Hailey & Hershey - Kit Diary 2008
updated 3/20/08
12/21/07 - Right on time, one of Haileys kits was born around 11pm tonight. I decided that she would be ok with me just checking on her as she is an experienced momma and left her alone for a few hours.
12/22/07 - I checked on Hailey at 4am and found 5 kits. 5 is a good number, I'd be happy with that... back to bed I went. When I woke at 8am I found 3 more kits, making a total of 8 (I thought). I wanted to clean her cage and give her new blankies as she had made quite a mess overnight.. so in doing so, I found 4 more kits hudled together under another blanket. ACK! 12 kits!! OMG.. that is a record for us here at FFP. Sadly, one of the kits passed away that evening leaving us with 11 Christmas babies.
12/23/07 - I started supplementing Hailey today as she has so many kits to care for. She was happy to get the extra nutrition and attention. During my afternoon check, I found 2 babies had passed away. Most likely they had gotten pushed aside and could not make it back to mom for food. :o( This is the hardest part of breeding.. not being able to help when they are so tiny, tiny. Another looks like it will leave us as well, it is much smaller than the other kits and not moving as vigorously as the others. Update: 11pm, the little one has passed. We are now at 8 babies.
12/24/07 - Day 2 and everyone seems to be doing well. Hailey is enjoying her extra feedings and does not mind if I handle the kits. She is a very good mom. I took some pictures of the little ones today to share:
12/27/07 - Day 6 and the 8 are going strong. I was able to sex them today and sadly there are only 3 boys and 5 girls. I have lots of people that wanted boys, so they are going to be a hot commodity I fear. Everyone is growing beautifully and they are such good babies. Here are some day 6 pictures to share. It's hard to believe they are a week old already. It will be no time at all till we have to start feeding them (fun!).
12/31/07 - Oh my the babies have gotten so big already! They are at the "sausage" stage... and have really started to look like real ferrets now instead of just wiggly wormy things. LOL They are just beautiful and quiet kits.
1/3/08 - Well the babies are still thriving very nicely and getting cuter and cuter each day. Almost 2 weeks old already it is hard to believe... only one more week till they start to eat mush and get nice and messy. oh boy!
1/7/08 - Here we are at just over 2 weeks old and the kits are really starting to show their colors now. It looks like we have just 2 with white feet and spotty bellies in this litter, a boy and a girl. The other 6 appear to be some shade of sable, possibly points we will have to see as they age. Everyone is getting in their tiny baby teeth and in just a few short days they will be ready to try mush for the first time. Enjoy the new pictures!
The Girls
The Boys
1/10/08 - 19 days old and I am sorry this update took so long. I took pictures of them on this day and then I lost my camera transfer cable (ack!) and could not get them onto the web. I found the cable today and was able to upload the new pictures for your enjoyment.
The Girls
The Boys
1/15/08 - Now at 24 days old the babies are eating chicken goop on a regular schedule and I think they may even be gnawing on momma's rodents and such. They have very sharp little teeth! It has been a real challenge keeping the kits from wearing more than they swallow.. it will be a blessing next week when they open their eyes for sure! LOL The group pictures were taken after they ate, which is why they look wet in the photos below. The kits have more defined colors now and there appears to be one each mutt, point & sable boy and one mutt, 2 sables and 2 point girls. They are all so cute.. the other day their whiskers appeared!
The Girls
The Boys
1/19/08 - Another birthday! 4 weeks old today, the kits are doing very good and exploring new food items. They are immensly enjoying their chicks, as seen below in the pictures from today. Unfortunately I did not have much time for pictures, but managed to get several funny ones. Oh how they guarded that chick.. hissing at me when I tried to take the leg away. They can't even see what they are eating, but they know it is good.. LOL
1/21/08 - Today I had more time for photos and took several of each kit. Most of this litter has been reserved now and they are growing very well. I am super happy with the way they have developed so far.
Sable Mutt Hob - reserved Jessie K.
Sable Hob 1 - reserved Nina Y.
Sable Hob 2 - on hold
Sable Point Jill 1 - reserved Barbara S.
Sable Point Jill 2 - on hold
Sable Mutt Jill - available
Sable Jill - on hold
Dark Sable Jill - on hold
01/26/08 - Today the kits are 5 weeks old and it is hard to believe that they have changed so much in just 5 days. Everyone has their eyes fully open and they have been moved over to a large covered playpen to continue growing up in.
Dark Sable Jill
Sable Jill
Mutt Hob
Sable Hob
Dark Sable Hob
02/04/08 - We are now just over the 6 week mark and they are almost ready to leave home! Oh no!! Most of the litter is reserved, below is the most current availability. They are eating anything you put down in front of them now, including raw chicken wings & drumsticks, day old chicks, large adult mice, day old quail, raw ground chicken/turkey, chicken gravy (cooked chicken including bones that has been ground) and some kibble. They save the kibble for last *sigh*..
Sable Mutt Jill - reserved Jen P.
Sable Point Jill - reserved Barbara S.
Dark Sable Jill - Available
Sable Jill - on hold
Sable Point Jill #2 - Available
Dark Sable Hob - on hold
Sable Hob - reserved Nina Y.
Sable Mutt Hob - reserved Jessica K.
2/9/08 - Wow the kits have reached 7 weeks old and I am amazed at how well they are litter trained and socialized. Well not so much on the socializing part, because I always do a good job at handling the babies and making them into sweeties - but the litter training amazes me. This is my first litter that has used the litter box on their own and not slept in it instead! Heck, these guys even take their finished chicken bones to the litter box! Amazing indeed. Pictures were much harder to take because they are so quick!! These photos were taken on their 7 week birthday... enjoy!
Dark Sable Hob - Available
Dark Sable Jill - Available
Sable Point Jill - Available
Sable Mutt Hob - Reserved Jessica K.
Sable Mutt Jill - Reserved Jen P.
Sable Point Jill - Reserved Barbara S.
Sable Hob - Reserved Nina Y.
Sable Jill - on hold FFP
03/02/08 - Well so much for updating the diary on time. So many things happened that delayed photos and updates. The majority of the kits have left for their new homes and are doing great. We have 3 kits here, one girl that we are keeping and one girl & one male still available for sale. They are 10 weeks old now and it is virtually impossible to take photos of them with one person...
FFP's Hurricane Annie (Sable Jill) - staying at FFP
Sable Point Jill - Available
Sable Hob - On Hold
3/20/08 - I still have the same three "amigos" from this litter. The boy will be leaving next week for his new home in Florida, leaving only the sable point girl to find a good home now. New pictures of the three kits from this litter are below. Hard to believe they are almost 13 weeks old!
FFP's Hurricane Annie (staying at FFP)
Sable Point Jill - Available
Sable Hob - Witt Family
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This page last updated 3/20/2008