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Post by jadewolf on Aug 31, 2011 9:44:12 GMT -5
I love their coloring. I was looking at the first few pics of the hob you're keeping on the floor, thinking "what a cute little ferret!" Then I came to the ones where you're holding him and I can see his size, and I revised it to "that's not a ferret, it's a bear cub!" I've only had experience of Marshall ferrets, so he looks so huge! Thank you for sharing pics of your beautiful litter.
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Post by joan on Aug 31, 2011 21:19:47 GMT -5
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 So far none of the ferrets I've owned or bred have developed either adrenal or insulinoma. I'm assuming that's because they don't have the genetics to do so as they're fully pigmented sables from a solid sable background. More pics will have to wait until someone else with a camera visits. <G> Feeding rabbits and mice to 5 kits who seem to have bottomless pits for stomachs are expensive, so a camera is definitely not on the "must have" list at this time.
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Post by joan on Aug 31, 2011 21:32:45 GMT -5
The two bigger hobs and the jill are really not as big as they appear to be in the pics where I'm holding them. I finally found my scales, so weighed them Monday (15 weeks old). a couple weeks after the latest pics were taken. Raven (the biggest hob) is 4.02 lbs, Onyx is 3.82 lbs, Cricket (the jill) is 2.40 lbs., and the two smaller hobs are 3.32 lbs. and 3.14 lbs.
I suspect the two smaller hobs may be the closest to the type and size I prefer when they're all fully mature. The gal who does the ultrasounds at one of the vets I use was in today, so I ran them up for a complete checkup and ultrasound. They both checked out fine, so I'm finally comfortable about placing them if/when suitable homes are available.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2011 0:26:33 GMT -5
I would absolutely love to visit your ferrets You're in Austin, right? Is there any precautionary measures we would have to take before visiting? Also, do you do anything special as far as lighting goes? I let the room be lit by natural light threw the windows during the day, and use amber lights at night to see them when they're out late. Is there even a need to do this with ferrets with more natural, healthier genetics like yours? Sorry I'm asking so many questions It's all very new and interesting to have the chance to talk to someone with truly naturally bred ferrets.
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Post by Sherry on Sept 1, 2011 8:23:27 GMT -5
and the two smaller hobs are 3.32 lbs. and 3.14 lbs Smaller??? That's bigger than the vast majority of my adults ;D
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Post by Heather on Sept 1, 2011 13:39:43 GMT -5
Ya....I was thinking that myself ;D ;D I think my heaviest adult fuzz is about 3.5 lbs. Minion weighs in at 4.2 but he's just a fat bottomed kit and will loose a lot of that when he does his spring shed next year when he turns a year ciao
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Post by crazylady on Sept 1, 2011 17:38:30 GMT -5
Now you can give a huge sigh of relief lol glad everything is fine told you your doing a good job lol ( maybe the big fella is eating all the pies ! lol ) take care bye for now Bev aka crazy lady
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Post by joan on Sept 22, 2011 11:02:57 GMT -5
Sorry about being AWOL for the past 3 weeks...my computer time has been spent in trying to keep up with emails. It seems one of the local pet store chains has been giving my email address to anyone who inquires about ferrets and, as a result, I've been swamped with inquiries. Most were college kids (Austin has a huge university), so it seemed best to invite them out to see the ferrets and discuss with them why a ferret (or any other pet) was not appropriate for the majority at this time in their life. I think I got through to most of them and hopefully kept at least 20-25 ferrets out of shelters...at least from that source. This is the reason I don't have a Website. I breed hybrids and place the ones I don't keep with experienced owners. I burned out long ago on educating newcomers to ferrets, especially since I won't sell a ferret to anyone who has never owned one...I refer them to the nearest ferret shelter. I feel very strongly that first time ferret owners are much better off with the early neuter MF ferrets, as they have been bred for docility and the easiest ones to live with for for someone with no experience with ferrets. The two smaller kits have both been placed and are doing very well in their new homes. They're both close enough that their new owners can bring them over for me to see every couple months or so, so that I can track their development. I still have Raven and Onyx (the two large, very dark hobs), and might consider placing one or both if a suitable owner comes along who is agreeable to keeping them whole for 2-3 years. Nancy is planning to come down in a couple weeks to get Cricket...it's going to be very hard to let her go, as she has almost everything I wanted from this breeding, both physically and mentally. I don't think her brothers will miss her...she beats them up on a regular basis if they dispute her authority. At 17 weeks, Raven and Onyx were 4.46 lbs and 4.44 lbs, respectively, and Cricket was 2.54 lb. Ferretdroogies, you're more than welcome to visit. Yes, I'm in Austin...southeast Austin, to be exact, about a mile from I-35. Let me know when it's convenient for you to come over. I'd prefer that you wear clothing and shoes that your ferrets have not had any contact with, as I'm slightly paranoid about ADV and ECE. As to lighting, mine live with natural lighting during the day and amber lighting in the ferret room at night. The light in the ferret room is only on for very brief periods after it gets dark, when I feed the evening meal or switch groups for out of cage playtime. I think it's very important to keep to the natural light cycle, as that regulates their hormones and reproductive development. Kits which are exposed to artificial light on a regular basis can come in heat/rut as early as 4 months, which is definitely not desirable. I suspect that constant exposure to artifical lighting may contribute to endocrine problems in unneutered and late neutered ferrets, just as it does with the early neuters.
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