Ferrets eating thier young

[l1ukeRS]

Hi folks,

 

I have had my first litter of kits of my ferrets, i left the 2 jills in together as per the advice of a friend who has many, all has been fine up until yesterday, when i have gone from 9 kits to 6, i do not know which of the ferrets is eating them for definate, allthough one looks rather fatter than the other, why do they do this, the kits are now 3 weeks old a fair size to eat id imagine i cant find any trace of blood bones or anything in the hutch there is no way they can get out i am baffled!

 

can anyone shed any light on this for me or offer any advice ill have non left at this rate, im keeping an ear open for any noise and if i catch her in the act ill shoot her and leave the kits on the other jill.

 

Cheers

 

Luke

[Beardo]

many animals will eat some or all of their young if there's a shortage of food available.

rabbits for instance abort and reabsorb their foetuses if there's not enough food around for them to produce enough milk.

sounds like your jill cannot produce enough milk to feed them all so has eaten some to make it possible to sustain the others.

[l1ukeRS]

many animals will eat some or all of their young if there's a shortage of food available.

rabbits for instance abort and reabsorb their foetuses if there's not enough food around for them to produce enough milk.

sounds like your jill cannot produce enough milk to feed them all so has eaten some to make it possible to sustain the others.

 

Ok thanks, but there are 2 jills in there both feeding them, i just cant believe that they have all lasted until 3 weeks and were big strong heathly kits, she seems to have left the smaller ones and killed the biggest ones. 2 more went last night so i now only have 4 left, i have took the one jill out and left them with the other in a hope to save the 4 i have left, is this a wise idea?

 

thanks

[l1ukeRS]

Another one has just gone so i now only have 3 left what a palavar i cant believe theyd bring them up all this time, and then start eating them now

[Bigbob]

Are any of them first time mothers ? any noises near them ? are they getting plenty food ? the list goes on and on better getting kitts in rather than breeding them

[Cookiemonsterandmerlin.]

Quite common more common than pepole think I would think its the other jill even though its not unknown for mothers to do it.

No need to shoot her it does not make her bad just nature and it happens if the first time she has had kits heightens the chance of her eating them.

I would IMO 100% split the other jill now and see what happens nosiy little ferts are attractive to a hungary fert.

 

Good luck with the outcome OTH

[l1ukeRS]

Thanks for the advice, i will keep her i have been swatting p on it all day and aparantly it is quite common for first time moms, ive only got 1 left now it appears they were both at it, so i have took him out and im going to attempt to hand rear him. he is sat in a shoe box with a small lamp on him in my room now, ive got him eating and taking milk from a syringe so i guess time will tell.

 

Cheeers

[steve_b_wales]

Good luck mate.

[linny]

good luck with the kitt let us know how you get on

[Ferretertom]

Only a **** would shoot a healthy ferret.

If theyre eating the young there will be a reason for it, most probly your fault.

[Scully]

Jills will sometimes eat their own young if they feel they are under threat,possibly by you or another ferret.Has the other jill in the same pen had kits,or just one of them?

I realise this is quite an old post and its probably too late to do anything about it,but I'm relatively new to this forum.Have kept ferrets for many years ,and though I'm no expert I do have quite a bit of experience with them.Will help if poss'.