>From:    Rick Roller <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: SPAYING your Jills
 
After not knowing her history & upon her passing, did you have your vet do
a necropsy on the little jill?  This may give you some insight as to what
was the cause of her problems.  I am guessing she must have had an iron
deficiency.  But I am unsure if that would have made her hair fall out &
skin darken.
 
Also, out of curiosity - If this little jill had a new home lined up as a
pet, why were you going to breed her?  Also, why would you breed a jill for
kits when she has an unknown history?  Or maybe I misunderstood you that
you were breeding her to a v-hob.  Also, you vet should be able to give her
a shot to bring her out of heat, thus enabling her to be spayed.
 
Please don't take this as a flame, because that is not what is intended.
Just curious.
 
>From:    Ben Wilborn <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Biting to the BONE!
 
>Why does my ferret bite me so hard that he draws blood.  He bites very
>deep and hard.  He didn't do this when I was at the breeders place.
 
Keep in mind he grew up at the breeder's place, knew of only the breeder.
Now he has been uprooted - you are not familiar to him, the smells are not
familiar, and all his pals are not there either.  Sounds like he is afraid.
You need to make him aware that he cannot bite like that, but do it in a way
that will not scare him.  Remember he is biting in the first place because
he is afraid.  If he bites promptly put him in the cage - do not teach him
biting means he is getting down!  - but it means he doesn't get to play.
Show him love, praise him when he is good, give him treats when he doesn't
bite you.  Talk softly to him - earn his trust & give him time.
 
>The way I pick him up right now is I put a glove on my hand, so that when
>he bites I can stand it a little better.
 
Please don't do this!  It makes him afraid.  He can tell the difference,
believe me!  I had somebody buy a ferret from me that turned him into a
bitter by handling him with welding gloves & letting him bite.  Try not to
scruff him - this may be scaring him more.  Do you notice a puffy tail when
he bites?  That is a sure indicator of fear bitting.
 
Another good trick for biting is (during biting when your finger is in the
ferret's mouth) is to push it's bottom jaw towards it's chest.  This doesn't
hurt the ferret - it just makes it's uncomfortable.  We do this with all of
our kits & it seems to work very well - in fact, it cured an old time biter
of biting.
 
Do not worry too much about rabies.  Kits tend to run off of mom's
immunities up until 16 weeks - give or take.  But do get them soon - for
his sake.
 
Also contact the breeder - they should be able to help you as they know the
individual ferret better than I or anyone on the FML.  If they are reputable
they will be more than happy to assist you.
 
>From:    Thor Vidar Tangeland <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Mink food?
 
What brand of Mink Food is it?  Where are you located?
 
Amy Flemming
Flemming Farms
http://www.geocities.com/heartland/ranch/9521
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[Posted in FML issue 2383]