Hi, All,
How do you pass out cigars on-line?
 
This morning I went out to the ferrets abd found one w/ 6 babies and another
w/ 2.  Nosey (li'l miss More is Better) is up to 10 as I write, and I think
she has stopped.  This is her second litter- 6 the first time- and I think
she can handle that many.  If not, I have about a 50:50 record moving babies
from one mother to another,and hate to try again.  Anyone have a good
adoption procedure?
 
The other mother is my oldest breeding female- this is her 4th litter in 4
years.  A Panda, her previous litter was 3 cinnamon Blazes and an albino.
By the way, she was not supposed to be due until about a week after Nosey- I
still had her in w/ a male when they were born.  When I found them he was
showing more stress than she was, and is not the father, by the way.
 
I know this situation should never have come up, but he became paralyzed in
the hind legs about 8 weeks ago.  The vet said 'damage', not disease,,, and
then she started showing the same signs right after I bred her!  They have
been isolated and on the same regimen of medication ever since.  I don't
think he will come out of it but she has recovered, w/ just a slight wobble
from a weak left rear leg.  I'm not suggesting anyone test the males to this
degree, but what sort of familial arrangements would we find among Polecats?
 
Genetics
One mother is a Panda carrying albino, and bred to a Cinnamon- the son of
the other mother and an un-related Cinnamon male.  Both young have dark
eyes.  In 3 crosses to Cinnamons she has thrown right at 1/2 darks- sables,
blazes and silvers, and 1/2 lights- albinoes and Cinnamon Blazes.  She had a
Chocolate full brother, but never threw one in all these Cinnamon crosses.
This isn't conclusive, but I don't think Cinnamon has anything to do w/
Chocolate, and her young are solid evidence that it has a lot to do w/
albino.
 
The other mother is a Sable out of a Cinnamon and a Sable.  In fact, her
father is Sebastian, the male that just became paralyzed, and she was bred
to a Cinnamon Blaze out of Dusty, the other mother.  I *really* wanted to
cross Sebastian and Dusty, my favorites, but I guess I am maintaining their
lines.  Anyway, the father (BigFoot) carries albino.  I was fairly sure from
last year's litter that Nosey carried Cinnamon rather than albino (6 young-
4 darks, 2 Cinnamons), and I think this litter confirms that.  At any rate,
all 10 young have dark eyes.  I expect 1/2 to be Cinnamon.  Anyone have an
idea what I could expect from the Blaze father in this cross?
 
Inbreeding?  About at the 3rd cousin level.  My original female is mother,
grandmother or great, great grandmother to all 4 parents, w/ no ther common
ancestors.  Looks like I'll have to treat this whole generation of Cinnamons
as siblings, tho.  (My rule of thumb is 'no 1st cousin crosses').
 
Harems
By the way, this has been the 1st year I've put multiple females w/ a male
for breeding.  I've bred 2-3 females w/ 2 different males, and only one
female has quickened each time.  Counting my own females and those others
have brought to be bred, it looks like 5 have 'caught' and 5 haven't.  I've
never had so many false pregnancies.  Anyone have similar experiences?
 
     Paul
[Posted in FML issue 1923]