Kits at 13 weeks

[joan]

Two of the kits have already gone to new homes, so here's pics of the 5 still here:

s16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/fenezo/110818/

The first pic is Hecate, my 15 year old cat, listening to the thundering herd coming down the hallway...just before she decided to head for higher ground.

Pics 2-11 are Onyx, the hob I'm probabky keeping from this litter. I'm also growing out his brother (12-13) for another month or so, and he's tentatively spoken for if I decide to let him go. The jill (14-16) will be going to her new home as soon as the weather cools down sufficiently for her owner to drive down to get her. I'll miss her, as she is easily the most intelligent, athletic, and agile one in the litter...a typical jill. ;D

The last pics are the two smallest hobs in the litter. I haven't placed them as yet, as I'm very interested in watching their development. They're maturing much slower, both physically and mentally, than their littermates so I'm in no hurry to see them go to new homes.

[Deleted]

Joan, they are GORGEOUS!!!! If I were in a position to take on another ferret, I'd be on your doorstep tomorrow ----begging for two of them!

-jennfer

[Deleted]

oh my god, oh my god, they are beautiful. I've got my "business" of *gulp* six now (with two being babies themselves) else I'd really be dying with these pictures!

[Heather]

What adorable wee ones, Joan. Just beautiful, deep rich colour. Got to love the rich dark coats of the poleys
ciao

[Sherry]

Oh, they ARE gorgeous! And so big- both the hob and jill With the other two hobs- I gather they'd be considered the "runts"?

[Deleted]

Joan, they are adorable....very nice.

[nanjferret]

Gorgeous Joan!! So black!!

[Deleted]

the big hob in pics, omg I want! he is sooo adorable!!

All the fuzzies are adorable

[crazylady]

awww cute nice hob you cant beat a nice poley take care bye for now
Bev aka crazy lady

[joan]

Thanks for the comments, all! I'm very pleased with the overall quality of the litter, as the two hobs I'm growing out and the jill all look like they're going to be better than their parents...which is the purpose for breeding. They actually have a dark brown sheen to their black coats...had to take them out in the sunlight to be sure. That was a relief, as I was keeping my fingers crossed that they really are very dark sables and not black sables.

The two smaller hobs are both a very dark brown, so will probably wind up as medium dark sables. Sherry, I don't consider them runts as they appear to be very healthy and in proportion...just small compared to their littermates and developing more slowly. It's been suggested that they might be micro ferrets, but I don't think they're small enough for that. I just don't know, though, as I've never had any like them before, so am growing them out for awhile longer. I'll take them both into the vets in a couple weeks or so to do ultraosounds to make sure their organs are in proportion to their bodies.

Lorelei, or anyone else on here from the UK who's had any experience with micros or small ferrets? What's their normal pattern of development, both physically and mentally?

[crazylady]

Hi Joan normally small ferrets and micros are just that small everything else is normal they just take there size from there make up ( you may find somewhere in the line there was a very small jill or hob and what has happened is you have had a throw back to those ) often they get it from mum ( crystal is a micro yet her boys and her jills in this litter are normal size already at 13 weeks they are way bigger than mum ) in some litters because genes are split 50 -50 ( 50% from mum 50% from dad ) you end up with a split litter a few kits take on the trait of micro or small the others develop normally hunting people often use the micro/small type for breeding and will breed that to another micro/small and sell off the larger kits but those larger kits when bred can themselves produce micros/small as can there kits it all depends when it surfaces again ( because it can skip a generation ) you will probably find there all healthy just smaller than there brother and in some cases there sisters I think there kind of cute and I have lots of small ferrets who have lived to old age to me big is beautiful and so is small there all special in there own way life would be boring if they were the same lol normally with the smaller ones in split litters you find they seem as if they are developing slowly ( there not lol us breeders are comparing them to there siblings lol ) they are simply developing at a rate that is right for them and there bodies ( I am guilty of this too lol I look at mollys boys who are a week older than crystals and think why aren't crystals that big duhhh crystal had 8 and molly had four plus crystal is a heck of a lot smaller in make up than molly or sam lol )its all part of being a breeder the worry never stops even when they leave you I bet you worry when the phone rings lol we must be mad lol take care bye for now
bev aka crazy lady

[Deleted]

Beautiful babies!!!

[joan]

Thanks for the info, Bev. I'd understood that it was not uncommon for micro kits to die at a young age because their organs grew but their bodies didn't. From what I've read on the various UK ferret forums and correspondence with several breeders who work their ferrets, it seemed that the small ones weren't all that robust or long lived. I'll grow these two out at least through 4 months, along with their brothers, since I'm not familiar with this particular pattern of development.

The two smallest hobs have had a growth spurt in the past week and are now larger than their sister and dam, so hopefully they will mature out to be normal sized, healthy kits. They certainly have good appetites and are very intense about their food, especially mice and DOC. They don't seem to be quite as intelligent or athletic as their brothers, but are even more people oriented and kissy.

[crazylady]

Hi Joan I bet you find in four months itme you say to yourself dam why did I worry look at the size of them lol
( happens to me all the time lol ) and you have to love those growth spurts one moment there small and short and over night they seem to go long and thin ( then you worry god there underweight what's wrong lol ) then they lie around and gain weight and seem to stay the same size for a few weeks and bang another growth spurt lol ( and boy don't they eat during those growth spurts lol ) I have never had any smaller ferrets die at younger ages ( she says touching wood ) I would of thought if there had been any major problems you would of lost them earlier on ( especially with mom having a large litter normally she can sense if there are problems and will wean out any weaklings to to ensure the strongest of her brood survive ) your doing a great job with them just keep up the good work I am sure your hard work will be rewarded with a surprise in a few months lol take care bye for now
Bev aka crazy lady

[Deleted]

I am so interested to see the development of the two smaller kits as well. Breeding is something I know very little of... it's very interesting! From what I have gathered over the years regarding breeding, you are on the top of my list of breeders that I would want a future kit or adult from ;D You just happen to be close, too! Your ferrets look so healthy, intelligent, and robust. I also like that you haven't had to deal with adrenal, even when they are neutered/spayed... is that correct?

Also, more pictures would be great ;D