What causes mixi?

[isa hunt 3]

Ideation said: -

 

TO be fair, on a flat out run, open country, day time, i'd be surprised if he caught one. However, plenty of dogs, if they have the inclination, will catch them around or in cover. I used to have a corder collie who would do it and was a handy ferreting dog. Marked well, caught bolters at the mouth, held bunnies in the net etc. Depends on the individual dog, but it's worth persevering, even if just for his fitness. If you get him marking he will make your ferreting much easier! You could even try him on the lamp and he would probably catch a few there.

 

How do i get him marking? or he his just not the type of dog to use? i have no idea mate, i have some pics on my profile of my dog. He chases them and doesn't stop till the rabbits either down the hole or in the hedge bottom... and he has come close to getting one, he really does go for it.

When he checks out warrens keep your eye on his body language. If he just has a quick glance and shows no interest then there's probably nothing down there, if he has a good old sniff and ears cock forward, or he stays for a bit longer, put dog on slip and enter ferret (assuming the dog's OK with them), try and position him so if something bolts you can slip him near to the rabbit and give him a chance. Sooner or later he'll get the idea and you can leave him to his own devices to wait for the bolters.

 

Or better still get a longnet so he can pin them as they get caught in the net.

 

Make 100% sure he's OK with the ferrets first though or it'll all end in tears!

not comparing cats with ferrets but he's fine with me mams cat... never introduced him to the ferrets so we will see. im picking a couple up this weekend. will let you no the out come. Hopefully the ferrets dont kill my dog ay?

be careful the other way round aswell, my jill won't tolerate dogs at all, she just goes for them straight away. Are you getting kits or full grown? If kits give them daily handling for a good couple of weeks before you even think about introducing them to the dog, they need to get used to you first. And see what his reaction is like looking at them through the front of the hutch first. Personally, to be one the safe side, I'd muzzle the dog on the first meeting, that way even if the dog's OK but the ferret bites it, at least you're not going to end up with a dead ferret when the dog reacts. Just take it all nice and steady, don't try and cut corners and rush to get them used to each other.

i think there 11 weeks old, so wont be taking them out just yet. I dont own a muzzle for my dog, never needed one gaffa tape?

[fcuktheban 140]

tape can't you afford a muzzle? You can just hold the dog by the collar and let t smell the back of the ferret so the dog gets a look at it. You said the dog is good with cats and is obedient so there probably won't be a problem.

[fcuktheban 140]

an interesting read on how mixy was introduced

 

http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/News/2005/Features/WTX024879.htm

[isa hunt 3]

my dog hasn't got an ounce of aggression in him, although if i tried to tape his mouth shut i'm don't think he would take kindly to it.

(I was joking about the tape btw) The only time my dog has had a muzzle was when he went to the vets, two vets cornered him to pick him up and he didn't like it, so he turned his lip up and gave a little grumble. So they muzzled him.

 

Yeah i will try that mate thanks, leaving in a few mins to pick the little ferts up. Hopefully will get some pics up later.

 

And thanks for the info about mixi, my uncle said apparently, his mate cuts head of and pulls liver out if the rabbit has mixi.. dunno what different that will make lol

 

Thanks any way mate

 

ATB

[Guest annette jackman]

its a type of pox virus (myxoma) spread by biting insects, flees ect only effects rabbits

[loveferreting 2]

can mixy harm ferrets

[borderhunter15 5]

mixi is a poisin what people put on grass and flower and when the rabbit eats the flowers or grass it will get mixi and go blind and probs get hit by a car but if you see them your better off killing the rabbit its the best thing for it

[fcuktheban 140]

mixi is a poisin what people put on grass and flower and when the rabbit eats the flowers or grass it will get mixi and go blind and probs get hit by a car but if you see them your better off killing the rabbit its the best thing for it

 

The deliberate spread of mixi had been banned by the bunny hugger clan many moons ago but there hasn't been any cases of farmers getting done for it.

[isa hunt 3]

Didn't get the ferrets last night, got there ( odd mile) for the guy to tell us they had all gone. Although on Wednesday morning he said he had six left and he would save two for us propa gutted! Any one in nottingham or close to nottingham got a couple?