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Post by Sherry on Oct 25, 2012 9:07:27 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2012 9:33:15 GMT -5
Mikey, those pics are sooo cute. My human kiddoes looked at them before leaving for school this morning and almost instantly began begging for another ferret. ;D I think ferret math is trying to take over. Its apparently starts at a very early age. My kids are only 6 and 8. They love the pic of Finn holding the bottle of oil like a baby.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2012 21:01:37 GMT -5
Bad news I'm afraid. So far, Finn has been living with Rosco and Fenton and not bothering them, and I've had the girl ferrets in a separate cage. Unfortunately, today I let Finn out for playtime with Rosco and Fenton for a while, and I heard screaming. I ran to the ferret room and found Finn had Fenton completely wrapped up under him, pinned by his scruff and mounting him like he was trying to mate with him. Fenton of course wasn't pleased and was screaming and trying to get away. His struggles were in vain though, Finn had a good hold of him and is just way too strong, Fenton couldn't budge Finn an inch. I spent several minutes convincing Finn to let go. Finally he let go, and I checked Fenton over. He wasn't hurt or anything, Finn just had a good grip on him that's all. I kind of wonder if I caused this myself... Normally, the girl ferts get a separate playtime, then they are put back in their cage and the boys get playtime. There is normally no contact between ANY of the boys with the girls, not just Finn. However, last night, I left all the boys and girls out overnight, to allow Fiona a chance to play with Rosco since they like each other so much (in fact you can see they were together in the video I just posted last night of Fiona). Well, they played together, slept in a pile, etc. I kind of wonder if maybe Fenton picked up enough smell from the females to make Finn suddenly interested in him, when he wasn't before. Especially after Finn and Fenton had been separated all night (normally they sleep together and Fenton smells like Finn). Is that possible? Or do you think it's more likely that Finn is just TOO far into rut now, and will need to be kept alone for a while? ) Finn is real stinky so I was thinking of giving him a bath anyway, I'm thinking it might at least be worth a try to bathe all 3 of the boys to get rid of any female smells Fenton and Rosco might have picked up. Then see if Finn still bothers either of them. If that doesn't work, I guess it's back to solo quarters for Finn just like last time he was in rut Poor bub!
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Post by Sherry on Nov 3, 2012 21:42:40 GMT -5
It's doubtful he's picked up enough scent to confuse Finn, unfortunately. Probably best to isolate him now before he can cause any damage to the boys
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Post by Heather on Nov 3, 2012 22:50:46 GMT -5
Sounds like Finn has decided to go all in Tico has decided that maybe he needs a rest and is coming back out . I noticed a couple of days ago, he was less greasy and today when I let him out his coat no longer has that sticky hob feel to it (he's not been real stinky for over a week now). He still has his bits but they appear to be shrinking too. The 'binos have gone totally out of season at this point. Hobs are very scent driven, it might have been all Finn needed to set him off. I know that Enigma was more than a bit rough with his brother after Bacchus had been with Lady Morgain....only thing was, she was in season and she did smell so there would have been her scent on him. I bathed them both as I got tired of their petty bickering. ciao ciao
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2012 0:42:49 GMT -5
Ugh, why did controlling light exposure work for you to take Tico out of rut but didn't work for me? No fair!
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Post by crazylady on Nov 4, 2012 14:09:14 GMT -5
stick at it mikey there is still a chance and once the cold cold weather hits get him out in it ( if that dont convince his manly bits they need to tuck up nothing will lol ) I think in heathers case she got to him a bit earlier than you lol but never say never there is always a chance take care bye for now Bev
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2012 14:53:02 GMT -5
Here's a crazy thought, we already know that constant exposure to too much light can make Marshall ferrets go INTO season any time of year (which is how they breed year round, right?)
Well, is the opposite true? By keeping ferrets in more darkness, is it possible to make their bodies think it's winter all year round so they never go into season? And if you could do it, would it harm them in any way?
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Post by crazylady on Nov 4, 2012 15:40:23 GMT -5
Hi Mikey oh you can do it ( lots did it in the old days ) but that means most of the time keeping them in total darkness in the old days they would do it with jills who wouldn't come out of season ( before jill jabs) they would place them in a dark place for say 16 hours ( 8 hours day light ) next week 17 hours darkness 7 hours daylight next week 18 hours darkness 6 hours day light and keep it at that till the body realised there was more darkness than daylight but these dark houses were totally dark ( blacked out windows ) and even the front of the cage had a sheet draped over to make sure no light at all penetrated until the owner went in for the daylight hours and to clean out and feed take care bye for now Bev
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2012 20:42:33 GMT -5
Hi all, just an update: Finn is still in rut, controlling the lighting and temperature have not worked yet. It may take more time. However, there is good news! Finn was so lonely when he was in a cage by himself. However, I found by experimenting with closely-supervised play, that Finn doesn't harass Rosco! Rosco and Fenton are both Marshall jibs but for some reason, Finn tries to mate with Fenton but he doesn't do that to Rosco. It turns out that Finn and Rosco can even share a cage and Finn leaves Rosco alone! I have been off work the last couple days so I would hear if a scuffle broke out, and they are fine! They cuddle and sleep together in the cuddle cube and stuff, they are good buddies! This is really nice for Finn to not have to be all by himself! So now it's just Rosco and Finn in one play group, and Fenton and Fiona in the other play group. We have peace so far It always broke my heart to cage Finn by himself since he is not used to it, but now we don't have to, for now hehe... Fingers crossed that he continues to leave Rosco alone!
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Post by Heather on Nov 16, 2012 21:44:20 GMT -5
Perhaps it's like adrenal ferrets....they often "pick" on a certain ferret to shower their attention on but leave other ferrets alone. Perhaps, a hob can have a friend too, that he can share space with but basically leave or not be threatened by when he's in season. Similar to the 'bino twins....they cohabitate quite comfortably with each other, now they're brothers but Finn has known Rosco since he was a kitt or close to it right? So, perhaps he looks at Rosco as being his "brother" ciao
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2012 21:47:50 GMT -5
Maybe, my theory is a little different... Finn has tried to mount Rosco a few times (successfully), but every time, he gets a BIG fight from Rosco. Fenton fights back too, but Rosco is WAY more ferocious than either Fenton or Fiona when he fights back! Finn has still subdued Rosco a few times, I've seen it happen and had to break it up, but... it's like Rosco just doesn't smell attractive enough to be worth the fight he puts up ;D Or something like that. Even days when I caught Finn scruff-dragging or pinning Rosco and mounting him, they still were friends and ended up sleeping near each other or cuddled up. But after a couple of those confrontations Finn has decided not to try and mount Rosco any more it seems. Now they are peaceful and neither shows any interest in fighting each other anymore. Before Finn was in rut, Rosco used to always be picking fights with him, now that Finn went into rut and laid the smack down on Rosco a few times, they seem totally at peace with each other and content to just cuddle. I'm keeping a close eye on it but so far they are making perfect cage mates Oh another theory - My above theory might be incorrect, after all Finn does dominate Rosco whenever he puts his mind to it, he's so much stronger. My other theory is, I have noticed Fenton and Fiona would always sleep cuddled up together. Rosco on the other hand sometimes would, but sometimes slept separate. Rosco also doesn't sleep as much as the other ferrets. So my 2nd theory is, maybe for that and other reasons, Rosco doesn't smell as attractive to Finn. Maybe Fenton smells more like a female than Rosco. One thing that seems to back this up is that once Rosco starts sharing a cage with Finn, Finn completely leaves him alone after that. Maybe because now, Finn and Rosco sleep together and Rosco smells like Finn, not Fiona. Just another idea... Gotta love ferrets, they are complex enough to make you think about these things...
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Post by Heather on Nov 16, 2012 21:50:35 GMT -5
I'm glad it worked out for them no matter what their ferty reasons ;D. ciao
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2012 21:51:58 GMT -5
Heather I just edited my post, I have a 2nd theory, what do you think?
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Post by Heather on Nov 16, 2012 22:00:15 GMT -5
Anything that lives with a hob for any length of time comes out smelling like a hob ;D ciao
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