From Bill Killian......
>From what we can tell anecdotally there may be more of a problem with
>American ferrets than those in at least some other countries.  This is
>based on stories from particularly "old school" UK breeders and seeing our
>own "immigrant" jills pop right on out of season before we breed them.
 
To Shelly, Chris, Bill & Diane
 
From experience with my own and rescued ferrets in Australia, after 2 or
three years of being brought out of season by a vas. hob, jill jab or
pregnancy, jills seem to "pop right on out of season" ( I love that phrase)
when merely exposed to the SCENT of an entire hob or rough play with a
ferret of ANY gender.  Of course this cannot be seen as a dependable method
of bringing a jill out of season, but it can happen.  I've been red faced
on more than one occasion when I've transported a hormone-ridden jill for
an overnight stay with a vas.  hob only to have her resist any of his
amorous advances and then notice that her swollen vulva has become markedly
reduced and she is, in fact, in the throes of a phantom pregnancy.  This
can be particularly frustrating for breeders, I believe.
 
Also I have seen jills who have been in season for just 4 weeks showing
signs of anaemia and others who have been in season for many weeks more,
being robust and healthy.
 
The Western Australian Ferret & Ferreting Society consider that a jill
needs to be brought out of season 2 weeks after the vulva has started to
become swollen and, certainly, before 4 weeks has passed.  The "Jill Jab"
is not seen by us to be the best method of ovulation inducement other than
in the case of emergency (eg illness or injury) because prolonged use
seems to increase the risk of ovarian cancer further down the track.
 
Love & Dooks
Shirley
[Posted in FML issue 3219]