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Post by donna on Aug 25, 2012 5:44:59 GMT -5
hi, im new here, just after some advice please, my ferret stinky went in to labour 6 pm (uk time) last night, the first baby was stuck for a while and was sadly dead, then she settled down in her nest and when i checked a hour later she was curled up with 1 live baby and 2 dead baby ( 1 being the first born ), i left her for the night and when i returned this morning the 2 dead baby's are gone, not sure if she has moved them or eaten them but she is settled and nursing the live baby fine, her stomach still looks quite round and plump, she is fine in her self and seems very happy and settled,. this is her second litter, she had 8 in her first litter, 6 survived and she was a great mum. is it unusual for a litter to be only 3 kits, she seems fine so dont want to stress her and baby by taking her the vet if i dont have to, just after some advice and thoughts please.. thanks donna
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Post by Sherry on Aug 25, 2012 9:30:22 GMT -5
Our breeders normally don't check this thread, but I'll shoot a couple of them a message  |
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Post by donna on Aug 25, 2012 9:40:09 GMT -5
thanks, wasn't sure if i posted it in the right place  |
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Post by Sherry on Aug 25, 2012 10:06:36 GMT -5
Oh, you're a member- not a guest Hadn't noticed that! I'll just move it to the breeder board then. Someone who hasn't joined the forum can post random questions here. |
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Post by donna on Aug 25, 2012 10:17:18 GMT -5
ahh tha you, will take me a while to find my feet
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Post by Heather on Aug 25, 2012 10:17:24 GMT -5
These kits were born quite late in the season. I would say a small number would be normal. My hobs are tucking up (low sperm count) and my jill just had what looks like her last season....so considering things are "putting up" for the winter, I would say a small litter would be considered right. A polecat wouldn't be having any favours to be getting a large litter at this time of year, nature does it's own work too. Do you not have a mentor to guide you? Someone who can pop over to possibly give you an everything's ok? Is it possible that she needs vetting just to make sure she has no further babies up there? There are a couple of breeders on board, I don't know if they will be checking their messages yet but they should be on shortly.
ciao
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2012 11:12:32 GMT -5
I am not a breeder - definitely NOT and expert by any means....I've helped friends with their ferrets' pregnancies/litters, etc. That does NOT make me very knowledgeable at all - ferret breeding can be very difficult! For what my perception may be worth (possibly nothing!), August does not seem "extremely late" for a litter (at least not here in Colorado) My friends seem to expect litter size to reflect genetics/history of the jills previous pregnancies - but breeders usually try for deliveries earlier in the season, so I cannot comment on how much the later-season pregnancy might affect litter size. As ALWAYS, watch your jill and the babies like a hawk! I personally would be a bit concerned that the litter size seems small for this jill, a couple of the kits were stillborn in a small litter, and delivery did not seem to go really smoothly. Kits (still and/or live) and/or placentas can be retained. I would be concerned (probablyon the phone with a knowledgeable vet) that her belly still seems big.....but I am ultra-paranoid and inexperienced with ferret breeding. I will ask a couple of extremely experienced breeders to take a look at this post. Again, I only help my friends by checking on their pregnant jills/litters while my friends are at work. (We schedule different lunch times so we can leave work and check on expecting jills and litters a couple times during the day. (I have a love/hate relationship with this responsibility because it's thrilling but scary to me....of course, if something is wrong, my friend will leave work immediately, but I always stress out over what COULD happen  Congrats and ggod luck with your new family!!! -jennifer |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2012 11:48:11 GMT -5
I just emailed a few VERY experienced breeders - hopefully they can respond soon.
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Post by donna on Aug 25, 2012 12:00:06 GMT -5
thank you heather and mustelidmusk, it is now nearly 24 hrs later and she still has the 1 live kit, she is sleeping and nursing well and seems happy and affectionate , eating and drinking fine but still has a big round belly..........
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Post by Heather on Aug 25, 2012 12:06:18 GMT -5
Thanks Jennifer. My concern was with the first little one who appeared to be stuck. I too, also worry about retension. The size of the litter depends on genetic predisposition (we've already seen that it appears to be high), diet of the jill, number of litters she's already had (it appears to be only one) and being later in the season may also be indicative. I'm entirely honest, I know little, as thus far most of my information is by reading. I'm not at the kit stage in my life path
ciao
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Post by Heather on Aug 25, 2012 12:16:56 GMT -5
I would guess that's the total of it. I do know that ferrets are very good at hiding their illnesses and pain. I would keep a very close eye on her. I still hope that some more experienced breeders will pop in and offer their point of view.
ciao
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nanjferret
New member
Ferrets are people too!
Posts: 94
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Post by nanjferret on Aug 25, 2012 12:20:55 GMT -5
I would be very concerned with the big full belly. When a jill is done having kits you should be able to hold her up and palpate her and feel not much of anything in her, as if before she was pregnant. Jills can have a few kits then stop having the rest and require a c-section to get the rest out. If one or more are left in there she can get an infection and die from it. Some say a jill will not nurse with any left in her but I have found that to not be the case. Hold her up and feel her belly running your fingers around and up and down and gently squeeze some. do you feel any lumps? or is it completely smooth in there? If there are one or more lumps or it feels like maybe a balloon in there then she needs to get an ultrasound or xray from an experienced ferret vet asap. I have seen them have kits after 24 hours from the first one and it isn't unheard of to have the first kit hard to get out if the kits are large or not positioned correctly.
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nanjferret
New member
Ferrets are people too!
Posts: 94
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Post by nanjferret on Aug 25, 2012 12:26:43 GMT -5
And....it is common for the jill's first litter to be large and subsequent litters not as large but it really depends on the jill and the hob and age on both and how long the hob bred her for. An older jill will have smaller litters and can have a rougher time delivering. A small litter means bigger kits and possibly more problems coming out. If she does just have the one kit you will need to watch closely as one kit will not stimulate her milk supply as much and she could lose her milk, not always , but need to watch. does she have milk? You can also squeeze a nipple just slightly and very gently to see if anything comes out. If there are still kits in her she may not have her milk in yet either.
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Post by Heather on Aug 25, 2012 12:29:09 GMT -5
Thank you Nancy  . Thank you for popping in and adding your voice of experience. I only have book learning with no hands on experience. My concern, like Jennifer (who has more experience was the full belly). ciao |
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nanjferret
New member
Ferrets are people too!
Posts: 94
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Post by nanjferret on Aug 25, 2012 13:06:27 GMT -5
No problem! I'm not on here as much as I would like (too busy) but anytime someone has a question I am also available by private email. Just go to my website at www.Ferrettownusa.com to email me |
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