How to Breed a Pet Ferret

Pet ferrets can be bred easily if you begin preparing for breeding seasons when you obtain them. Most pet ferrets are neutered or spayed before they are sold, so you may need to seek out private breeders if you plan breeding your pet ferrets.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Know More About Pet Ferrets

1. Know that breeding ferrets is a serious undertaking.

2. Keep in mind that you aren't required to have a male ferret in your possession. You can also bring your female ferret to the male.

3. Remember that male ferrets can be troublesome. They produce a strong odor and may be more aggressive.

Prepare for Breeding

4. Watch your ferret's age. Females are sexually mature at the age of six months.

5. Expect your female ferret to be in heat from March to August.

6. Keep an eye out for physical signs to determine the best time to breed. When your female ferret is ready to breed, she will have a swollen vulva with a slight discharge.

7. Check the male ferret to be sure that he is ready for mating. You'll notice that his fur seems greasier and he smells more musky than usual. You'll observe them urinating in a puddle and dragging their stomachs through it to mark their territory, and you'll also notice that your male ferret seems more aggressive than usual.

Introduce Your Ferrets to Breed

8. Put your female and male ferrets in a cage large enough for the two. Neutral territory (a cage that is not home to either ferret) is best to ensure proper breeding.

9. Leave your ferrets together to ensure that they've bred.

10. Check your female ferret's vulva in a few days to ensure that she is pregnant. It will have reduced in size.

Prepare for the Gestation Period

11. Know that the gestation period for your ferret is six weeks.

12. Expect your ferret to give birth to small, hairless babies.

13. Use caution when checking in on your ferret after she gives birth. Add food and water to the cage, and try to count the babies if you can.

14. Handle the baby ferrets, or kits, after one week.

15. Offer solid food to your kits at about three weeks old. Try creamed foods like baby food. You can also begin offering them regular ferret food mixed with water at the five or six week mark.

16. Prepare to give away or sell your baby ferrets until they are eight weeks old at the earliest. 12 weeks is optimal.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't be alarmed if your male ferret bites your female ferret. This is normal before mating, especially if the male ferret bites the female on the neck.

Resources

• Check out Go Pets America to contact ferret breeders.
• Consider the Ferrets for Dummies guide to learn more about ferrets.

[ferretlady]

on 8/9/2008 I feel there should be stronger warnings attached to this article. A FEMALE IN HEAT THAT IS UNBRED *JUST ONCE* CAN DIE OF APLASTIC ANEMIA; this, and greater aggression and smell in males is why all ferrets sold in pet stores are spayed/neutered. They are not like dogs and cats. PLEASE leave breeding of ferrets to professional breeders ONLY.