New To Ferreting

[Craig83 52]

my wife wants ferrets, as a young girl her Grampy took her ferreting and i think she wants to re-live that.

 

I said id look into it, now i work away all week, and maybe am away for 6 months of the year solid.....so i wont be their to work them for 6 months of the year. Iv told her that ferrets need lots of exercise and work to keep them happy.

 

Also i have no idea about ferreting or keeping ferrets. Is it hard work or are they fair easy maintenance. How often do they need work or hard exercise (i.e. not running around the garden but work in the field)

 

Like i said i have no idea what this entails so im after some advice

 

 

[The one 8,482]

Need to do a lot of research try googling the info biggest thing is there going to come into season can your mrs handle it when your no there

[foxtails 272]

a nice big cage will do, if you have the room, some pipes for them to run about in, things for them to climb ect to exersise, other than that work them as much as you can when you get the time, normally in the autum+winter months, summertime i normally do a bit of ratting with mine, but theyr not too much maintance, atb ft

[Ideation 8,216]

If it's well set up, you can keep them with minimum bother and hardship, they are pretty easy animals to look after. And as has been said, there are a lot of ferrets that are happy enough to spend their lives in a big court / run and running about through tubes in the garden. Most folk only work their ferrets about six months of the year anyhow. . . . over winter,

 

The important things are -

 

They have company (keep two).

They are well (and properly) fed and watered.

They have a good, spacious and secure cage, pref with some stimuli in.

They are handled regularly.

They are taken out of season when needed (although this is contended).

 

Simples

[lor123 12]

i it was me and i had to start out again i would get 2 jills and 1 hob all kits from hunting stock. i would get the hob a vasectomy and then you dont have to worry about taking jills out of heat. you would be able to keep all 3 in together .then as far as housing goes you will need a big area as you can for them to run around with pipes and little hiding areas and believe me they keep themselves fit and bizzy. you can get ferrets to use a litter box very easily just stick a tray with cat litter in the corner they start going the toilet in and after a few week you can even replace litter with sand. ferrets can be good pets and you can still hunt with them aswell. they are not that hard to keep once you provide for their needs.you do need to handle them regularly especially as kits as they will get a bit nippy otherwise. personnaly i would not keep them in the house as they give off a musky smell which you wont notice after a while but everyone else will. you will need to keep them well fed, i feed mine on raw meet and a complete cat kibble with at least 22 percent protein, others feed different its up to yourself. hope this helps atb

[The one 8,482]

A snipped hob with two jills can still mark or cut them if hes humping them constant , you might need another hutch ?.

[pie-eater 377]

A snipped hob with two jills can still mark or cut them if hes humping them constant , you might need another hutch ?.

You might get lucky and be able to keep a them together. Ive had my snipped hob with my jills this season and he doesn't seem to bother them much when theyre not in heat.

[lor123 12]

if he is snipped young enough and you have them together as kits you should not have a problem.

[Whiskey 28]

While we're on it am setting my lad up ferreting got all is tackle no for is bday but with the ferrets can I keep two Jill together and wtf is the bringing the Jill out off season I need a hob two lol my house be like a zoo

[Ideation 8,216]

While we're on it am setting my lad up ferreting got all is tackle no for is bday but with the ferrets can I keep two Jill together and wtf is the bringing the Jill out off season I need a hob two lol my house be like a zoo

 

Yes mate, keeping more than one Jill is best, single ferrets get bored and lonely. If they are together from kits they should get on fine!

 

Ferrets jills come in season each summer as they days get longer, most believe that keeping them in season, can lead to health problems for various reasons. Your options for taking them out are mating them (which will result in a shit load of kits you need to feed and get rid of), or more simply, getting them jabbed by the vet or running them with a vac hob. If I was starting off I would probably get either one jill and a hob (and get it vac'd) or get two jills and the hob.

[lor123 12]

yep as ideation says keeping more than one jill is best. the reason i think you should get 2 jills and a vac hob is because the jill jab will set you back every year maybe even have to get it twice if she comes back into season so with a vac hob you wont have to worry about that and then you can keep them as pets aswell without the mood swings that comes with breeding and yes you can keep them together and you would be best getting kits doesnt even matter if the hob is from same litter as long as he gets a vasectomy.

 

good look with the zoo

Edited June 20, 2013 by lor123

[Jamie m 668]

yep as ideation says keeping more than one jill is best. the reason i think you should get 2 jills and a vac hob is because the jill jab will set you back every year maybe even have to get it twice if she comes back into season so with a vac hob you wont have to worry about that and then you can keep them as pets aswell without the mood swings that comes with breeding and yes you can keep them together and you would be best getting kits doesnt even matter if the hob is from same litter as long as he gets a vasectomy.

 

good look with the zoo

 

You still get mood swings with a vac ,

[Whiskey 28]

Lol cheers all think al get two Jill's that hob that bit me put me off lol then the zoo will be opening soon lol put my foot down FECK ALL animals in the house unless there dead ! Miss said last night them Harris hawks are cool I looker at her o funking now am off to pub whistled my old bitch and bolted

!!!WANTED FUUK ALL !!!! Lol thanks again