Hobs Vs Jills

[Minkenry 1,044]

Hi all, I was just interested in hearing the different strengths, weaknesses, and comparisons between the two sexes. I haven't really had enough experience with ferrets to make a fair comparison.

 

Here's what I've seen with mink....

 

Females are faster, more aggressive, more high energy, are more lightly built, and more timid.

 

Males have more powerful bodies, especially their jaws and necks. They are also have bigger heads, thicker necks, are more laid back, and more confident.

 

 

What are the differences and comparisons between the ferret sexes?

Edited October 27, 2013 by Minkenry

[Andrew Beirne 78]

the difference is fairly similar between the sexes in ferrets and minks goin on your comparison

[Minkenry 1,044]

In your opinion, does the confidence of the male transfer to hunting? Like would a male be more likely to attack a proportionately larger, and more dangerous quarry than a female would?

[dogmad riley 1,348]

My experience of both sexes the hobs I have kept have been very laid back. One hob I had was not really intrested in attacking anything with much force which would be great while out ferreting as never had to dig to him. Was as soft as muck but unfortunately he did a runner out if the garden and hasnt be seen since.

 

Now all of my jills are a different all together they will attack anything from a mouse to my wife's great Dane. They will work like the devil and make sure every rabbit is cleared before wondering out of the hole.

 

Both are tame as anything with people

[pipa 299]

My Jill is small and slim but very lethal against rats and has no problem killing them under ground, she's excellent on rabbits and will stay all day long until dug to,

My poley cross hob isn't huge by all means, I've not tried him on rats as yet but wouldnt see a problem with him dispatching big rats as he's solid and very powerful, his party trick on rabbits is to power his way over the back of rabbits in stop ends and kill them by biting the back of the neck, he's does this on a regular basis, , I've dug to him 3 times in space of 15mins with 3 dead rabbits in different stop ends

Chris

[rob190364 2,594]

  On 28/10/2013 at 08:01, dogmad riley said:

My experience of both sexes the hobs I have kept have been very laid back. One hob I had was not really intrested in attacking anything with much force which would be great while out ferreting as never had to dig to him. Was as soft as muck but unfortunately he did a runner out if the garden and hasnt be seen since.

 

Now all of my jills are a different all together they will attack anything from a mouse to my wife's great Dane. They will work like the devil and make sure every rabbit is cleared before wondering out of the hole.

 

Both are tame as anything with people

If your hob wasn't interested in attacking things with much force then you must have had a pretty lame hob pal! IMO, hobs are a bit more laid back with people, but they certainly don't lack when it comes to aggression with quarry!

[rob190364 2,594]

Jills more likely to be more nippy with people IMO, hobs more likely to kill underground due to more size and power.

 

Jills handier as they're smaller, so you can carry more of them around with you. I like to have a hob, but I always think they're a bit overkill for ferreting. If you only need jills to bolt rabbits I don't see the point in using big powerful hobs (in most circumstances).....however, if you've got a big warren, or a warren where rabbits are reluctant to bolt, a big hob will usually get there arses flying out of there a lot quicker than jills.

 

I've got quite a nice little team at the moment, a small steamlined jill, a big strong jill, and a very big strong hob. Hob is very aggressive and very quick, so only gets used when needed, the smallest jill is very, very fast, but doesn't have the weight or jaw power of the bigger ferrets, but you can sure tell when she's been having a go at a bunny, very aggressive and they usually come out looking worse for wear. She's perfect for wandering with a rucksack and the mutt as she'll always get them moving but doesn't often need digging to. The bigger jill is more like a small hob, only a bit nippier. The slightly bigger jills are the best I reckon, they still go through the nets, have the size to bully rabbits but not too much size and power to kill too often.

[pie-eater 377]

I like both and idealy for a days ferreting I like to take 2 jills and a hob. I usualy enter the jills first and if I think theyre struggling I put the hob in I think of him as backup. Of course there are days when the rabbits are reluctant to bolt and hobs are perfect for the job.

[The one 8,522]

With a good working ferret the sex wont come into it they should both graft all day

[Mick C. 229]

I use both sexes

 

Get more clean bolts when the gills are working.

 

Hob as a knack of turning them stubborn rabbits that don't want to bolt.

 

Deffinatley get more digs when odd jobs dishing it out

[Minkenry 1,044]

Ok, so it sounds like the hobs are more likely to bolt stubborn rabbits, but are also more likely to kill a rabbit. Do you guys believe the hobs are able to do these two things better than most jills purely because of their size, or does it have more to do with a males more confident attitude, and muscular build? So basically what I'm getting at is, if you were to compare a giant jill with average temperament and abilities for her size, to a tiny hob with average strength and abilities for his size (thus making the hob and jill the same size), would the hob still be able to turn the stubborn rabbits, and make more kills than the jill?

 

I know this is probably a difficult question to answer, but what do you think?

Edited October 29, 2013 by Minkenry

[GreyRake 108]

Both my jills will give up on a rabbit before my hob will. I wouldn't say thats just because hes bigger. Hes persistent with most of things he likes to destroy around the house too

[rob190364 2,594]

  On 29/10/2013 at 17:36, Minkenry said:

Ok, so it sounds like the hobs are more likely to bolt stubborn rabbits, but are also more likely to kill a rabbit. Do you guys believe the hobs are able to do these two things better than most jills purely because of their size, or does it have more to do with a males more confident attitude, and muscular build? So basically what I'm getting at is, if you were to compare a giant jill with average temperament and abilities for her size, to a tiny hob with average strength and abilities for his size (thus making the hob and jill the same size), would the hob still be able to turn the stubborn rabbits, and make more kills than the jill?

 

I know this is probably a difficult question to answer, but what do you think?

are you bored or what pal?

[ferretfatcamp 21]

most people use jills as they are smaller and lighter than hobs but hobs work as good as jills and hobs will sometimes bolt the stubborn rabbits which are not bolting its just which you prefer

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

I think it's a size thing as opposed to a confidence thing.

 

My small hob rarely kills but my big Jill always kills.