How long can ferrets work

[bryanm45 787]

Curious about how long you work your ferrets during the day, was out today at 9.0 am and worked them (2 Jill's) till 4.0 pm 7 hours in total, they had milk and drinks but I feel they started to flag abit at around 4-5 hrs is that about right, if so do I need more Jill's.

[The one 8,511]

I work mine all day usually take four jills and work from 7 am ish till we lose the light but they get a break while we are netting up and having lunch

[socks 32,253]

I can work mine for 8 hours a day 7 days a week and expect them to keep going ...........

[Bunny Boiler 177]

Dont give them milk to start... They're lactose intollerant. Also, i have a pair of jills and i work them all day, no issue.

[bryanm45 787]

It's not cows milk, cats milk

[Bunny Boiler 177]

As in milk for cats or milk from cats?

[bryanm45 787]

That's what I'm doing right now fella milking cats :-)

[bryanm45 787]

Milk for cats lol

[bryanm45 787]

I think if you guys can work yours for 7-8hrs if I get another couple of Jill's they can be used in rotation and sometimes I need afew more when their getting a run around in the warren.

[Bunny Boiler 177]

Big warrens generally need more ferrets bud. I go out with people that also have their own ferrets too when doing those warrens however, so, it levels out.

[bryanm45 787]

Is it ok to enter Jill's and hobs that have never met each other before

[Tug 168]

Rotating is best, we usually work four ferrets in alternate pairs. Have enough collars to drop them all in but it rarely happens and we have a "clash of personalities" with my hobs and any other ferret so tend not to.

[Mick C. 229]

Is it ok to enter Jill's and hobs that have never met each other before

get them familier with each other first

 

A good hob or two serves our purpose

 

22 a couple of week ago with just the one

 

I think jills, especially the smaller type need to be rotated or they will tire and leave the stubborn rabbits under ground.

However i find we dig less on the jills

 

Every animal must have a shut of point. its just a matter of reading your ferrets and rotating when necessary

[bryanm45 787]

My Jill's generally won't come out until the warren is clear, but I only have two, so I think I will get another two to work and put one of my experienced Jill's with one of the new ones and see how they work rotating them, defiantly less digs with Jill's as my mate seems to dig to his hobs a lot, and if your in a deep warren and the mk3 is saying 16+ on search and static it puts me off working hobs.lol

Bryan.

[Stretch177 39]

We are normally out about 6 hours and depending on were we go, how many setts there are, holes, how deep etc, the number of ferrets we take is then decided. But generally we take 4 ferrets and work them in pairs, 2 jills and 2 hobs, going on 8 holes to every ferret. Mainly use the jills tbh and only really use the hobs when there are rabbits down that won't budge. Ive found the jills are good for bolting, but don't really kill down the holes, but on the other hand the hobs 9/10 will grab them down the holes, which results in me having a dig on. They all have their use in my book and all are hard grafters.