>From:    Kylie Preisig <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: breeding
 
Thank you for a needed rational post on pointing out why it isn't so bad
for someone to contemplate breeding ferrets.  It is hard work at times.  It
is also quite rewarding.  Your experiences are not abnormal, most litters
do go well but the more you breed the higher the odds that one of your
litters will be a problem litter.  After a large enough number of litters
you will expect to have a problem litter.  Its just the way life is.
 
>The problem here is she is not experienced with ferrets - and time and
>asking people for help is going to change that.  If she knows what she's
>doing now or in the future, why shouldn't she breed?
 
Precisely!
 
>It is not advisable to breed jill until they are fully physically mature.
>Two years is recommended as the earliest.
 
This is about the only thing in the post that differs from our experiences.
Most breeders around here use one year as the fully mature age.  We use two
for dogs but have so far used one for ferrets.
 
We feel that the only way to reduce the impact of commerical ranches is
to make them un-needed.  The way to make them un-needed is to have MORE
private breeders.  Well there is the PeTA option but I don't want the
species to become extinct.
 
>From:    Derek & Amy Flemming - Flemming Farms <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Annie White - and others
 
In a seeming contradiction I agree with most of this as well.  But its
a matter of being truly informed before deciding to breed.
 
>All in all, I guess I am trying to say - please don't breed your pet!
>Please leave ferret breeding to the people that have the knowledge about
>it.
 
The way I'd phrase it would be more like "Please be very informed before
deciding to breed any pet." You have to be sure that your pet is a ferret
that should be bred.  Not all are.  We breeders are typically very
selective about which jills we will allow to breed.  If you find a breeder
who isn't then look for a different breeder to get your ferrets from.
 
-bill
--
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2740]