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Post by Forum Administrator on May 11, 2008 7:34:47 GMT -5
*Note: The links below will appear in list format on the HF website when it opens this August, until then, these links will appear here in the forum. When the website opens, these stickies will be removed and you will be given the link to the HF site where you can find the cumulative list of links. Feel free to post any links that are useful but are not listed below. Thank you! Natural Ferret Breeders: These are breeders of ferrets that are raise their kits on a natural diet (whole prey and raw foods, and usually some kibble as well). Some of these ferrets are born to parents (and even grandparents) that were raised on a natural diet. Holistic Ferret can not endorse any of these breeders. This list is simply for informative purposes only. Name: Ann B. Ferretry: Hillcrest Ferrets Location: NJ Website: www.hillcrestferrets.com--------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Chris S. Ferretry: Ferret Friends of Pittsburgh Location: PA Website: home.att.net/~ferretfriendsofpgh/---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Vicky M. Ferretry: Just a Business of Ferrets Location: MD Website: www.mindspring.com/~jbferret/----------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Kerry F. Ferretry: Hat Trick Ferretry Location: OH Website: www.hattrickferrets.com/----------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Julie B. Ferretry: Ground Effects Ferretry Location: NC Website: www.gfxferret.com/------------------------------------------------------------------------ Name: Kay A. Ferretry: Fire Storm Ferrets Location: OH Website: www.firestormferrets.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Mary M. Ferretry: Novel Beginnings Ferretry Location: PA Website: nbferret.com/index.html-------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Sally H. Ferretry: Shady Hollow Location: MD Website: www.mindspring.com/~ferrets/-------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Tara P. Ferretry: Planned Parenthood Ferretry Location: PA Website: www.plannedferrethood.com/--------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Julie D. Ferretry: Shamrockin’ Ferrets Location: OH Website: www.shamrockinferretry.com/ourstory.html---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name; Linda G. Ferretry; Mi Corazon Ferrets Location; NM Website; micorazonferrets.homestead.com/---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Joan C. Ferretry: Tawelfan Location: Austin, TX Email: jbclague@yahoo.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Riina S. Ferretry: Näätälän Location: Finland Website: www.riinannaatala.tarinoi.fi |
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Post by aleronferrets on May 31, 2008 13:35:16 GMT -5
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Post by riina on Jun 5, 2008 15:37:48 GMT -5
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Post by nwheather on Jun 8, 2008 9:04:56 GMT -5
I was checking out your website, & many of your links don't work...what did you mean by funky colors? I read that you try to stick close to the polecat coloring, but that you have plans to "develop a dilute line (champagnes, cinnamons, & albinos without white markings) in the future..." |
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Post by aleronferrets on Jun 8, 2008 14:02:15 GMT -5
I was checking out your website, & many of your links don't work...what did you mean by funky colors? I read that you try to skick close to the polecat coloring, but that you have plans to "develop a dilute line (champagnes, cinnamons, & albinos without white markings) in the future..." Thanks for checking out my site - it is still a work in progress  By funky white markings I mean blazes, pandas, DEWs, mutts and even mitts. The white markings are associated with a genetic defect similar to Waardenburg Syndrome in humans. The defect causes a host of problems beyond the commonly known deafness in ferrets with such markings including reproductive problems, poor mothering ability, small litters, lack of milk, increased kit deaths, limb and skull deformities, missing limbs and eyes, cardiomyopathy, weaken immune system, intestinal problems and often a shortened life expectancy. While mitts were not traditionally associated with this problems, breeding practices in the past 20 years have made it nearly impossible to find mitts that don't come from a background of "funky white colors". Most breeders no longer breed ferrets with white markings (other than mitts) but many lines have funky white markings in the pedigrees and ferrets who produce them. I actually have my start of my dilute breeding program right now. A litter of my cinnamon hob Possom bred to Tavy, my dark sable girl (from an entirely dark sable pedigree). The kits are all sables but should have the potential to produce dilutes when bred to them. I feel that crossing the dilutes to ferrets from a sable only pedigree is beneficial in the overall health of the dilutes. Most dilute animals seem to lack the vigor of their "natural colored" counter parts in some ways. Some of that IMO can't be helped because it is tied to the genetics that cause the color. For example, dilute colored dogs are more prone to vaccine reactions due to differences in the immune system caused by the dilute mutation. That said I don't feel that the issues associated with dilute color are on the same level as the issues that come with funky white markings. I feel that dilutes raised on a natural diet with limited exposure to "bad stuff" (vaccines, chemicals, medications) can have long happy lives, especially if they are from a background that includes sables from sable lines and no funky white markings. My reason for even trying to start a dilute line is simply that I have always liked cinnamon and champanges and feel there is a chance to breed reasonably healthy ones. I feel the ultimate natural ferret is one from an all polecat colored background (dark to black sables often with a reddish or orange undertone and dark noses, no extra white) that has been born to naturally raised parents, weaned onto raw and unvaccinated. Add to it that I want them to be smarter than the average ferret, have a good hunt drive and be very human oriented (wanting to bond quickly to people, interested in and outgoing to people) because I enjoy that temperament (and it is more "natural" than docile, easy going ferrets). Hence my getting involved with breeding ferrets - where else I am going to find ferrets that meet all that criteria? |
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Post by nwheather on Jun 8, 2008 18:06:49 GMT -5
I am familiar with Waardenberg's syndrome, I have two deaf ferrets. Both rescues. I also have some private bred ferrets, & it was the most recent breeder (GFX) that got me started on whole prey. I already fed a high quality kibble, pretty much the same as my breeder. (haha-"my" breeder)  There is a huge difference between my commercial bred ferrets & my private bred fuzzies. The new babies even more so! It's awesome to watch & interact! I hope to get my other three started on whole prey as well. I hope to learn more & possible try my hand at breeding down the road, we'll see. =) |
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Post by nwheather on Jun 15, 2008 17:12:03 GMT -5
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jun 15, 2008 22:08:56 GMT -5
This breeder has been added to the list above Thanks for sharing! |
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Post by nwheather on Jun 16, 2008 13:02:07 GMT -5
Cool, thanks!
I just found out that she's getting a Druid baby too.....I'm SOOO jealous! If I could pick ONE of all of Julie's current babies, it would be a Druid hob....not that I can pick any at this time, but I can dream, right?
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joan
Gnawing on bones
Natural Ferret Breeder
Posts: 57
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Post by joan on Sept 3, 2008 13:51:02 GMT -5
I'm a Natural breeder. I breed medium to dark sables from a sable only background, for the same reasons that Nikki outlined above. I guarantee temperament, plus health through 5 years of age. I don't feed kibble at all, and give minimum vaccinations (nothing prior to 4 months of age).
I currently have a hob and jill kit available to approved homes, born 4/25/08.
Name: Joan C.
Ferretry: Tawelfan
Location: Austin, TX
Email: jbclague@yahoo.com
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Post by hillcrestferrets on Sept 23, 2008 13:26:29 GMT -5
My website is hopelessly out of date but I am still actively breeding, showing and judging ferrets. My ferrets have been on a natural diet for 10 years now, and the new babies in spring of 2009 will be 4th or 5th generation natural fed and natural raised. They are raised in as natural a way as possible - having their own nursery room, not a cage, so they are free to move about on their developmental time frame. Mom must be more intelligent and more alert and really take care of the babies because they can and do get away (I check on them often though to be sure nothing happens.) Instead of kibble or mush, when they are ready, I move them straight to whole prey and frankenprey. They develop quickly and grow well on this natural diet.  I only have sables, and select my breeding ferrets for health, structure, longevity, temperament and intelligence. They are also extremely active and interactive, and tend to bond very closely with their person. It is extraordinarily rewarding to watch them grow from tiny little "snausages" to big, happy, bouncy babies - watch them nursing from mom and in just three short weeks, crawling inside a quail to start eating naturally. Over the years, as my ferrets got bigger and more beautiful, people asked my secret - I told 'em - NATURAL DIET! They finally believed me and now you see a good number of breeders adding prey and raw to their ferrets' diet. My brag this year is that one of my boys (I sent him off to another breeder) won Ferret of the Year last year, and this year, out of 4 east coast shows, my ferrets have won 3 of the Best in Shows. While I enjoy doing well at the shows, I see it simply as verification that what I'm doing with my breeding plan is working! Natural Ferrets. Naturally Raised. Naturally Better.  |
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Post by nwheather on Jan 14, 2009 16:02:31 GMT -5
Paula W, (Wannabe Wild Weasels-in Washington)
also feeds whole prey to her babies....which is great because
I'm hoping to bring home of of her jills, China in April. =-)
It will be nice to add another whole prey ferret to my group.
Paula doesn't have a website, her babies are aquired via word of mouth. You can see her ferrets at various shows.
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ferretfreke
Cageless and Roamin' Free
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder[/b]
Posts: 235
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Post by ferretfreke on Jun 19, 2009 23:03:18 GMT -5
Paula W, (Wannabe Wild Weasels-in Washington) also feeds whole prey to her babies....which is great because I'm hoping to bring home of of her jills, China in April. =-) It will be nice to add another whole prey ferret to my group. Paula doesn't have a website, her babies are aquired via word of mouth. You can see her ferrets at various shows. Paula's babies are beautiful! I'm happy to see her mentioned on here. I want to get one someday. |
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Post by nwheather on Jul 9, 2009 5:22:38 GMT -5
Paula W, (Wannabe Wild Weasels-in Washington) also feeds whole prey to her babies....which is great because I'm hoping to bring home of of her jills, China in April. =-) It will be nice to add another whole prey ferret to my group. Paula doesn't have a website, her babies are aquired via word of mouth. You can see her ferrets at various shows. Paula's babies are beautiful! I'm happy to see her mentioned on here. I want to get one someday. I now have two of Paula's babies....(my two black mitt jills)...one is a Luther baby. =-) |
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jun 8, 2010 22:04:01 GMT -5
Update for MI CORAZON FERRETS (Northern New Mexico) NEW WEBSITE = micorazonferrets.com/Linda Gurule is a very small scale breeder, which I LOVE since they kits are SMOTHERED with love by the time you get them  If you'd like to see Linda's kits all grow up - just check out my banner - All 4 of my brats are MCF babies. Their health record could not be better. Yes, I'm beginning to see a bit of adrenal at age 5, but that's pretty much expected if you spay/neuter. Other than that - NO illness whatsoever. -jennifer |
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