Hybrid questions

[Deleted]

So I have been wondering since I heard people say they breed polecat/ferret hybrids- are the hybrid offspring sterile? My high school teacher told us that while it is possible for two different but similar species to mate and product offspring, the offspring is generally not fertile due to the differing number of chromosomes.

So a lion and tiger can be bred just as a zebra and horse can, but the resulting offspring cannot breed. Now I know this rule is not always correct as I know people with mules and wolf/dog hybrids that have been successfully bred.

I am wondering if it is because the ferret is believed to be a descendant of the polecat and thus not technically a different species whereas say breeding a weasel or mink and a ferret probably would result in a sterile off spring?

I'd love to have some people who have or have bred hybrids to weigh in. Are they able to breed as well as their parents? Have you noticed any health issues over the generations?

[Sherry]

Ferret/polecat hybrids are fertile. It would be the same idea as two different breeds of dogs mate.

[Heather]

The actual origin of ferrets is muddy, there are many theories (including one by Ms Shimbo who believes that the original ferret may have actually come from Lybia and known as a steppe-polecat), no genetic proof. It has been noted that the ferret can breed and have viable offspring from various polecats types.
A Tao Full of Detours...Fara M. Shimbo
I was always taught that a "species" includes animals that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Apparantly, I show my age by subscribing to this notion, but all the various descriptions I've seen, this is the only one which is applicable across species uniformly. The domestic ferret and all it's wild relatives are inter-fertile and produce fertile offspring.
[end quote]
I hope this helps a little.
ciao

[joan]

The exception to that is the Black Footed Ferret and ferrets, as they can't produce offspring. IIRC, the project to save them used Steppe Polecats in the breeding program as they were thought to be the same or very similar. Ferrets and polecats can also produce fertile offspring with the European mink. Khonoriks are the result of a cross of the European mink with both the European and Steppe Polecats, but I think I remember reading that the hobs are sterile.

Contrary to many claims, none of them can produce offspring with the American mink due to the difference in chromosomes. It's been many years since I read the details of such an experiment. IIRC, the egg of one can be fertilized by the sperm of the other but the resulting embryos dcn't survive past the blastocyte stage of development. I have also read claims about ferret crosses with stoats and weasels, but AFAIK there is no evidence that such interbreedings are actually possible or can produce viable offspring.

[Heather]

Here you go Joan www.ferret.ru/eng/khonorik.html I couldn't find anything that stated there were successful breedings of ferrets and any of our North American mustela. It appears that the polecats are the closest to a genetic match.
ciao

[Deleted]

Or a wolf or a dog. Or a dingo or a dog...
Fertile. One is domesticated and one is not.

[joan]

Thanks, Heather, as I don't think I'd seen that one before. The pics and info I'd previously seen came from a translation of a Russian site. Interestingly, Zena's (my Czech jill) head is virtually identical to the picture at the top right.

[Sherry]

It's also for info FROM breeders about intact ferrets

[miamiferret2]

I deleted my responses and created a new thread in the "ferret talk" section since I am not a breeder.

[joan]

Nov 24, 2012 21:39:48 GMT -5 miamiferret2 said:

I deleted my responses and created a new thread in the "ferret talk" section since I am not a breeder.

There was no need to do that...many nonbreeders post responses to questions on this board.

[Sherry]

Exactly what I'd stated

[Deleted]

I have 2 hybrids

The jill is 50% hybrid and the hob is only 5-10%

They are just as fertile as the rest