I built a hutch inside the court ready for ‘Baby’ (Albino) to have her kits. She was mated on 23 04 08 – 25 04 08 with a dark polecat ferret. Throughout her pregnancy she stayed in the court area with three other jills who have all been spayed ‘Daddy Cool’ (Approximately 2 yrs old), ‘Fudge’ (2 years old) and ‘Lilly’ (Approx 1 year old). Two weeks before she was due I started to let her stay in the birthing hutch for a few hours a day so that she would get used to it. One week before her due date I put her in the birthing hutch overnight; at 0300 hrs I was woken by her frantically trying to get out! This was distressing her so much that I took her out and put her back in the communal area where she soon settled. After this – several attempts were made to get her comfortable in the birthing hutch which all ended in the same scenario. Three days before the birth date she began dragging all the other jills into the communal bedroom area and this continued until she had the kits in her chosen place – The communal area. Now, I was very concerned about this as every book I have read made it clear that this was a no, no and they should have them on their own in their own specified place. It was too late though; I knew if I moved her she may eat the remaining kits. Here is the diary I kept from day one.
A few pics of the general set up.




Daddy Cool.

Fudge.

Baby – Mother.

Lilly.

Week one.

Day One. Tuesday 03 06 08

Baby gave birth to 8 kits at 1800 hrs, three seemed to be an odd shape and she ate them? One came out dead and got eaten. Daddy Cool helped her by pulling the kits out and placing them on her nipples! Daddy Cool stayed in the birthing place with her for the rest of the night. The other two jills came in and had a look and she was quite happy to let them do this – Fudge was observed licking them on a few occasions.
The only photo taken on this day!


Day Two. Wednesday 04 06 08

Daddy Cool still with her and the kits and now Fudge has joined them at times, even she is helping to clean the kits. They are all happy enough with human contact (Which is being kept minimal for obvious reasons). Lilly continues to have a little look in every now and again but is more interested in playing in the court area on her own. When Daddy Cool and Fudge leave Baby with the kits she comes out and drags them back in.
Daddy Cool, Fudge and mother with kits.

On the move!

Mother cleaning one of the kits.



Day Three. Thursday 05 06 08.

Fudge and Daddy Cool are still in with her and the kits, she seems to be getting very agitated when they leave her though, the only time they get any peace is when she is asleep and they can escape. The temperature outside was very hot today so I opened the bedroom area roof to let some air in, this seemed to be ok with them, I closed it when it got dark. Kits were feeding well and are now starting to move around a bit more.

Daddy Cool with kits again!

Day Four. Friday 06 06 08

Things remain the same today, the only difference is that now Lilly is with the others all of the time and when she tries to leave – Baby wont let her and drags her back in when she discovers she’s gone. Kits still wriggling around a lot today. Temperature outside is hot again.

This is Lilly in with mother and kits.


Fudge and Daddy Cool babysitting, mother checking they are there?



Day Five. Saturday 07 06 08.

Baby has moved her kits! She put them in her mouth and carried them in the tubes one by one from the bedroom to the hutch I built inside the court! Im quite sure she did this because the temperature was so hot outside and there isn’t much ventilation in the place she had the kits. She managed to take two up to the hutch and my friend placed the other two up there for her – She trusts my friend completely and seems happy enough with her touching the kits, she is ok with me looking at them but I get a warning ‘look’ if I try to touch them so I don’t do it now. The other ferrets continue to be dragged in to the sleeping area but this now involves quite a journey up the tubes! I’ve made a minor adjustment in that I have placed a tube leading into the new sleeping area – just to make it easier for her and the other ferrets to get there.
Kits now moved into this sleeping area.

The extra tube to make it easier.

Day Six. Sunday 08 06 08

Baby and kits remain in the new sleeping area, the other ferrets are still in with her every time we look, and when the kits aren’t feeding they are happy to be snuggled in with any of the other ferrets. The only relief the other ferrets have is if she is asleep, only then can they get out and either play or eat/ drink/ use the toilet area!



Day Seven. Monday 09 06 08.

The kits have been moved again – this time; one was found in a hammock one her own and the other was found in the area where they were born! The other two were with her in the sleeping area! I’m not sure how long they had been there? But my friend moved them back in with her and she was accepting of this. Kits all seem ok, still feeding as and when and are moving around a lot more and making loads of noise!
Where one was found.

Where the other was found.


Week 2


Day Eight. Tuesday 10 06 08.

She was seen moving the kits back in to the original bedroom, she moved two on her own and my friend placed the other two in there with her, she and the kits soon settled down when the other ferrets were dragged in too! This could be a temperature related issue as its much cooler now? Kits are still doing well as far as we can see.

Day Nine. Wednesday 11 06 08.

Mother and kits remain in the original sleeping area. At one point Daddy Cool had managed to escape and was found resting on her own in the hammock. Lilly had escaped too and was found in the other open sleeping area at the top of the court. It was nice to see Daddy Cool and Lilly playing together for what appears to be the first time since the birth of the kits! This fun was short lived though when mother woke up and dragged them back into the sleeping area! Mother is still happy for my friend to handle the kits but today she took one out of her hand for the first time? She always shows her the empty hand before she comes out of the court. A point to not: mother has not shown any sign of aggression towards my friend at any point? I can put my hand in but only with ferret vit on my fingers for them to lick off, when this is all gone I get warning ‘looks’ off mother and sometimes Daddy Cool? So I don’t push my luck.
Daddy Cool, Fudge and mother with kits in-between them.




This was Baby taking her kit off my friend.


Daddy Cool keeping a watchful eye on my friend with one of the kits.

Perhaps there will be a dark coloured kit by the look of this picture?


Day Ten. Thursday 12 06 08.

Once again, the kits have been moved but this time a few times! They all seem to be doing well and are growing fast. The other ferrets are still with mother and the kits and she continues to drag them back into the sleeping area when she discovers they aren’t there.

Day Eleven. Friday 13 06 08.

The kits continue to be moved at least daily from one sleeping area to another. I cleaned out the area they had left and put in fresh hay. Mother seems healthy enough if a little tired at times? The other ferrets remain with her but Daddy Cool had a welcome respite for a few hours – she was observed sleeping in the hammock on her own.


Day Twelve. Saturday 14 06 08.

This morning Lilly was seen moving the kits from the upstairs sleeping area to the bottom, chased by mother who took one out of her mouth and returned it back where it had been? An hour later all the ferrets and kits were asleep in the downstairs sleeping area? I’m not sure why this is happening or why Lilly took it upon herself to move the kits? I have stopped taking photos for a few days as I thought it was that which was making mother move the kits? However, it doesn’t seem to make any difference whether we are in the court or not? They are still being moved regularly. I’m still putting it down to a temperature thing at the minute.


Day Thirteen. Sunday 15 06 08.

Lilly continues to move the kits? Perhaps its not a temperature thing? Mother is none too keen on her doing this but seems powerless to stop her, she now just goes with Lilly and the kits with the occasional ‘tug of war’ scenario which has me worried sick! Kits are really starting to show their colours now; two albinos and two grey ones. Some photos were taken today and its clear to see how much they have grown!


Day Fourteen. Monday 16 06 08.

Still the same scenario with Lilly moving the ferret kits at times, perhaps she thinks they are hers? Kits all looking healthy and mother seems quite active at times.
The colours are really coming through too!



Communal sleeping time!


Daddy Cool managed to escape for a few hours peace!

Week 3

Day Fifteen. Tuesday 17 06 08.

On a few occasions today I’ve noticed that mother is spending more time on her own with the kits, she seems quite happy to do this and isn’t dragging the rest of the ferrets back into the sleeping area. All ferrets and kits seem bright and alert and are showing no signs of being unhealthy due to all the babysitting!


Day Sixteen. Wednesday 18 06 08.

Baby is eating well and looks whiter in colour and her fur is growing back, lots of milk dripping from her today, put the babies next to her and they fed.

Day Seventeen. Thursday 19 06 08.

Mother seems a bit protective today, Lily is taking the babies into the other area and baby is bringing them back up and down all day. Kits very vocal

Day Eighteen. Friday 20 06 08

All well and happy together. Mothers nipple seems a little discoloured? Looks like the kits haven’t been latching on the right place maybe?




Day Nineteen. Saturday 21 06 08.

We think we may have 2 boys and two girls but not sure, all fine and happy. Mother has a sore nipple but let me wash it with cool water. We weighed the babies two were 4oz and the other two which we think are maybe boys were slightly heavier at 4 half oz.


Day Twenty. Sunday 22 06 08.

The kits are being moved up and down again and are very vocal. Mother looks well; nipple slightly better washed it again with cool water.

Day Twenty One. Monday. 23 06 08.

Lilly did not seem happy to see me today, she was in the hammock while the rest were all in the box downstairs. I put some chicken in for baby and took a piece for Lily she was glad to see me then until I discovered she was hiding a kit! I returned it to mother and the others then for the next half hour there was a battle of grabbing and moving the babies until I ended up sitting in the hutch, put all the babies on to feed and put Lily in the hammock where she stayed in the huff. She keeps pinching the white baby? Mother’s nipple is a lot better today.
The kits now.




We’re now into week four and all seems to be going well, mother is taking little bits of food in for the kits but I haven’t seen any eat solid food just yet? I’ve changed all the bedding and they are now all asleep together. I’ll update this when they are all weaned.

cracking diary took me bloody ages to get through it all tho lol and they look like their coming on really well well done