|
Ferret
facts and figures
|
Photo by John Allan
|
| Adult Dimensions |
14" - 24" ( 35 -
60cm ) including tail. Male can be twice as large as female. |
Adult
Weight
|
1 - 5.5 lbs (
400g - 2.5kg ) Varies considerably according to time of year.
Usually much lighter during Summer ( Up to 40% ) |
| Average Life Span |
5 - 6 years in laboratory.
Up to 10 years as pets. ( Older have been known and 14 years
recorded ) |
| Chromosome Count |
40 ( Twenty pairs ) |
| Respiratory Rate |
30 - 40 per minute. |
| Heart Rate |
220-250 beats per minute. |
Rectal Temp.
|
Average 38.8C
( 101.8F ) Range 37.8 - 40C ( 100 - 104F ) |
| Teeth |
Incisors 3/3, canines 1/1,
premolars 3/3, molars 1/2. Super nummary incisors common.
|
| Toes |
5 on each foot. |
| Nipples |
8 ( Male and female ) |
| Vertebrae |
Cervical 7, Thoracic 14, Lumbar
6, Sacral 3, Col 14 - 18, and 14 pairs of ribs. |
| Other Anatomy |
No caecum, appendix and male
prostate gland. Sweat glands not well developed. |
| Environment |
Optimum 15 - 20C ( 60 - 70F
max.) Heat prostration likely at 32C, 90F. |
| Sexing |
Ano-genital distance of male
at least twice that of female. |
| Puberty |
240 - 250 days. |
| Sexual Maturity |
9-12 months, or the spring
following birth. |
| Age to Breed |
Male 365 days, female 275
days. |
| Breeding Season |
Photo periodically triggered
requiring longer days than nights - possibly 16 hours daylight.
Main breeding season March - September in Britain. Male testes
begin to descend December/January and regress by July, female
in oestrus any time from March to October. |
| Signs of Oestrus
|
Vulva swells and becomes extended
with secretion in female. In the male testes descend into
scrotum. |
| Duration of Oestrus |
Continuous until mated or
until end of season and very prolonged if unmated leading
to oestrogen - induced anaemia. Ovulation induced by male
stimulus ( behaviour and coitus ) |
| Duration
of Mating |
10
minutes to several hours - probably 1 hour on average. |
| Ovulation |
30 hours after mating. |
| Reduction of Vulva |
7 - 10 days, complete within
2 - 3 weeks of mating. |
| Palpation |
10 days after vulva reduced.
|
| Gestation |
Average 42 days. ( Range 38
- 44 days ) at 45 days kits die. |
| Litters per Year |
Two possible ( up to 5 under
controlled photoperiod ) |
| Nesting |
Starts building 10 - 12 days
before birth. |
| Other Birth Signs |
Mammary glands. |
| Post-natal Oestrus |
1 - 2 weeks after weaning.
|
| Litter Size |
2 - 17 ( average 8, normal
6 - 9 ) - more in first litter of season than in second. |
| Birth weight |
0.5oz ( 5 - 15g ) |
| Deciduous Teeth |
Begin to erupt at 10 - 14
days. |
| Canines |
47 - 52 days. |
| Eyes/Ears open |
21 - 37 days. |
| Fur |
Almost naked at birth, some
by 9 days, good coat by 4 - 5 weeks. |
| Out of Nest |
First ventures usually 3 -
4 weeks. |
| Weaning Age |
6 - 8 weeks. |
| Weaning Weight |
10.5 - 17.5 oz ( 300 - 500g
) |
| Minimum Buying/Selling
Age |
Ten weeks ( Twelve better
) |
| Attain Adult Weight |
4 months. |
| 1st Possible Mating |
6 months. |
| 1st Normal Mating |
12 months. |
