Salop Matt Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Right, Ive been put on the spot a little ! My sisters bloke is a farmer in cambridge and he has ferrets......These ferrets have done as nature intended and bred ...... 20 of the little fanged things now ! How does this effect me you may be asking........ Well its my birthday in a fornight and I have always kinda wanted some ferrets ! So thismorning i get a text asking " Would you like a pair of ferrets for your birthday ?" So I know i like them and will handle them but KA likes them to, only she is scared of been bitten by them as to am I partly ! But the issue is much more with KA. We are also concerned about the dogs with them and all the husbandry etc that goes with having ferrets ! Neither of us know a thing about them really. Anyone care to shed some advice ? Such as: * Which work better, Male or Female ? * Which are more friendly tempremented ? * With a female can the vet do anything to stop them needing to breed ? If so how much? * How bigger run etc do they need to live in ? * What husbandry needs to be done and how offen ? * Whats the cost of ferreting gear ? * What times of year are best for ferreting ? * Whats the life expectancy of a ferret ? * What needs to be done for them in cold bad weather ? For now iv said no thanks but i would like a pair one day ! Cheers Guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 * Which work better, Male or Female ? They work different, Males are more thorough but more aggressive, Jills can miss rabbits, I like to work a mix of castraded hobs/jills * Which are more friendly tempremented ? If you get your hob castraded (which you'll want to do) there is no difference between them and off-season jills. * With a female can the vet do anything to stop them needing to breed ? If so how much? Operation (Like £100 I think) or give them a £35 jab every year, prices vary * How bigger run etc do they need to live in ? As big as possible, you can bypass size with stuff like tubes, but they need lots of room to be active say 1.5x1.5m for a couple * What husbandry needs to be done and how offen ? Often as possible - twice a week at least * Whats the cost of ferreting gear ? You can set up cheaply, but locators are the costly bit - a full set up from new would be about £400, but when I started without expensive locators, I spent about £100 on all the nets/boxes/etc I ever wanted - shop for second hand and save a bundle * What times of year are best for ferreting ? When the rabbits are fat as there ain't so many young - September -> April is what most people say, but I'd say the picked months are the coldest * Whats the life expectancy of a ferret ? 7-10years * What needs to be done for them in cold bad weather ? Lots of bedding, in extrem cases I've kept them inside in a cat carrier, they where not happy but they where not cold either For now iv said no thanks but i would like a pair one day ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttab Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Which work better, Male or Female ? Males can work longer but its preference to which you work . Which are more friendly tempremented ? Both the more you handle them the better it is. * With a female can the vet do anything to stop them needing to breed ? If so how much? Jill jab to bring them out season about £30 and Spaying them about £80. How bigger run etc do they need to live in ? Bigger the better mine have A 8 x 8 shed to run around. Whats the cost of ferreting gear ? Nets £1+ ferret finder £100+ for the mk3 What times of year are best for ferreting Oct to March Whats the life expectancy of a ferret ? up to 8 years What needs to be done for them in cold bad weather ? loads of hay clean water daily and food Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salop Matt Posted July 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 And from what age can a ferett start working ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckyshot Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 I start working mine from 8 month old startng with just a few holes and see how they get on . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Which work better, Male or Female ? Males can work longer but its preference to which you work . Which are more friendly tempremented ? Both the more you handle them the better it is. * With a female can the vet do anything to stop them needing to breed ? If so how much? Jill jab to bring them out season about £30 and Spaying them about £80. How bigger run etc do they need to live in ? Bigger the better mine have A 8 x 8 shed to run around. Whats the cost of ferreting gear ? Nets £1+ ferret finder £100+ for the mk3 What times of year are best for ferreting Oct to March Whats the life expectancy of a ferret ? up to 8 years What needs to be done for them in cold bad weather ? loads of hay clean water daily and food Only had mine a couple of years but can't argue with the above. I have an intact hob and four jills. The hob is slower and more methodical in work and personality. They jills are quick and fidgety, sometimes too quick. Sounds like yo're a bit nervous of biting. The only answer is handling, and lots of it, every day. Don't bother with gloves or bars of soap or any other tricks. just handle them constantly, tap them smartly on the nose when they bite or attempt to bite, and in time they'll cotton on. My hob is positively affectionate. He asks to be picked up and I can trust him absolutely, even on my shoulders and round my ears. They'll all bite when they're young, yu just need to teach them that human flesh is out of bounds and start early so they learn not to bite before they get too big. Because then it hurts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Don't feed them bread and milk ever,(sops)the resulting diarrhoea will scour them and stinks,which attracts flies at this time of year.Don't give them raw eggs more than once a week(they love scrambled eggs!)and if you give them rabbit(paunched obviously)remove the remains the following day,or again,at this time of year flies will find them.Remove fluked rabbit livers also.If you feed them pellets,ensure they have loads of fresh water available. Finally,handle them every day,but don't let them in the house...my kids used to shut the terrier in the shed and let loose the ferrets in the house just to annoy their mother....it works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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