How does a ferret take care their young?

Answer 1

The female mother ferret called a "Dam" does all the rearing of her offspring that are called "kits". She has a litter of 6-8 young (kits), 42 days after mating. The dam will start preparing her nest about two weeks before birth. The female nurses and cares for the young, the male has no role in raising the kits. The young are born blind, deaf and helpless and covered with a fine white fur, totally dependent on their mother for about three weeks. Kits weight at birth five to fifteen grams. If the female ferret feels that her kits are threatened in any way from an human or animal, she might cannibalize or eat them. She does that to come into heat again, rather that letting a predator get them. About 3 weeks of age, the kits will began to eat solid food, while continuing to nurse. Their hearing develops and eyes are opened at about 4 weeks. Kits are mature enough to be weaned at about 6 - 8 weeks and leave the mother.

At birth it is important that you do not handle the kits, and do not disturb the nest unnecessarily for at least five to seven days. Be cautious when approaching the nest, the mother is very protective of her kits and may bite you. If the Dam feels that her litter is threatened or faced with the threat that a predator will kill and eat her young, she does not surrender her litter, but will kill and eat them.

Most Dam's (mom ferret) are very good mothers and will train their babies when it's time to start eating solid food, she will drag them to the food bowl, and will litter train them as well. Kits must be socialized by humans after 27 days of age.

Baby ferrets still with the mom? They need to be in a safe secure place with nesting materials - In the UK for outdoor courts they use cubs and nesting boxes (shoe size box with a round hole for access). In the US - a mom ferret with kits need to be kept in a separate pen or cage from other ferrets.

Answer 2

When introducing two Ferrets, set one ferret in the cage/on the ground of a ferret-proofed home, and then five minutes later set the other one in. They might squeak and play-fight for a little bit, but then they will probably get used to one another soon after (an hour, maybe less or more?). I hope that this helped.

Answer 3

Take care of two ferrets the same as you would one or several ferrets.