canis lupus 1 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 I always wondered why people breed ferret Euro Polecats hybrids, I mostly post on pet or rescue forums when ferret are concerned and most people say they shouldn't be bred as they have behaviour problems and no way can you handle them, if this is true would they realy make good working ferrets. This is something I never been able to get a good awnser to as if you mention breeding else where most are more concerned about ferrets in rescues than awnsering the quetion. I have what I beleave is a low content hybrid, he is from working lines but as he through a rescue I have no idea what his true breeding is, it his nervousness, Bed and food gaurding, prefers to sleep and eat on the floor (will pull food out of the bowl to eat) make me wonder. Quote Link to post
scothunter 12,609 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 I always wondered why people breed ferret Euro Polecats hybrids, I mostly post on pet or rescue forums when ferret are concerned and most people say they shouldn't be bred as they have behaviour problems and no way can you handle them, if this is true would they realy make good working ferrets. This is something I never been able to get a good awnser to as if you mention breeding else where most are more concerned about ferrets in rescues than awnsering the quetion. I have what I beleave is a low content hybrid, he is from working lines but as he through a rescue I have no idea what his true breeding is, it his nervousness, Bed and food gaurding, prefers to sleep and eat on the floor (will pull food out of the bowl to eat) make me wonder. i have two a brother and sister.i have kept poleys for a number of years and it was more curiosity than anything else.The jill is grand and she works fine as does her brother.what i noticed with the two i have is the jill will hide food quick as it is put down for them.she also will take your finger in her mouth but there is no pressure and is actually a cracking wee jill.her brother on the other hand lol he is more shady i can handle him its just occasionaly he will bite if he is excited nothing vicious and tbh he is getting better.ill keep them anyway i have a massive court and i like poleys and they get on great with my other poleys.so to answer your question if there handled they should come good.i would say there a bit more of a handfull and more handling is needed. Quote Link to post
stubby 175 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 I always wondered why people breed ferret Euro Polecats hybrids, Ive always thought ferrets were good enough to do what was wanted of them, why fix something if it aint broke the hybrid bit I think is a bit like blokes and their dogs, "my dogs better than yours" type whats the good of ANY ANIMAL, that bites the hand that feeds it, Quote Link to post
poacher3161 1,766 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 Just another money makeing scam same as the silvers and black eyed whites and to cross with a wild polecat is imho maddness a bit like crossing a good obeidient strain of german sheperd to a timber wolf Quote Link to post
Coneytrappr 30 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 Just another money makeing scam same as the silvers and black eyed whites and to cross with a wild polecat is imho maddness a bit like crossing a good obeidient strain of german sheperd to a timber wolf This, exactly. Not to mention, the show folk do love a dark ferret. Quote Link to post
skycat 6,173 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 Not a money making scam at all for us: we borrowed a friend's 3/4 Polecat to cover our jills this year after seeing him and his sister work the socks of every other ferret I've seen: on rabbits that just didn't want to bolt. They were briliant, easy to handle and strong as anything. My OH doesn't sell kits though has ocassionally had his arm twisted to accept a fiver for a kit LOL. He would rather give them to good working homes. Our mate who lent us the hob said that he did have to put in a lot of handling when these kits were young: they were a bit more bitey than most ferrets, but he's a good bloke with his animals and his ferrets are as gentle and easy to handle as any domestic ones even when they're working or on the back of a rabbit. Quote Link to post
Jamie m 668 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 I always wondered why people breed ferret Euro Polecats hybrids, I mostly post on pet or rescue forums when ferret are concerned and most people say they shouldn't be bred as they have behaviour problems and no way can you handle them, if this is true would they realy make good working ferrets. This is something I never been able to get a good awnser to as if you mention breeding else where most are more concerned about ferrets in rescues than awnsering the quetion. I have what I beleave is a low content hybrid, he is from working lines but as he through a rescue I have no idea what his true breeding is, it his nervousness, Bed and food gaurding, prefers to sleep and eat on the floor (will pull food out of the bowl to eat) make me wonder. I know abloke who has a few the hob is castrated and soft as anything one jill is ok one jill is excelent a real nice ferret and one jill never had the time put in when she was a kit and will gladly tare you a chunk out of your hand, with any ferret the first few months of it's life are critical you have toput the work in or you don't get the rewards and I would imagine with these ferrets you have to put in a he'll of a lot of work ,but I can't see why with work and efort the bond and trust canot be there , but I supoze if the person who breeds them before you get it doesn't put in the work then your going to have an uphill strugle ,but there will allways be that air of caution , I don't know but I would like to give one a go in the future out of curiosity but like said on here when working you want life to be as easy as possible , Quote Link to post
max abell 196 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 Just another money makeing scam same as the silvers and black eyed whites and to cross with a wild polecat is imho maddness a bit like crossing a good obeidient strain of german sheperd to a timber wolf Spot on poacher3161 as is stubby leave the wild polecats where nature intended WILD Quote Link to post
The one 8,463 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 Same as stubby if you have good working ferrets why go for the gimic element ?? Quote Link to post
romany52 313 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 Obviously folk are leaving comment without any knowledge or experience, I have no pure ferrets left , why ,because my crosses are superior. They are handled daily from 4 to 12 weeks of age, as were my ferrets. I find that doing this, it matters not how often they are handled after this , they stay tame. As for making money, I didn't breed last year or this, as I don't need any more , and that's the only reason I breed.I did sell one as a child's pet a couple of years ago , and it was handled and approved by both kids and parents before I let it go. I also spoke to a woman who rescued some wild polecat kits, after they grew up her daughter used to sneak them up to bed and let them sleep with her. they were genetically tested to verify they were indeed pure. So anyone who thinks they are untameable is showing their ignorance or lack of ability.Why cross in the first place, well because most white, silver and pander ferrets carry genetic deformities, which makes them prone to sight and hearing abnormalities. The crosses are generally more aware, intelligent and agile than ferrets, and are definitely more courageous. Quote Link to post
Ideation 8,216 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 Seen plenty of handleable hybrids, and also seen some vicious ones . . . to be fair i think it's more to do with the owner, some folk just don't put the needed time into them, those that do end up with a ferret that is quick as a snake. . . . One thing i have noticed is that tend to be a bit quicker to kill in. Quote Link to post
scothunter 12,609 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 I neither show or make money from my poleys and tbh its got f**k all to do with anyone what other people do.i dont ask yous to pay for there keep and its not as if there gonna bite you.and the ones i have are good poleys.this is the problem with most lads if you do something from the norm your either a anti or a tree hugger or in it for the cash. Quote Link to post
canis lupus 1 Posted June 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 Thanks for your replys, best responce I ever had on this subject on any feret forum. My concern about crossing is one of genetic and keeping the eu polecat lines clean, but I am purest when it comes to this, I hate to thing our wild polecat could suffer because of ferret blood. I also wondered why anyone would want to breed an animal that is more likely to kill and lay up and also more likely to bite and harder to handle, be interested to know if the good hybrid workers are high content EU polecat or low content. Then you got the thinking if EU polecats and ferret are pretty much 100% identical genetics wise then why are they so differant (i thinking out loud here) Quote Link to post
droid 11 Posted June 4, 2010 Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 My concern about crossing is one of genetic and keeping the eu polecat lines clean, but I am purest when it comes to this, I hate to thing our wild polecat could suffer because of ferret blood. It's already happened. You don't think your average medieval ferreter got all their ferrets back do you? Quote Link to post
canis lupus 1 Posted June 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2010 My concern about crossing is one of genetic and keeping the eu polecat lines clean, but I am purest when it comes to this, I hate to thing our wild polecat could suffer because of ferret blood. It's already happened. You don't think your average medieval ferreter got all their ferrets back do you? well I going on the thought that a ferret would die in the wild a hybrid would more likely to suvive. Maybe my concern on this are unfounded. Quote Link to post
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