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UK Skunk Breeders

19K views 54 replies 24 participants last post by  Helen Young 
#1 ·
Just thought I would raise a concern as this is the best place to grab a lot of people with related skunks.

Due to the fact that so many of the skunks sold last year come from the same breeder (apparently he bred somewhere in the region of 40 - 60) , there are a bunch of us with a skunk from this gene pool.

I just wondered, as no-one has had time or will to start a stud book of some kind, how will everyone stop these skunks being bred together?

It wouldnt take long for the skunks in the UK to get all fooked up and interbred, especially if the same breeder turns out the same amount this year.

I must say, the only matings I know of that are going on are definitely unrelated ones so it looks ok so far.

However, I know that personally, if I didn't have an unrelated male and wanted to borrow one, all the local males are related to my Koko within over 100 miles.

What does everyone else think?
 
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#5 ·
I quite agree Pouchie. Sadly there will be those out there that think inter-breeding is OK to do, more motivated by money (and the allure of baby skunks) than the well being of any potential offspring. I know a certain amount of inbreeding is seen as acceptable in reptiles but mammalian physiology is a lot different and any inbreeding could lead to issues.

A Skunk Kennel Club perhaps?

Fred's off to Cornwall for a dirty couple of weeks with George's mum at the weekend, we're not expecting any stud fees or the 'pick of the litter' from it.
 
#6 ·
All mine bar 1 are castrated : victory:


Though yeps i do think it would be a good idea to get something sorted like fixx said a sort of KC for skunks would be a good idea

long job i reckon but would be worth it in the end to stop inter breeding :2thumb:


only problem some people may have if skunks are pet shop bought then they may not know where they originally came from
 
#9 ·
All mine bar 1 are castrated : victory:


Though yeps i do think it would be a good idea to get something sorted like fixx said a sort of KC for skunks would be a good idea

long job i reckon but would be worth it in the end to stop inter breeding :2thumb:


only problem some people may have if skunks are pet shop bought then they may not know where they originally came from

What you mean people will be breeding pet shop bought ones?
 
#8 ·
I was just going to suggest the hedgehog thing.

I've not got a skunk and, as much as I would like one, don't see myself getting one in the near or distant future, but I agree totally with what Pouchie says - if any kind of animals are being bred from they should have some sort of paperwork to identify their breeding and ancestry to prevent inbreeding in the future.
 
#10 ·
It is a good idea... but there are so many people out there with skunks that people dont know about! i know about 7 people who have got skunks, and their friends have, but only a handfull of people know they have them, and they want to keep it that way... so im guessing there are also ALOT more!

I was speaking to someone the other day who breeds, he puts out about 30 each year... they all go to people in the UK and dont get exported... so for the last 9 years of him breeding... how many of these people are known who have bought from him? hardly any...
So yes it would be a great idea, but very complicated... plus if you are breeding a skunk with someone, you would expect them to know history etc about it, so you can then determine if it is related.:flrt:
Ours all went with paperwork last year, proving parentage etc with a mini family tree type thing... one main reason we did this was because of the issue that was going on at the time about all the illegal imports, and if you could prove where your skunkie was from, it would be detained.:(

Lucy xx
 
#16 ·
i thought pet shops like this would of been alot more careful with what animals were sold by them. Guess just like pets at home then. Lol.

So is there other people here who have pet shop skunks? Also are they any harder to keep as with other pets i have had in past from pet shops always seemed to get bad health or be really skitty. It's easier if you know the animals well you can tame them up faster and seems a piece of cake.
 
#15 ·
It'll always be the same as with Hedgies, loads outside the radar as it were...
Although if there is an option for something like this, then a lot of breeders will go for it as it gives them an edge over unregistered skunks.

It's the kind of thing that will grow purely because it's there.
 
#19 ·
tbh if they were illegal imports and can be proven as such without getting anyone into trouble, they'd probably be good for the bloodlines!
That's the problem with a small island like ours, bloodlines are a bit trapped.
 
#20 ·
But proving that could then lead to having the animal removed an destroyed as the animal hasnt been through the quarantine process

this is why people wouldnt come forward an say they own one of the illegal imports : victory:
 
#22 ·
Maybe I'm wrong, but going off the skunks that I know, by next year they will all be related anyway due to the fact so many come from one place and are being crossed with the few known unrelateds this year.. hence the offspring will be related to the mass of skunks that came from the same place and will have no-one to breed with next year.

Someone needs to do a stud book and someone needs to do an import! :lol2:


For now, unless each and every breeder is responsible and only pairs up known unrelateds, it is going to go unchecked.

It worries me because it would be awful to see genetic disorders and the like popping up in skunks just because nobody really knows where they all originated and that the skunks they are mating have common ancestors :eek:(

I'm busy with this issue concerning other species and am by no means the best person to do a skunk registry anyway, like I said last year aswell.

It would be great to see something started by the end of the year though if anyone is brave enough :lol2:
 
#34 ·
I totaly agree that some kind of stud book or registry would be very useful.

Also I assue Pouchies point is that it needs to be started soon before we all get into breeding & we loose sight of the skunks origins - the longer we leave it the bigger the headache kind of thing.

As for those with illegal imports - if they are so under the radar, are they breding babies we also dont know about??? For those who seem to know of people with these illegal skunks, perhaps you know if they are breeding them or not?

There are enough of us now on RFUK alone who own skunks to at least get something off the ground........after all the kennel club started from very small begginings & look at it now :whistling2:

Can you imagine the UK finaly having skunks shows like they do in USA & on the continent? It is possible with some hard work, commitment and good will amongst all the skunk keepers.
 
#38 ·
theres now a skunk registry for the UK. check my sig
 
#45 ·
Hi
i was reading your thread with interest. i come from a farming background, the system they use with pedigree cattle is each breeder registers on a central register a "herd name" which is used like our surnames. its then upto the breeder to maintain there own stud book.
so all offspring from a breeder as a prefix "herd name" then the animals name.
this helps with trading between breeders on the register.
and also you can start a stud register.
 
#46 ·
Hi, sorry to hi-jack as I do not actually keep skunks (I do follow the threads though as in the future I would like to)
The way they do it with APH is a breeder or individual application form to register.
If you do not know the entire history or lineage then you still register - as it starts a lineage.
I know a lot of people have their skunks from a pet shop but why not start a history for them now?
All you really need to do is plug it all into a database and when you are considering your mating all you would need to do was contact the person running it to either confirm or deny that your planned matings are related or you could create a database of names - with peoples permission - so the person running it could pair you up, give you the contact details of someone local-ish with the opposite sex skunk who wants to breed and isn't related.
Sorry, I am rambling.
My point was even if you don't have a history for your skunk you can still register it, therefore starting a lineage.
 
#51 ·
I think if you are going to breed any animal some kind of stud book should be made. Especially if there are desirable colours and a few of that colour

Its not the same but i do a similar thing with my tarantulas. Eventhough inverts can be inbred i do try and restrict it.
 
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