Kit watch, 7 weeks

The kits are still growing at a fast rate! They are now 8 weeks old but I have photos of them aged 7 weeks. Their eyes are now open and they are growing in confidence as they explore their surroundings. They can manage solid foods such as chicken portions and day old chicks with no problems. They are already incredibly playful, it's not unknown for the odd tussle to break out between the babies, which is incredible to see as they are only the size of your hand right now!
Most of them have homes waiting for them, and I have to say, one will be coming to join us and our two rescued boys in a couple of weeks. I chose her when she was a week or so old, and I'm already very much attached to her since I've been following her progress all this time. We've decided to name her Lola, and we can't wait to introduce her to Alfie and Shiro, who we've now had for 8 months and are 14 months old.
Kits such as these are cute, but please remember that they do grow up, and don't stay tiny forever. We've chosen to adopt her from a very small from home breeder after rescuing Alfie and Shiro last year. I would say that if you are looking for your first ferrets then rescuing would be a very good way to go, as I've said before there are lots of unwanted ferrets in shelters, but they are often easier to train for first time owners as they will likely have had some bite training from the shelter's owner. Our two were aged 6 months when we got them, and they sure tested us when we took them home, but young kits can be even harder to handle. They need to be taught what is acceptable and what isn't, they will explore using their mouth-and most importantly teeth! But at the end of the day, any animal can bite, and young animals especially will nip. If you are not prepared to work through a little bit of nipping from a ferret-or any animal, then perhaps a young animal isn't for you!
I will hopefully be able to bring you one last picture update of these little kits before they leave mum for their new homes!

Lola

Latest ferret show results!

Alfie

We went to a ferret show on Sunday and I was amazed at the results! Alfie only went and won the title of 'reserve best in show' didn't he? I couldn't stop grinning! I am just so proud of him, especially as he is blind in one eye due to a cataract, which is very noticeable and is something that I had originally thought may hold him back, how wrong was I?
Alfie came first in the 'Albino hob' category, 3rd in 'veterans/disabled' and obviously was named 'reserve best in show'. Shiro came 2nd in the 'Albino hob' category and together they won the 'matching pairs' class.

Rosettes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places, reserve best in show and matching pairs. In the middle is the trophy for reserve best in show. Also pictured are two hammocks given as prizes. We also received certificates for each win. 

Shiro

Showing them is just fun for us, we just have our ferrets as pets and members of the family, so it's really great when they win at these shows. They have only been to two so far but have come away with 8 rosettes and a trophy so far!

We have their rosettes hanging on the wall next to their cage and are going to put a shelf up soon for any other trophies they may win in the future. With them being only one year of age at the moment I'm thinking that we're going to need more space for rosettes!

Comfy couch bed from Crusher's comforts

The comfy couch bed is a novel design unique to Crusher's comforts. It comes in a sofa shape and a range of colours so that your ferrets can relax in style!
There are four colours currently available; Midnight blue with tiger print, Sunshine gold, Flame burst red and beige with leopard print fleece.
I picked the beige with leopard print as it fits in with our own décor better than any of the others. They are all made from pet friendly machine washable materials. Ours has fleece on the inner parts and a corduroy like material on the out-most sections.
The website specifies it as being 14" in length, however when I took measurements ours is 13" in length. The bottom cushion that the ferret sleeps on is 10" long and 9" wide at the widest point. The beds have four stretchy black straps that measure 3 1/2 inches in length. The ring that connects them to the 3" metal clip is 1" in size. So you're looking at an un-stretched length of about 7 1/2" for these straps in total. The bed has a front support strap that is 1" wide.
The metal rings are handy as they mean you can remove them and the clips before putting the bed in the wash.
Lets have a look at this bed then shall we?

Shiro waking up from a nap.

As you can see from my pictures the bed is large enough for my biggest boy Shiro to lay in quite comfortably. It is also large enough for both Alfie and Shiro to snuggle in. I would say that if you have very large males or quite a few ferrets in your group then you may need to request to have a slightly larger one made.

The comfy couches are currently £15 plus shipping. Shipping will be calculated depending on how much you are ordering and where in the world you are. 

To have a look at these beds, and the other great ferret products that they sell please follow this link http://www.crusherscomforts.co.uk/ferret_toys_store#ecwid:category=765007&mode=product&product=3173370 which will take you to the comfy couch page. From there you can navigate away to the other goodies that they have to offer.

Kit watch: 4-5 weeks old

The ferret kits that I have been following from birth are now almost 5 weeks old and as you can see are growing rapidly. Their colours are really coming through, some confirmed colours are Albino, sable blaze, polecat, and silver pinto panda.
They are now starting to experiment with solid foods, though they still rely on milk from mum. One or two of the babies are starting to open their eyes, so this is a really exciting time!
I love receiving my regular pictures of the kits' progress, it's always a big shock to me when I see how much they've changed in a relatively short amount of time! I hope you enjoy seeing these pictures as much as I do.

Dig boxes.

We all know that ferrets love to dig, dig, dig! But what can we provide our beloved furballs with that will enable them to use their digging skills and stimulate them while being safe at the same time? The answer: Dig boxes.
There are numerous materials that you can use for a dig box. To start with you will need a suitable container for the filling being used. You can use things such as strong cardboard boxes, deep trays (like the sort used as children's sand pits) and storage boxes, which come on a wide range of shapes and sizes. The disadvantage of using a very deep box is that your ferret will likely not be able to climb out once it is inside. In this situation you would have to look out for signs that your ferret has had enough of the dig box, such as scrabbling at the sides and a lack of interest. Depending on the material used a shallow box will allow your ferret to kick the filling everywhere, so if you hate the thought of cleaning up after them then I would have the dig box outside in a secure area such as a run.

I personally use sand at the moment for my ferrets, they have theirs in a shallow tray outside (see pics below). If you want to use sand then please make sure that it is children's play sand, the type used in play pits that you can find at garden centres and similar home living stores. This sand is safe for your ferrets to use, it's clean and very fine.
You can use peat, which like sand is a more natural digging material. Please buy just peat that has no chemicals or any other nasties added, which would obviously not be safe for your ferrets.
Some people use rice and pasta in dig boxes. We did try this with our boys but they tried to eat the pasta which of course was worrying! I have heard that some ferrets get along brilliantly with rice and pasta and some just try to eat it. Obviously do not let your ferrets eat this, if you see them trying it is probably best to remove the pasta/rice and try something else. Only use raw uncooked pasta and rice, don't try and use any sort of pre cooked stuff! Dried beans are another alternative that most ferrets don't try to eat.
Some ferret owners have a lot of luck with the large plastic balls that are used for children's play pits, ping pong balls and scrunched up balls of paper. The balls of paper idea is great at Christmas when there is an abundance of paper around the house! These probably work best if used with a deep box so that they can really get a sense of burrowing. You can also use packing peanuts, just make sure that they are starch and not the styrofoam ones, as these can cause choking and/or blockages if ingested.
Shredded paper is another idea, and is a great way to make use of that nasty junk mail!
You can use the seasons to your advantage too, during autumn you can collect the dry fallen leaves and let your ferrets go wild in them!
With the 'clean' materials, such as the play balls and shredded paper you can hide toys and treats inside which will give your ferrets an added dose of excitement as they scurry to stash them!
It would be an idea to change the material that you are using from time to time, to give them a bit of variety, though some ferrets will have a favourite material. Even if you don't change between materials it is still important to replace the contents of the dig box regularly along with frequent checks to prevent a build up of germs and foreign bodies.
I hope you now have some fun ideas that you can put into practice and provide your guys with hours of fun! I hope you like the pictures of my boys in their sand pit.

An example of a rice dig box

Kit watch: 3 weeks old

The babies are now three and a half weeks old, these pictures were taken when they were about 3 weeks of age. The patterns and colours are now being identified with more certainty. The female pinto panda from the last update is in fact a blaze jill. The kits are all still thriving under mum's care. Reservations are being made for the babies already, though there won't be any visits allowed for a while yet as they are still too young.

Cuddle cup bed by Rhett and Co bedding.

As you may know, Rhett and Co make a large range of ferret bedding, in a wide range of colours and patterns. If you don't, then check out my earlier feature that I did for their website http://ferretdook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/rhett-co-bedding-for-ferrets-of-all.html

I was tempted to buy a cuddle cup from them, which I did! The cuddle cups are cup or bowl shaped beds, made from a really soft high quality anti-pill polar fleece. The bed is around 10" wide, perfect for a couple of fuzzies like mine to snuggle up in! You can of course have one made to a specific size to suit your needs, just contact them with any queries. It has sturdy sides that support your ferret inside the bed, and helps it to hold it's shape, but they are not so sturdy that they are uncomfortable to rest a chin on! The sides are around 4 1/2" high.
As you can see from the photo above, the cuddle cup comes with its own matching cushion and and jingle toy. Unfortunately my boys prefer to throw the cushion out of the bed before they sleep in it! But I keep putting it back in there anyway! So not only do my ferrets get a work out pulling the cushion from the bed, but they have somewhere warm and cosy to cuddle up in afterwards!
The cuddle cup is padded throughout for extra luxurious comfort. As with all Rhett and Co bedding the cuddle cup is made from pet safe materials and fire retardant stuffing.
You can choose to have the bed as a free standing model or a hanging one. You just need to indicate which you would prefer when you place your order. I chose to have mine free standing, so that I could use it inside or outside the cage easily. The free standing bed comes with a spring clip attached to a durable fabric tab. This enables you to fix the bed to the side of the cage to keep it in one place. The fixings that are used with the free standing cuddle cup are a 2mm split ring with a 5mm clip. The hanging cup will have the larger size fixings that are used with most of the other beds such as hammocks. These are 3mm split rings with 5mm clips.
There are lots of colours to choose from including: Rainbow bears, Camo, pigs n bunnies and Tiger print. I chose the Jungle pattern, which has a red background and animals such as Crocodiles, Zebra, Toucan and lions in the foreground.
It is a really cute little bed and is such a bargain. It is priced at £12.50, which includes the bed itself, the cushion, the jingle toy and all straps/clips that are needed to secure it to the cage. Postage in the UK is free no matter how much (or how little) you order. Shipping to the United States is £8, again no matter how much is purchased. Other international customers should contact Rhett and Co for a shipping quote. International customers can now easily work out how much products will cost them using the on-site currency converter tool, which can be found on the homepage.
You can have a look at the cuddle cups and the colours available here  http://www.rhett-and-co-bedding.co.uk/cuddle-cups/

Three Shires Ferret Rescue & Welfare

Three Shires Ferret Rescue & Welfare has been around since the 14th June 2007. The rescue is run by Chrissy Hillyard and they rescue and re home ferrets in Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Bedfordshire (which is how the name came about). The rescue receives ferrets mainly from the RSPCA and members of the public, some of which are un-neutered hobs that have roamed looking for females.
Before the ferrets leave Three Shires they will have been vaccinated, neutered and micro chipped. The ferrets usually go as pets or working ferrets, but not before a home inspection has been carried out. The ferrets usually have their basic nip training while at the rescue, which is mainly done by building a sense of trust between the ferrets and humans.
Chrissy often organises her own ferret shows, the next one being at the Rushden Cavalcade of historical transport and country show on Sunday 6th May 2012, 9:30-2:00pm.
(For more details see  http://www.threeshiresferretrescueandwelfare.co.uk/news.html)
The Three Shires website has details of ferrets that are known to be lost as well as ferrets that have been found. This is a useful tool for people that have either lost a ferret (they can check to see if it has been found) or for people that have found a ferret and need to see if anyone has reported it missing.
The Three Shires centre also boards ferrets, more information about boarding with them will be added to the website shortly.
The website also has details on ferrets currently waiting for new homes, you can search for males, females and pairs. There is also general ferret information and examples of the sort of cage you should have for your ferrets.
You can visit the wesbsite yourself here http://www.threeshiresferretrescueandwelfare.co.uk/index.html and why not visit their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/ThreeShiresFerretRescue

Kit watch, two weeks old.

The litter at 2 weeks old

The boys

The girls

No the kits haven't aged super fast, I just didn't start kit watch when I should have. I started this when they were about 9 days old, and posted the pics from when they were newborn, then 9 days old. I've finally caught up to the present! Their colours are starting to come through and some confirmed colours are Albino, Pinto panda and possibly a sandy/copper colour. There are 5 girls and three boys. As you can see from the close up of the jill they are getting a much thicker coat now. I'm looking forward to the next update!

Pinto panda female

Home-made ferret bedding: Hammock

I've finally got around to uploading the pictures of my ferret hammock that I made last week! It's quite a big hammock at 19x19" but it gives my lazy boys plenty of room! This took me a bit longer to hand stitch than the other pieces I made, I just have a lot of hobbies so picking it up to carry on stitching was an effort! It probably took about 1 1/2 hours to stitch in total then I just had to fix the eyelets and chain.
I'm really pleased as not only do my boys love this hammock but the sleeping bag that I made previously is their favourite item of bedding now! Here is the finished hammock.

Ferret Time, a magazine for ferret lovers.

Ferret Time is a UK not-for-profit magazine for anyone with an interest in ferrets. It has stories that will appeal to both owners of pet ferrets and working ferrets.
Ferret Time is published by Droitwich ferret welfare, a local registered charity that rescues and re-homes ferrets in Worcestershire and the surrounding area. They re-home over 200 ferrets every year and are soon to reach the 2000 mark. Their website also contains useful information for ferret owners on topics such as housing and exercise. For more information on Droitwich ferret welfare and the work that they do please visit their website http://www.droitwichferretwelfare.co.uk/
Ferret Time has been running for three years, and before it was established they were issuing a newsletter for six years. It is a triannual full colour magazine that typically includes content such as features on other welfare organisations, letters, fun articles and health notes. The May edition that is soon to be released will include a feature on the popular 'Fluffyferretforum', an article on scientists tuning into ferrets' thoughts and The ferret awards. To see if Ferret Time is the magazine for you, why not request a complimentary copy of the current edition, available via email in pdf format. You can also purchase a hard copy of the current edition for £2.50 or you can subscribe for a year and receive all three issues for just £5.99-Which is what I have done!
They have a spring/summer edition which is released in May, an autumn edition published in September and a winter edition that is published in January.
To request a pdf version, hard copy or to subscribe please go to http://www.ferrettime.co.uk/index.php/subscribe-to-ferret-time
Happy reading!

Kit watch, 9 days old.

So the kits are 9 days old in this picture (they are currently 13 days old). Some colours are starting to come through. You can see the darker grey fur of one kit, thought to be a polecat coloured or other similar dark ferret. There's thought to be an albino jill, identified by pink eyes behind the lids rather than dark eyes like the rest. They will have almost doubled in size since their birth.
Hopefully in the next update we will be able to see some more changes!

Shiro dreams of being a rock star...

Took the cutest picture of Shiro tonight, he was kind of plucking the strings originally but stopped as soon as I got the camcorder out! So I settled for this cute little pose that he did :)

Crusher's chronicles, volume one.

Crusher's chronicles is brought to you by the people (and more importantly, the ferrets) behind Crusher's comforts, the one stop shop for ferret information and products, namely home-made bedding. For more information on Crusher's comforts please see my feature http://ferretdook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/crushers-comforts-online-shop.html
Crusher, the world famous polecat coloured hoblet decided to get his dad Barrie to ghost write some stories of the adventures of team Crusher, as seen through the eyes of Crusher (naturally!)
The stories follow the adventures of Crusher and his team of 37 ferrets! What to expect from this book? Giant grass eating ferrets, ferrets training for the Olympic games and an all out war-ferrets vs meerkats! And that's only for starters!
One of my personal favourite parts is where Barrie tries to take some of the show ferrets rabbiting, what did Crusher have to say on the matter? "If the worse comes to the worst, do the biggest toilet all over dad's nets. That way he will grumble for a few days about how useless we are and take out the usual members of the crew in future". Now that is something I can very well imagine those sneaky little ferrets doing!
Poor Crusher though, not only can he not sleep due to all the stress of having to look after mum, dad and his team, but when he does finally get to snuggle down with his beloved Truffle he sometimes suffers from nightmares due to the things he has to witness as head ferret! "Had a difficult night's kip, dreamt Truffle had been seduced by a skunk and had a litter of skunk crossed ferrets with claws like Freddie Kruger!"
This is a cracking little book that had me chuckling out loud, so be warned if you plan to read it in public! All the ferrets portrayed in Crusher's chronicles really do exist, they all belong to owners/parents' Karen and Barrie. It was created to try and show owners some of the different personalities that exist in the ferret world, and some are bigger than others! (Mentioning no names-Crawford, aka The silver streak, who demanded a sport headband and ankle warmers amongst other things whilst training for the Olympics!)
Crusher's chronicles has 15 hilarious stories for you to enjoy, and is priced at £4.99 or you can buy volume one and volume two for the special price of £8.99 (limited time only). The following link will take you to the 'ferret goodies' page where you can select either volume one, volume two or the two together at the discounted price.
http://www.crusherscomforts.co.uk/ferret_toys_store#ecwid:category=765012&mode=category&offset=0&sort=priceAsc
The line that has put my boy's noses out of joint? Caramac's thoughts on Crawford, (The silver streak) "I think Crawford's fit! Nice bum". They're just jealous that girls haven't said the same about them yet, give it time...

Kit watch!

I'm going to be following the progress of a litter of ferret kits from birth until adoption. The mother is a standard copper roan mitt and the father is a semi Angora silver roan panda mitt.
The kits were born on the 12th April 2012 to a first time mum. It was a large litter, 13 kits in total! They are born blind, deaf and totally dependant on their mum. They are covered in a fine white hair, their true colours will develop as time goes on. All they can really do is squeak at this point. Fun fact: newborn ferrets are small enough to fit on a teaspoon!
Want a look? I bet you do!

The litter at one day old.

Aren't they adorable? Let me know what you think of them! I'll give you an update with a recent picture shortly!