Post by miamiferret2 on Nov 24, 2012 21:38:15 GMT -5
moved my post since I originally posted responses in the breeders section and I am not a breeder. the question was: "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?"
Read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=breederboard&thread=9943&page=1#ixzz2DCLC6dPd
my response:
The ferret on the left is 1/4 siberian polecat. You can see the obvious difference. I believe her name is Cimet and she was bred to a polecat/ferret hybrid this year. So she is fertile and can produce viable offspring. Btw, these are Imre Fejes's ferrets. He is a breeder in Hungary. I love Cimet's little red afro. Lol.
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2384529&index=105
Cimet grown up
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2384529&index=110
Mom cimet and dad Boniface
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2861731&index=12
Their babies
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2861731&index=4
I believe this is Cimet's grandmother 100% siberian polecat. This was in 2007:
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2039853&index=8
Here she is wanting to kill Imre:
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2039853&index=2
Younger pic
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2039853&index=1
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2039853&index=26
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2039853&index=6
BTW, Imre ships to the United States. Ann Barzda owns a few hungarian imports. one of her ferrets is a descendant of Imre's ferret Barna. Imre is on the HF facebook group.
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?"
Read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=breederboard&thread=9943&page=1#ixzz2DCLC6dPd
my response:
The ferret on the left is 1/4 siberian polecat. You can see the obvious difference. I believe her name is Cimet and she was bred to a polecat/ferret hybrid this year. So she is fertile and can produce viable offspring. Btw, these are Imre Fejes's ferrets. He is a breeder in Hungary. I love Cimet's little red afro. Lol.
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2384529&index=105
Cimet grown up
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2384529&index=110
Mom cimet and dad Boniface
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2861731&index=12
Their babies
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2861731&index=4
I believe this is Cimet's grandmother 100% siberian polecat. This was in 2007:
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2039853&index=8
Here she is wanting to kill Imre:
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2039853&index=2
Younger pic
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2039853&index=1
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2039853&index=26
mennydorgo.gportal.hu/picview.php?prt=458918&gid=2039853&index=6
BTW, Imre ships to the United States. Ann Barzda owns a few hungarian imports. one of her ferrets is a descendant of Imre's ferret Barna. Imre is on the HF facebook group.