How long and how is pregnancy in ferrets going?
Pregnancy in ferrets is an important period in the life of the animal and its owner, because the pet needs special care and diet. Ferrets are funny and nimble animals that have been tamed for a long time and reproduce well in captivity.
Ferret pregnancy
Keeping such pets is no more difficult than a cat or dog, but they are more active. But their reproduction has its own characteristics.
Description of decorative ferret species
The domestic ferret, or ferret, is very similar to its wild counterparts. It has a flexible, elongated body, squat paws and a fluffy long tail. These nimble pets, due to their structure, are able to get even into a small gap. They have an excellent sense of smell, but poor eyesight.
Ferrets are represented by a wide variety of colors:
- albino;
- pastel;
- pastel selfie;
- pearl;
- sable;
- golden;
- the black;
- spotted.
Spotted animals, especially panda and milky mouse, are deaf. But this is not the worst disease that ferrets can get sick with.
They are carriers of tuberculosis in cattle, various helminthic infestations and influenza. This is the only living creature from which a person can contract the flu.
Features of mating ferrets
Sexual maturity in females occurs at 5-9 months of age. Males mature closer to a year. Their sexual activity lasts from 4 to 6 years, depending on the conditions of detention.
If the owners do not plan to use their pet in breeding, then it is necessary to castrate or sterilize it. Due to the absence of a partner, ferrets fall into a protracted rut. It can last from several weeks to several months. The animal is depleted, its fur begins to fall out even with good care. As a result, ferrets die of exhaustion. Signs of the onset of the rut are:
- enlarged testes in males;
- swelling of the external genital organs in females;
- unpleasant smell and marking of the territory;
- aggression;
- fussiness;
- the coat looks like it is wet.
The female is taken for breeding no earlier than 10 months of age. It is desirable that the male has already participated in the mating before. Sometimes the owners are frightened by the behavior of animals during mating. The male can chase, bite and scratch the female, but this is quite normal.
Mating should take place on the territory of the male, so he will feel more confident. The ferret is left alone for several days, after which the female is weaned from the gentleman. How long the mating process itself lasts will depend only on the characteristics of this particular pair.
It is important to let the male down only when the female sex loop is completely swollen, otherwise the result from such a mating can not be expected. This happens 3-4 days after the onset of estrus.
Ferret pregnancy
Ferrets are pregnant for about 40 days. It is necessary to know the exact date of mating in order to determine the due date.Sometimes, how much pregnant ferrets walk depends on the number of babies in the womb. In one litter, a female can bring from 1 to 15 cubs, but most often 5-7. They are called puppies, and ferret pregnancy is called puppies.
The first signs that the mating was successful and pregnancy has begun are:
- Enlargement of the abdomen. It looks like a flattened circle.
- Swelling of the mammary glands. The closer to the date of birth, the more often you will notice the release of milk from the nipples.
- Drowsiness. Ferrets already spend a lot of time sleeping, but pregnant females need it more than others.
- Hair loss is normal for the animal a week before giving birth: in this way, the females insulate the nest. If this shedding is prolonged, it is recommended to show the ferret to the veterinarian.
- The animal moves slowly because of its large belly.
You can also notice the movement of the cubs in the womb if the mother is lying on her back. All these signs appear in the second half of pregnancy, but even earlier it can be understood that the female is pregnant: she wakes up a huge appetite, but energy, on the contrary, decreases.
False pregnancy in ferrets
Sometimes, due to some abnormalities in the body, a false pregnancy can occur in ferrets. This term means that intercourse has occurred, but the egg has not fertilized. Despite this, following instincts, the ferret begins to behave like a pregnant female:
- behavior becomes peaceful and calm;
- the animal eats and sleeps a lot;
- the stomach is slightly rounded, but remains soft and does not increase in size;
- the mammary glands swell;
- maternal instinct is directed at one of the family members or the owner himself.
A ferret showing signs of false pregnancy should be taken to the veterinarian for an ultrasound scan. This is the only way to find out if the female is fertilized. Various factors can be the reason for this deviation:
- Inadequate diet of the female with insufficient protein and vitamins.
- Age over 5 years old, when the reproductive functions of the body come to naught.
- Stress.
- Finding the animal in a state of prolonged rut before mating.
- Hormonal problems.
- Problems with the attachment of embryos to the wall of the uterus in a previous pregnancy.
- Mating with a castrated male.
- Medical cessation of estrus.
If a false pregnancy occurs constantly after each mating, no matter how many partners and conditions of detention are changed, it is better to sterilize the female. The fact is that such malfunctions in the reproductive system threaten the development of cancerous tumors of the uterus and mammary glands.
Ferret care during pregnancy
Throughout the entire time that the ferret's pregnancy lasts, it is necessary to protect the female from unnecessary stress and possible diseases.
In order for the pregnancy and childbirth to be successful, and the cubs to be born strong and healthy, you must follow some rules:
- The amount of feed must be doubled so that the ferret receives enough nutrients, vitamins and minerals. But do not feed her too much, as obesity negatively affects the ferret's ability to bear offspring.
- Avoid walking in wet and cold weather, so as not to expose the expectant mother to the risk of catching a cold. In addition, the animal can slip and injure its belly.
- If there are drafts in the house, then this also threatens the female in the position with a cold.
- During water procedures, it is necessary to control the temperature of the water, to prevent hypothermia of the ferret.
- During the last week, pregnant ferrets gain a lot of weight and their belly increases. Do not pick up the animal during this period.
How to organize a ferret nest
You need to think in advance about arranging the nest so that the female has time to train her wool there.
In addition, she will drag everything that she finds on the floor of the apartment into the nest. The main "victims" of ferrets who equip the nest are newspapers and the clothes of the owners.It is better to offer the ferret small patches of woolen or cotton fabric.
A nesting house is made either in the aviary, if there is one, or in the animal's favorite corner. A wooden house is installed there, small sawdust is poured onto its bottom. The nest can also be made of plywood or plexiglass. In the absence of all these materials, you can get by with a spacious cardboard box from household appliances.
A few days before giving birth, the female will settle there. This will be a signal that you need to wait for replenishment from day to day.
Ferret birth
Ferrets usually begin labor at night.
If the female gives birth for the first time, it is recommended to be present nearby, in case of complications. Ferrets lick the cubs on their own, gnaw off the umbilical cord and eat the afterbirth, so they definitely do not need outside help. Except for those cases when the puppy is stuck in the birth canal or labor has stopped, and the babies are still in the womb. In these cases, you need to call a veterinarian.
Puppies are born head first. Immediately after the birth of the cub, the mother gnaws at the amniotic sac and licks the puppy to stimulate respiration. If the female refuses offspring immediately after giving birth, then there is simply no point in letting such an animal into breeding again. Newborn puppies are very difficult to feed on their own and most of them die in the first 3 days after birth.
Conclusion
If the birth was successful and the mother feeds and licks the children, then it is strictly forbidden to interfere with their family idyll. The fact is that the ferret will certainly hear a foreign smell from the puppy and will simply bite him.
Ferrets give birth from an hour to 12 hours. It all depends on the number of fruits and generic activity.