From:
"Chris and Tara Palaski"
Date: 2005-09-09 21:37:54 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] how to tell if young ferrets are fixed?
To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <000501c5b586$bcead980$640fa8c0@mycomputer>
Hi Linda
If the kits are males the testicles are typically visible and/or palpable at
8 weeks of age. Young females often will have a lightly visible scar from
their spay surgery. If the ferrets are not descented it is a at least a
reasonable assumuption that they are not neutered either ( a good scare such
as a loud noise is one way to determine if the kits are descented :) Body
odor can be a useful way to determine alteration status as the kits age. The
majority of intact kits just "look different" as well. Larger structure,
greater bone density, even more dramatic difference in size based on gender,
different head shape etc. The shelter may need to wait on adoption to see
if the kits display telltale signs of being intact. It shouldn't take to
long.
Tara
----- Original Message -----
From: "Linda Iroff" <ferret@mac.com>
To: "Ferret Health List" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 3:13 PM
>A ferret shelter in Mississippi has taken in 5 young ferrets that
> reportedly came from a destroyed pet store in Gulf Port. The owner
> simply took them and a variety of other animals to a Petco and
> dropped them off. Petco will not sell animals not their own, so they
> were turned over to the shelter.
>
> Two of the kits are about 2 months old, the others a bit older. They
> are all doing very well. The problem is they have no tattoos, and the
> shelter operator cannot be sure if they have been altered. She has
> not had a chance to discuss this with her vet yet (there are less
> fortunate ferrets that need more attention).
>
> What options are there for them to determine the sexual status of
> these guys?
>
> Linda Iroff
> International Ferret Congress
> http://www.ferretcongress.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
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