If you already have a male and female ferret, you may want to have them genetically tested to make sure they are not closely related. Speak with your veterinarian about genetic testing options. Prior to breeding, take your ferrets to your veterinarian to ensure they are healthy.
A jill in heat will have a swollen and enlarged vulva,[4] X Research source which is part of her external genitalia. You will notice a pink and watery secretion coming from her vaginal area. [5] X Research source On your hob, you will notice that his testicles drop (hang lower from his body) and become larger. [6] X Research source The hob equivalent of being in heat is a ‘rut. ’[7] X Research source Your hob’s personal hygiene will take a nosedive when he’s ready to breed. He will urinate to mark his territory and even drag his stomach through the urine. [8] X Research source He will also secrete oil to mark his territory. [9] X Research source Male and female ferrets that are ready to breed both develop greasy skin and become quite smelly. [10] X Research source
The biting will look disturbing, but it actually has a purpose—biting the jill’s neck releases the hormones in her body that will stimulate ovulation (egg production). [12] X Research source Jills are known as induced ovulators, meaning that she has to be bred to start egg production. [13] X Research source The mating process can take anywhere from several hours to several days, and occur over several sessions. [14] X Research source The ferrets’ violent mating ritual may cause you to want to separate them. Don’t do this! The male ferret’s penis is curved such that it ‘locks’ the female in place until mating is over. Trying to separate them will do more harm than good. [15] X Research source
Jills also make clucking noises when they are pregnant. [17] X Research source You can tell if the jill is pregnant starting about two weeks after a successful mating. You could also have your veterinarian perform an abdominal ultrasound on the jill, but this would be expensive. [18] X Research source Jills can have phantom pregnancies, meaning that they act as if they are pregnant when they are not. [19] X Research source High levels of hormones can cause your jill to become bloated and look as if she is pregnant. [20] X Research source Keep in mind that your jill will need to eat more as she approaches the end of her pregnancy so she can handle the energy demands of giving birth and nursing. [21] X Research source If the mating was unsuccessful, try again. Jills remain in heat unless they are bred, which can lead to serious health consequences, including pyometra (infected uterus),[22] X Research source , bladder infections,[23] X Research source , and anemia. Your female ferret must be bred or spayed if she is in heat.
Feeding your jill more dry food will also give her the extra protein she will need during nursing. [26] X Research source Feed her the highest quality ferret food that you can find to ensure she is in optimal health before giving birth. [27] X Research source The diet for a pregnant jill should be at least 35% fat and 22% fat. [28] X Research source To give her even more protein, supplement her diet with cooked meat (e. g. , chicken) and liver. [29] X Research source [30] X Research source A pregnant jill that does not eat enough in late pregnancy can develop a very serious condition called pregnancy toxemia. This is an emergency situation—your veterinarian will need to perform a Cesarean section to save your ferret’s life. [31] X Research source
If she does not drink enough water, she will also not eat enough food. Without enough intake of food or water, your pregnant jill would not be able to produce enough milk for her babies. [33] X Research source
Your jill will use the bedding or shavings to make a nest. [35] X Research source Place her cage in a warm, quiet part of your home so she can stay warm and prepare herself for giving birth. [36] X Research source Ramp up her food and water intake when you move her to this separate cage. [37] X Research source
You will need to feed her during this private time. Being as stealthy as you can, slip food and water in her cage when she is distracted. [39] X Research source Jills can develop mastitis (mammary gland inflammation) and some of the kits may die after birth,[40] X Research source so you should take a quick look at the mom and her babies when you put the food and water in the cage. [41] X Research source Call your veterinarian if the jill doesn’t look well, or if you see dead kits that should be removed.
Be mindful that if she has a large litter (more than 10 kits), she will lose weight no matter how much you feed her. With such a large litter, the caloric and energy demands will always outweigh how much she can eat. [43] X Research source
If you have the cage in an enclosed room, the smell could become unbearable. Increase the air circulation in the room by keeping a door open. [45] X Research source
You may have to wait longer than a week if the jill doesn’t seem thrilled with you being near the cage as she cares for her babies. You don’t want your eagerness to handle the kits to be the reason she becomes scared and eats some of her babies. Because kits are so small when they are born, you can probably hold each one in one hand. As the kits get bigger, you would pick them up by gently grasping them between their neck and shoulders with one hand and supporting their hind legs with the other hand. [47] X Research source Hold the kits for only a few seconds before placing them back in their cage. [48] X Research source When the kits are about a month old, hold them for longer (a few minutes) and speak softly to them. [49] X Research source Do not interrupt feeding time to hold the kits. [50] X Research source
You could try feeding the kits baby food as well. [53] X Research source Ferrets can be picky eaters, so you may need to add some kitten milk replacer to the kibble to make it a little tastier. [54] X Research source Check the label for the ferret food: it should be high in protein and low in carbohydrates. The protein source should be meat based, such as chicken. [55] X Research source Cat foods are usually not ideal to feed ferrets, since they do not have enough fat to meet a ferret’s nutritional needs. [56] X Research source
A kit will have its full set of adult teeth by about nine months of age. [58] X Research source Keep in mind that kits should stay with their mother until 12 weeks of age. [59] X Research source Although they will be able to eat solid food and should be more comfortable with human handling by six weeks of age, they should stay under their mother’s care for a little while longer.
The kits will also need to receive several vaccinations: canine distemper vaccine at two and three months, and the rabies vaccine at three and four months. [61] X Research source
It may help to give them a little treat each time they use it so they associate the litter box with something good. Ideal litters contain no dust. Examples include recycled paper pellets and fine softwood shavings. If the wood shavings contain cedar, the amount will likely be too small to cause toxicity in your kits. [63] X Research source Clumping litter is not recommended because the kits can make a mess of it and possibly inhale it into their lungs. [64] X Research source
To discourage inappropriate biting behavior, give the kit a firm ‘No!’ if it bites when you pick it up. It may take a long time for the kits to get the message that they’re not supposed to bite you, but they will eventually learn. [66] X Research source Do not cuddle the kits until they learn not to bite. [67] X Research source Discouraging a kit from biting at a young age will help them become better socialized by the time they are old enough to be adopted. Kits that are well trained and socialized will not bite and nip as much when they become adults. However, they will probably continue to nip at their toys and other cage items throughout their lives. [68] X Research source
