YARC       Comparative Medicine

Veterinary Clinical Services

Protocol for Managing Pregnant Ferrets

  1. UPON ARRIVAL
    1. Notify Veterinary Clinical Services
    2. Give copy of accompanying paper work to VCS
    3. House animals singly in stainless steel cat cages with enclosed nesting areas
    4. Nest boxes are to be filled with "Aspen" bedding to a depth of at least 6 inches, packed as tightly as possible

        5. "Aspen" bedding available from:
        American Excelsior Co.
        100 Walton St.
        N. Chelmsford, MA

    5. Pregnant jill will be gradually fed kitten chow according to the following schedule:
      Day 1 - 1/4 cup kitten chow + 3/4 cup cat chow
      Day 2 - 1/2 cup kitten chow + 1/2 cup cat chow
      Day 3 - 3/4 cup kitten chow + 1/4 cup cat chow
      Day 4 - Full feed kitten chow
      1. They will be maintained on kitten chow until the kits are gone and/or weaned
      2. Jills with no young left are then gradually returned to cat chow using the reverse schedule of above
    6. Females bred here, when confirmed pregnant will also be changed over to kitten chow as above
    7. Pregnant animals will also be supplemented with "eggnog" daily; which will be provided by V.C.S.
    8. Non-pregnant females and males should be fed cat chow ad lib
  2. PARTURITION
    1. Gestation time is 42 days, +/- 1 day
      1. Due date will be provided in the paperwork from the vendor
    2. Animal will be checked daily by VCS and investigator will be notified of births
    3. Once the young are born they should not be disturbed: do not open the nest box area and do not rotate into a clean cage for two weeks
      1. The front area of the cage should be kept clean by daily removal of feces and soiled bedding
      2. Any signs of illness or any deaths should be reported to VCS and appropriate action will be taken
    4. At two weeks post-partum normal schedules of cage cleaning and rotation can be resumed
  3. WEANING
    1. When the young are two to three weeks of age the mother may begin to carry food into the nest for them to eat
    2. At four weeks the young will begin to come out of the nest
      1. VCS will then begin to feed the pups canned cat food mixed with moistened kitten chow twice daily
      2. At this time the feeding of Eggnog to the mother will be discontinued
      3. During the next two weeks the proportion of kitten chow will be increased as the amount of canned food is decreased, so that the kitten chow can eventually be fed alone and in the dry state
      4. At six to eight weeks the pups should be eating well on their own and can be separated from the mother
      5. Once weaned DAC should continue to feed dry kitten chow ad lib until 3 mo. of age and then feed cat chow
  4. HOUSING
    1. The young may be housed two to a cage after weaning
      1. The sexes should be kept separate if possible but if space is limited can be housed together until nine months of age (sexual maturity reached at one year)
  5. HEALTH CARE
    1. At eight weeks of age pups should be vaccinated against canine distemper
      1. Give modified live vaccine, chick embryo cell culture
    2. Repeat distemper vaccination at ten weeks
    3. At eight weeks submit fecal samples from the pups for parasitology
      1. Treat as necessary
  6. RESTRAINT AND HANDLING
    1. To restrain, grasp firmly around the neck, shoulders and forelimbs
    2. Most ferrets are tame and can be held bare handed, those of unknown temperament and mothers with litters are more safely picked up while wearing leather gloves
  7. LIGHTING
    1. Light cycle should be set at 16 hr. light/8 hr. dark

 

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Copyright © 1999 Yale Animal Resources Center, Yale University
Last modified: February 13, 2000