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Post by raynard on Dec 26, 2008 13:20:20 GMT -6
I've never seen this with any of the mink I ever caught. The fur just looks weak. It's not full like it should be. I brushed back the fur a little bit to show the bare looking spots. This is that same mink beside one that looks like it should. What is wrong with this mink??
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Post by Rick on Dec 26, 2008 14:12:55 GMT -6
Cotton
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Post by cowman on Dec 26, 2008 16:38:05 GMT -6
Yup, its a cotton. They not only have the white underfur, but very poor taboot.
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Post by raynard on Dec 26, 2008 16:43:20 GMT -6
So it's pretty much worthless??? Also, can you explain"cotton" what is it and what causes it??
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Post by markymark on Dec 26, 2008 16:57:43 GMT -6
Anemia common in a mink that is on a fish diet for some time.
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Post by northof50 on Dec 26, 2008 19:10:01 GMT -6
That's a good one for a novice training at a fur school for someone to prep. That mink will be grades with the cottons, just a little higher than a 3 rd. Good one for the Taxi trade, in the mouth of a 2 $ Ill. coyote's mouth.
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Post by raynard on Dec 26, 2008 19:13:03 GMT -6
So are you saying this is from a diet of mostly fish?? Is this common in mink??
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Post by bankrunner on Dec 26, 2008 19:27:16 GMT -6
I don't think it is common, maybe in that habitat if there is nothing else for it to eat. I have only caught a handfull that were cotton. That mink you caught relied on fish and was lacking food such as schrews, mice, birds,muskrats or anything else red meat.
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Post by northof50 on Dec 26, 2008 19:27:42 GMT -6
May be a mink breeder can cue in on this link. the nice patch that you leave on the back of the mink is turned and you blow there, it shows the under-fur, if it's white it gets that skin moved over to the cottons. Your shows a real advanced form of cotton, relating back to diet, the kidney worn parasite can also do this to the wild mink. @ -40 these guys are selected out of the gene pool.
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Post by minkman99 on Dec 26, 2008 21:14:14 GMT -6
looks more of a disease or parasite than cotton
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Post by coonhangman1 on Dec 27, 2008 1:36:38 GMT -6
Out of the 37 mink I've caught during a week in late November, only one has been "cotton"
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Post by coonhangman1 on Dec 27, 2008 1:38:59 GMT -6
The location I caught it in, was a very small dinky crick. A few minnows and what not, but definitely good mouse/shrew habitat. I can't imagine there was enough fish around for it's diet to consist of a lot of fish. Same location did catch 2 other mink, and they were fine.
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Post by foxtail on Dec 27, 2008 2:54:58 GMT -6
Either way, put it up, or use it for a dummy to teach a kid to put them up.
It is not worthless if you use it to gain experience or as a teaching aid.
Besides, mink are so easy to put up, it is not like you are out anything when it grades cotton.
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Post by trappnman on Dec 27, 2008 7:41:54 GMT -6
cotton are very rare here-
have had 1 in past 20 years- seemed a little more common on the river- if I recall right, he took 1 every other year or so-
while I won't debate the fsh idet thing, I also want to point out that if you have a rare cotton mink in a populatiuon, then it might not be the diet, it might well be genetic based.
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Post by DaveM on Dec 27, 2008 9:38:36 GMT -6
Back when I sold to locals buyers, I had a high percentage of cotton mink. In all the years I have been shipping to FHA, I have never had one. I'm older and ( a little) smarter now.
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Post by thebeav2 on Dec 27, 2008 9:41:38 GMT -6
Isn't that the truth
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Post by furman on Dec 27, 2008 10:15:01 GMT -6
Cotton = Lack of iron in the diet I shouldn’t say this but…. soak the mink in coffee before you sell it then wash lightly it will cover up the cotton under fur
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Post by markymark on Dec 27, 2008 11:36:11 GMT -6
it might well be genetic based.
Read any mink ranching book that is up to date and that is the first thing that is discussed. Diet is key to get a good pelt and fish intake has to monitored other wise you'll get cottons. Back in the day there were a few ranches that went belly up due to free fish.
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Post by Kyle on Dec 27, 2008 14:43:17 GMT -6
I shouldn’t say this but…. soak the mink in coffee before you sell it then wash lightly it will cover up the cotton under fur I have heard that too. It has fooled a couple buyers... (i haven't done it)
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Post by Bigfoot on Dec 27, 2008 17:54:42 GMT -6
Theres a big difference between the restricted diet of ranch mink and the diet of a wild mink where fish might not be the eisiest food to get .
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