Why do people refer to some Ferrets as Pole Cats?

[RWDSteve 0]

Over the years I've heard people sometimes refer to Ferrets as Pole Cats. I googled it and all I could find was that Pole Cats are the wild versions of Ferrets. While a mate of mine reckons Albino's are Pole Cats... So what's the real answer?

[lapin2008 1,587]

Over the years I've heard people sometimes refer to Ferrets as Pole Cats. I googled it and all I could find was that Pole Cats are the wild versions of Ferrets. While a mate of mine reckons Albino's are Pole Cats... So what's the real answer?

real polecats are the wild versions of ferrets. people refer to normal ferrets as polecats on the basis of colourings although most ferrets will have some loads of different genes in them and will make kits of various colours. All ferrets will have real polecat back in their ancestry at some point.

albino ferts are just the white ones with red eyes. like you get albino humans or anything.

hope this helps

Edited May 9, 2009 by lapin2008

[howler 0]

over in aus polecats are ferretts that are alot bigger then the standard size ferrett,normally twice the size if not bigger,,,jas

[mattydski 560]

As allready stated, in general, the term Ferret or polecat refers to colouring these days.

They can interbreed. The ferret in the top pic being an albino/polecat cross.

 

This being a ferret

 

This being a polecat (masked marking)

[The one 8,511]

I reckon the original ferrets would have been polecats and as they where domesticated people have bred in the differnt colours

[Kay 3,709]

Basically its a ferret with the polecat markings ie the mask & darker legs

[Vissertje 0]

I always found this very confusing as well in the Englisch language. In this case (and probably in this case only ), we're better of in Holland.

A wild polecat is called a 'bunzing', a ferret is called a 'fret', a first, second or third degree crossbreed between the two is called a 'frunzing' (bunzing combined with fret) and a ferret with the markings of a wild polecat is called a 'wildkleur' (litteral translation: wildcolour).

Since the ferret is the domesticated version of the wild polecat, all of them have polecat blood in them on some level.

 

By the way, in my personal opinion, its pointless to deliberately create crossbreeds in ferrets and polecats. A quick strong jill ferret can get practicly every rabbit to bolt. My 5-year old jill is 'pure' ferret, weighs about 900 grams in the winter and she gets everything out of the den. I also have a first degree crossbreed from ferret and wild polecat. I never take him out ferreting. He will probably bite me when he has a rabbit or when I want to pick him up when he's sticks his head out of the den. And above that, he's far too strong in my opinion. When I just got him, he bit me a few times so I know how much strength he's got (in the jaws). When using him, I'd probably have to dig at about 75% of the dens. And now I haven't even started about the problems you could have in keeping these animals which live between two worlds. (However, if we get such a crossbreed in the shelter, i see it as a personal challenge to be able to gain its trust and to handle this animal since only a few people can) So breeding these animals, no thanks

 

I know this was off-topic but since I was still talking about ferrets, it's just a bit off-topic so I'm sure you guys won't mind

[lapin2008 1,587]

I always found this very confusing as well in the Englisch language. In this case (and probably in this case only ),

By the way, in my personal opinion, its pointless to deliberately create crossbreeds in ferrets and polecats. A quick strong jill ferret can get practicly every rabbit to bolt. My 5-year old jill is 'pure' ferret, weighs about 900 grams in the winter and she gets everything out of the den. I also have a first degree crossbreed from ferret and wild polecat. I never take him out ferreting. He will probably bite me when he has a rabbit or when I want to pick him up when he's sticks his head out of the den. And above that, he's far too strong in my opinion. When I just got him, he bit me a few times so I know how much strength he's got (in the jaws). When using him, I'd probably have to dig at about 75% of the dens. And now I haven't even started about the problems you could have in keeping these animals which live between two worlds. (However, if we get such a crossbreed in the shelter, i see it as a personal challenge to be able to gain its trust and to handle this animal since only a few people can) So breeding these animals, no thanks

 

I know this was off-topic but since I was still talking about ferrets, it's just a bit off-topic so I'm sure you guys won't mind

 

Agree with this regarding deliberate crosses between wild polecats and ferrets. you often see people trying to flog ferrets stating they are 'wild polecats' or first crosses. IMO these do not offer anything to hunting more then a bog standard ferret other then the novelty of having a wild one. Any you just increase your chances of getting bitten owning one let alone trying to get hold of one post work.

atb

Edited May 9, 2009 by lapin2008

[RWDSteve 0]

Thanks guys, I was sure the ones with markings on were refered to as Pole Cat types. Thanks for the bonus information all the way from Holland too Time to put my clever dick mate in his place!

[btehan 0]

over in aus polecats are ferretts that are alot bigger then the standard size ferrett,normally twice the size if not bigger,,,jas

 

What planet are you from???

[howler 0]

over in aus polecats are ferretts that are alot bigger then the standard size ferrett,normally twice the size if not bigger,,,jas

 

What planet are you from???

 

 

mate ,ive had ferrets for over 20 years ,and had great success breeding and selling them ,,and i stick to what ive said in my previous post ,,,,and ive got 2 males that are twice as big as the standard sizes and i even get comments from people who are buying them saying they are polecats as well ,,,so crawl back under ya rock until you know the truth ,,

[skycat 6,173]

Daring to step between two drawn swords here: but isn't it more likely that your large polecats are large simply because they have come from a strain of large ferrets? Ferrets do vary in size a lot and a lot of the show ones here are huge!

[max abell 196]

I agree with skycat a mate of mine a few years ago had a albino hob and it was massive

and i do mean big we nick named it otter because of its size !!

And to this day never seen a ferret anywhere near the size of it

But in all fairness it did work ok and would work all day long without tireing if you wanted it to

[howler 0]

i do apolagise to you guys for my outburst ,but we call the ones you refer to as polecats ,sables, anyway i could be wrong about polecats but thats just what myself and a lot of people that buy off me and mates as well refer too them as ,,jas

[max abell 196]

i do apolagise to you guys for my outburst ,but we call the ones you refer to as polecats ,sables, anyway i could be wrong about polecats but thats just what myself and a lot of people that buy off me and mates as well refer too them as ,,jas

Hi mate so you might av made a mistake so what who hasant

Good for you for appoligising that takes a real MAN