FERRET BREEDING SEASONS

AND

NEUTERING

HOBS

First year - Kits are born normally from April through to June. Early born kit hobs can become increasingly boisterous from 12-16 weeks old, their odour becomes stronger and they may start dragging other ferrets about. This behavouir normally subsides as we go into autumn and the odour decreases. They are not  capable of fathering kits at this early age . From December of the first year they will start to come 'in season' .

Second year - By February hobs will be coming into full season and capable of producing kits. They will not normally tolerate living with other hobs and will have to be housed separately. The characteristic musky odour returns to the coat and increased oil production means that the coat can be quite greasy. The breeding season for hobs is December to July. From August the hob will come out of season, losing the musky smell and oils in the coat. He may start to tolerate other ferrets again and by September onwards may be able to be housed with other ferrets until December/January when it all starts again.

NEUTERING

If you wish to keep your hob/s as pets it is advisable to have them neutered. A neutered hob loses most of the characteristic smell, will live with other ferrets and is quieter (as a rule) to handle.  The best age to have them neutered is between 7 and 8 months when they have matured and before they come in season.  Neutering a hob is a quick operation and most hobs go home from the vets the same day. Note - It can take up to six weeks for the musky odour to reduce and if the hob was in season the same time for him to accept living with other ferrets. Also a castrated hob cannot take jills out of season.

VASECTOMY

If you have a number of jills and do not wish to breed then a vasectomised hob can be used to take them out of season. A vasectomised hob has the same characteristics as a full hob, coming 'in season' at the same time. He will have the musky odour and may not tolerate other ferrets well.

JILLS

First year - during the first year of a jills life they do not go through many changes.

Second year - the breeding season for jills is from March until August. They will come into season the year after they were born. The vulva enlarges and peaks at 30 days. The jill is in 'estrus'.  Jills are 'induced ovulators' which means that if they are not mated she will remain in season.  This can have serious even fatal consequences. She is liable to infection due to the enlarged vulva and due to the continued production of estrogen in her body can lead to bone marrow depression which leads to a form of anemia (aplastic anemia). She will have a slight musky odour during her season.

It is imperative that jills are not left in season.

SPAYING

If you are keeping your jill/s as pets it is best to get them spayed. The spay involves removal of the ovaries and uterus, although a bigger operation than for hobs most jills can go home the same day. The best time to get them spayed is as for hobs between 7 and 8 months old before they come in season. If your jill comes in season before she is spayed your vet will probably administer a hormone injection to bring her out of season and then continue with the neutering at an agreed later date. 

Spaying when a jill is in season is not recommended due to the uterus being ingorged with extra blood at this time this could lead to fatal blood loss during an operation.  The spay itself will not take the jill out of season so she may also still have the possibility of becoming aplastic anemic. Other possible complication may occur that would eventually lead to death.

JILL JAB

(hormone injection)

An alternative to spaying is when your jill comes in season is to have a jill jab at the vets. This normally reduces the swelling within a week but you may find over the breeding season she may come in season again.

USING A VASECTOMISED HOB

When your jill comes in season a vasectomised hob can mate her and your jill will go into a phantom pregnancy. This lasts about six weeks when your jill will probably come in season again. Jills having a phantom pregnancy can produce milk and may start dragging other jills about as they treat them as their young. There is also an increased risk of womb infections with continued phantom pregnancys.

INDOOR FERRETS

The ferrets breeding seasons are governed by the amount of daylight hours so if your pet is a house ferret and exposed to lengthy periods of light you may find you have hobs and jills in season at any time of the year. It is highly recommended that house pets are neutered .