SILVER-FOX FARMING. 
49 
{' is really shy and is not lying in the den because she is overfed and too 
? sluggish to come out. If the latter is the case, feed should not be 
given until she appears hungry. If vixens are properly handled 
and fed during this period there should be no trouble during 
I whelping. 
WHELPING. 
On account of the many disadvantages connected with the prac- 
tice, it is rare indeed that a vixen is permitted to follow her natural 
instinct to whelp her litter in a hole which she digs in the ground. 
Aside from the fact that this fosters a wild trait which it is one 
of the objects of domestication to modify, it frequently endangers 
the lives of the pups, for if the soil is not well drained a heavy rain 
may result in drowning them. Another disadvantage is the difficulty 
of digging out the 
vixen and pups if B,994M ^ 
for any reason it be- 
comes necessary to 
treat them. Success 
with this method of 
whelping is the result 
of good luck, not 
good management. 
During the entire 
whelping period the 
vixen should be un- 
disturbed. The pen 
should be entered 
only to give her feed 
and water or for some 
other absolutely 
^ Fig. 42. — The cat may be used as a foster mother in emer- 
neceSSary reason. gencies, but she must be free from parasites. 
LACTATION. 
After the pups are whelped the feed should be increased gradually. 
Methods have been fully described under " Feeding." The use of 
the double-box den simplifies matters considerably at this time. The 
feed can be placed in the outer box, and when the caretaker hears 
the vixen leave the den to feed he can lift the cover of the other box 
to examine the litter and remove any dead pups. No bad results will 
occur if the keeper is careful. 
Vixens, especially young ones, sometimes fail to produce enough 
milk to nourish the pups. If such is the case, or if the vixen dies, a 
cat may be used as foster mother, but this practice should be followed 
only in an emergency. (Fig. 42.) The rancher should be sure that 
the cat is free from parasites before she is so used. 
WEANING. 
TThen the pups are about 8 weeks old they should be taken from 
the mother and placed in new, clean quarters. There has been a 
great drain on the mother's system during lactation, and this gives 
her a chance to recuperate. Another reason for this separation is 
