wild ferrets

[Gin 498]

A lot of ferrets are coming into the rescue just now,- mainly large hobs found wandering.

It would seem they have probably been dumped, as they'd have to be caged seperate this time of year.

Also a lot of ferrets are found when others are out ferreting. Kids go ferreting and if the ferret lays up, they won't wait for it, or think they've lost it and go home.

I think there are a large number of ferrets in the wild in all areas.

[Ideation 8,216]

A lot of ferrets are coming into the rescue just now,- mainly large hobs found wandering.

It would seem they have probably been dumped, as they'd have to be caged seperate this time of year.

Also a lot of ferrets are found when others are out ferreting. Kids go ferreting and if the ferret lays up, they won't wait for it, or think they've lost it and go home.

I think there are a large number of ferrets in the wild in all areas.

 

 

Also, i think at this time of the year hobs are more likely to escape and go for a wander.

 

BUT

 

Just for the record, i was making a separation between escaped / dumped first generation ferrets, and a wild, breeding multi generational population.

 

Hence, yep there are ferrets wandering about this area, but as far as i know, there are no fixed POPULATIONS of feral ferrets round here.

[Ratreeper 441]

I don't know how you would prove if they are breeding without finding a nest of babies. But I had a wild ferret a mate found wandering about, and a hunch said she been wild a long time. But they are domestic animals so they don't go fully 'wild', so she became very tame and was the best worker I have ever had. I have seen two lost or wild ferrets, an albinio and a big polecat hob which I think is more likely a ferret than a polecat. Both in Notts.

[JoeD 24]

I don't know how you would prove if they are breeding without finding a nest of babies. But I had a wild ferret a mate found wandering about, and a hunch said she been wild a long time. But they are domestic animals so they don't go fully 'wild', so she became very tame and was the best worker I have ever had. I have seen two lost or wild ferrets, an albinio and a big polecat hob which I think is more likely a ferret than a polecat. Both in Notts.

Is it possible to tame a wild polecat?

 

People have done, but in my oppinion is one of the cruelest things you can do, taking a wild animal out of its natural surroundings and placing it in a cage.

 

But hey, everyones got an oppinion on it, and knowones right or wrong, although it is illegal to capture a wild polecat in the UK, feral ferrets are fine but true wild polecats arent.

 

Joe

[Ratreeper 441]

I don't know how you would prove if they are breeding without finding a nest of babies. But I had a wild ferret a mate found wandering about, and a hunch said she been wild a long time. But they are domestic animals so they don't go fully 'wild', so she became very tame and was the best worker I have ever had. I have seen two lost or wild ferrets, an albinio and a big polecat hob which I think is more likely a ferret than a polecat. Both in Notts.

Is it possible to tame a wild polecat?

 

wouldn't recommend it, ferrets have been domesticated for thousands of years and can still be grumpy buggers. I did briefly own a 50/50 ferret/polecat I bought at Melton Mowbray auction (or that's what the seller told me after I bought it), I don't really know how to describe it. It was very dark, quite shy and bloody unpredictable. I have kept many ferrets for a long time and never knew what a proper ferret bite was until it latched on. It was unbelievable, but I persevered a long time with him and he stopped biting, but was complete shit at working and a friend took him as a pet which was the plan from the start. But like I said, I wouldn't recommend it and I don't see any benefit. The ferret I took was an albino and was just timid, not aggressive like a polecat.

[Moll. 1,770]

I was always led to believe ferrets could not fully survive in the wild?

[Ideation 8,216]

There is a member on here that has for the last few years been trapping members of a wild breeding feral ferret population, living in old rabbit warrens and feeding on rabbits etc. No shit.

[micky 3,325]

I was always led to believe ferrets could not fully survive in the wild?

i think they can,and do,i have come across two litters over the years ,they were both late [oct]and both in the Grantham area.About 10 years ago i lost a doe ferret in a large open field set near Boston,i can only assume her collar packed upand she was stuck,although a local farm worker looked out for her for over a week, we had to give her up for lost,six months later, the ferret was caught in a cage trap on a fenland smallholding, a mile away from where it was lost.

[Born Hunter 17,812]

I was always led to believe ferrets could not fully survive in the wild?

i think they can,and do,i have come across two litters over the years ,they were both late [oct]and both in the Grantham area.About 10 years ago i lost a doe ferret in a large open field set near Boston,i can only assume her collar packed upand she was stuck,although a local farm worker looked out for her for over a week, we had to give her up for lost,six months later, the ferret was caught in a cage trap on a fenland smallholding, a mile away from where it was lost.

 

I found a hob ferret in the grantham area. Skinny as hell when I found him. I personally dont think he would have survived much longer. It was early spring and he was in a poor state. Yet to see him work, you wouldnt think he would struggle on his own at all.

[Ratreeper 441]

I was always led to believe ferrets could not fully survive in the wild?

i think they can,and do,i have come across two litters over the years ,they were both late [oct]and both in the Grantham area.About 10 years ago i lost a doe ferret in a large open field set near Boston,i can only assume her collar packed upand she was stuck,although a local farm worker looked out for her for over a week, we had to give her up for lost,six months later, the ferret was caught in a cage trap on a fenland smallholding, a mile away from where it was lost.

 

I found a hob ferret in the grantham area. Skinny as hell when I found him. I personally dont think he would have survived much longer. It was early spring and he was in a poor state. Yet to see him work, you wouldnt think he would struggle on his own at all.

 

did you have any problems with him killing and having to dig? I was expecting that, but she only killed 2-3 times and got the last rabbit (I can only assume) without me ever having to dig hundreds of other times. I did lose her over night, so I set up some traps and caught a mates ferret he lost a week earlier as well as mine. Weird how these things happen really, I also think the countryside should seem bigger

[Born Hunter 17,812]

I was always led to believe ferrets could not fully survive in the wild?

i think they can,and do,i have come across two litters over the years ,they were both late [oct]and both in the Grantham area.About 10 years ago i lost a doe ferret in a large open field set near Boston,i can only assume her collar packed upand she was stuck,although a local farm worker looked out for her for over a week, we had to give her up for lost,six months later, the ferret was caught in a cage trap on a fenland smallholding, a mile away from where it was lost.

 

I found a hob ferret in the grantham area. Skinny as hell when I found him. I personally dont think he would have survived much longer. It was early spring and he was in a poor state. Yet to see him work, you wouldnt think he would struggle on his own at all.

 

did you have any problems with him killing and having to dig? I was expecting that, but she only killed 2-3 times and got the last rabbit (I can only assume) without me ever having to dig hundreds of other times. I did lose her over night, so I set up some traps and caught a mates ferret he lost a week earlier as well as mine. Weird how these things happen really, I also think the countryside should seem bigger

 

He kills everytime out, but not as bad as some hobs for nailing the rabbits below. He stays till dug to or he manages to kill so I dont mind. Had 4 out of a stop end with him in January. Hes a very reliable ferret and if he doesnt reckon much to a warren its a deffinate NO, always try him if we are a bit unsure about another ferret used. He just gets results and thats all Im bothered about.

[polecat84 1]

i've got an albino hob that had gone feral, caught him in a cage trap and took months to tame him, also the one in my avatar was given to me it was found by a road next to its dead mother,see loads round here.

[RicW 67]

Ferrets are very trendy pets for the fashionistas. Then they - the ferrets - grow, start to pong, get aggressive 'cos the poor sods are bored sh"tless and wind up getting dumped.

 

Ric

Edited May 4, 2011 by RicW

[J Darcy 5,871]

Ferrets are very trendy pets for the fashionistas. Then they - the ferrets - grow, start to pong, get aggressive 'cos the poor sods are bored sh"tless and wind up getting dumped.

 

Ric

A sad end for them,.....