great post DS,having just got back in to ferreting after a lay of for neary 30 years things have certainly changed,some for the good and in my opinion some for the bad. im 47 now and last ferreted in my teens when ferrets were hard to come by, no ferret rescue, ad mag,internet,etc,now adays everybodys got em they are a very popular pets,resulting in the hunting instinct being bred out of them.went to look at some ferrets at a rescue recently christ most of em you could of put a saddle on, if they got hold of a rabbit in a hole it would never get away resulting in a dig ,all ours could walk thr