.acmeferret.com/voice and will be writing another article on fetal
development, development of kits, nutrition, etc. in the near future.  All
of what I write is in my opinion and experience - especially on lactation
article since it departs from some commonly held concepts --- don't bother
to flame anyone -- what I wrote works.
 
Here in the U.S.  we do have a small gene pool and this is why in recent
years breeders have started importing ferrets to strengthen lines.  I like
the German ferrets and have started with Australian.  Others like English
and New Zealand imports and the important thing here is - new blood!  And
the variation of blood lines does work - at least for large litters and big
kits.  In just six breeds alone this year, I had over 50 kits - not my
intent - and not from leaving the jills with the hobs too long.  One very
fertile hob was bred to one known fertile jill once - one hour visitation -
and produced 13 kits!  Sigh.  And a late breed with a jill that was bred out
earlier in the season and falsed, was bred with a fertile hob and produced
11 kits, 10 that survived.  Another sigh.
 
Most breeders I know take great care with their breeders.  No one wants
problems.  The object here, after all, is to produce healthy kits that grow
into healthy ferrets with hopefully, long lives.  It is a big
responsibility.  What happened to you is a heart-breaker.  And something
that we work hard to prevent - and should.  Many are critical of those of us
who breed - because there are so many shelter ferrets.  It is hard work and
expensive; and we do so because we love ferrets and want to give people a
choice alternative.  All my breeders are pets as well and the cost of care
runs between $400-500 a month for normal care (not including vet bills,
etc.).  No breeder that I know, like any rescue operation, makes a profit.
Short comment here on rescue -- of course there is danger is keeping your
rescues!  One reason I have so many ferrets.  Also, when you breed, ever so
hard not to keep kits!
 
When one makes the choice to breed, we always invite heartbreak and we have
all been there in one way or another.  Every time we breed, we place our
jill at risk.  When things go well - it is a true joy; when things do not -
it is very hard, and only another breeder can truly understand.  I pray that
if you continue breeding, you will not have another problem like this.
 
I am glad you wrote about your experience and I hope that by your doing so,
and by your research into the problem, it will help prevent this problem
from happening with others.
 
With respect, Meg
[Posted in FML issue 1812]