Need some advice

[harv 5]

I live on the isle of man where there are lots of ferrets living wild, i caught a small jill last winter aged about 6 months, she has never really tamed properly so i crossed her with my bew hob and have produced some nice dark kits now aged about 14 weeks. i have handled them from young, but they like the mother dont seem to be able to tame that well, infact they seem to be getting worse, ok one day mad the next. I have bred litters in the past but never experienced anything like this their just wild and seem very nervy, shouting and pissing. Is this a lack of handling or a wild streak from the mother. some help would be much appreciated.

[jonathan 0]

for a start there is no sure thing as wild ferrets over hear so you talking out of your ass

[Malt 379]

for a start there is no sure thing as wild ferrets over hear so you talking out of your ass

 

You're wrong. There are no native wild ferrets, but that don't mean ferrets don't live in the wild in the U.K.

He might be refering to 'ferral' ferrets, so he might not be talking out of his ass. After a few generations without any human contact, the ferrets could be classed as wild. The Grey Squirrel is not native to these shores, nor is the rabbit, the pheasant or the brown rat, amongst others, that don't mean they are not wild animals.

 

I've heard of people trying to tame wild polecats, but from what i've heard and read, it seems to be more trouble than it's worth. Your best bet may be to breed from the best of the new offspring, and another domesticated ferret, and to see where you are next year.

[Kay 3,709]

any animal deprived of human contact as a baby will effectivly be wild, you never heard of feral cats

[Kay 3,709]

I live on the isle of man where there are lots of ferrets living wild, i caught a small jill last winter aged about 6 months, she has never really tamed properly so i crossed her with my bew hob and have produced some nice dark kits now aged about 14 weeks. i have handled them from young, but they like the mother dont seem to be able to tame that well, infact they seem to be getting worse, ok one day mad the next. I have bred litters in the past but never experienced anything like this their just wild and seem very nervy, shouting and pissing. Is this a lack of handling or a wild streak from the mother. some help would be much appreciated.

 

well its simply this really . some of the litter will be more like there mom , colouring & temprement & the same goes for the father, to be honest what did you expect them to be like, ''dads temprement & moms colouring, its a lottery as to what you get & obvioulsy in your case it back fired, ferrets arnt any use to any one really if there totally unhandable.

 

Personally if i bred i would go for temprement rather that showey colouring , just my opinion of course

[FPO 0]

for a start there is no sure thing as wild ferrets over hear so you talking out of your ass

 

You're wrong. There are no native wild ferrets, but that don't mean ferrets don't live in the wild in the U.K.

He might be refering to 'ferral' ferrets, so he might not be talking out of his ass. After a few generations without any human contact, the ferrets could be classed as wild. The Grey Squirrel is not native to these shores, nor is the rabbit, the pheasant or the brown rat, amongst others, that don't mean they are not wild animals.

 

I've heard of people trying to tame wild polecats, but from what i've heard and read, it seems to be more trouble than it's worth. Your best bet may be to breed from the best of the new offspring, and another domesticated ferret, and to see where you are next year.

 

Steady on dont tell ferrets hes wrong, hes told everyone that he knows it all

 

ANY WAY Harv are your young still in with the mother or have you weaned them yet? maybe her behviour is rubbing off onto them? We had a couple of late young this year and they were a bit skitish and very smelly and vocal to start with but have started to win them over with bribery!! bit of spring water tunna from asda works a treat, we have them in a large shed at present on their own, and i have gone in there with the tuna and boy they just can resist having to come and have a chat it has also taught them very early on that hands are nice things and fingers can be licked but not bit!!!

[harv 5]

Sorry maybe i didnt explain myself. Over here on the isle of man there are hundreds of ferral ferrets, you see quite alot dead on the roads and we catch quite a lot in traps, they are our main problem killing chickens etc as we have no fox over here. So i suppose they are ferrets that have gone wild over many years, and believe me they are wild!

[harv 5]

for a start there is no sure thing as wild ferrets over hear so you talking out of your ass

 

You're wrong. There are no native wild ferrets, but that don't mean ferrets don't live in the wild in the U.K.

He might be refering to 'ferral' ferrets, so he might not be talking out of his ass. After a few generations without any human contact, the ferrets could be classed as wild. The Grey Squirrel is not native to these shores, nor is the rabbit, the pheasant or the brown rat, amongst others, that don't mean they are not wild animals.

 

I've heard of people trying to tame wild polecats, but from what i've heard and read, it seems to be more trouble than it's worth. Your best bet may be to breed from the best of the new offspring, and another domesticated ferret, and to see where you are next year.

 

Steady on dont tell ferrets hes wrong, hes told everyone that he knows it all

 

ANY WAY Harv are your young still in with the mother or have you weaned them yet? maybe her behviour is rubbing off onto them? We had a couple of late young this year and they were a bit skitish and very smelly and vocal to start with but have started to win them over with bribery!! bit of spring water tunna from asda works a treat, we have them in a large shed at present on their own, and i have gone in there with the tuna and boy they just can resist having to come and have a chat it has also taught them very early on that hands are nice things and fingers can be licked but not bit!!!

 

They are still in with the mother and tend to fight over their food quite alot. I will try them with the bribery like you say, thanks FPO

[Malt 379]

Steady on dont tell ferrets hes wrong, hes told everyone that he knows it all

 

 

I know, those people who think they know it all, annoy the s**t out of those of us that do.......

Edited October 29, 2007 by maltenby

[FPO 0]

Steady on dont tell ferrets hes wrong, hes told everyone that he knows it all

 

 

I know, those people who think they know it all, annoy the s**t out of those of us that do.......

 

Me I know Nufink! just try and help

[Kay 3,709]

Steady on dont tell ferrets hes wrong, hes told everyone that he knows it all

 

 

I know, those people who think they know it all, annoy the s**t out of those of us that do.......

 

Me I know Nufink! just try and help

 

 

well lets face it you could fit what ferret knows on the back of a postage stamp

[the fezz 44]

Steady on dont tell ferrets hes wrong, hes told everyone that he knows it all

 

 

I know, those people who think they know it all, annoy the s**t out of those of us that do.......

 

Me I know Nufink! just try and help

 

 

well lets face it you could fit what ferret knows on the back of a postage stamp

 

[jonathan 0]

it might be diffrent where you live but there is no such thing as wild ferrets in wales yet you might see dead ferrets what have escaped. a lot of people think minks and polecats are ferrets some times but if you keep handleing them they should stop biting but they might be a reason why they bite maybe coz the hungry and befor you start am not saying that you dont feed them

[mole trapper 1,693]

Oh to be 17 again, like they say," to be old and wise you must first be young and stupid".

Read the feckin post, he said ferrets living wild, secondly there are plenty of feral ferrets living wild in wales, and thirdly sometimes you do get certain litters of out crosses that do seem unwilling to become truly tame, no matter how well fed, handled etc.

[Kay 3,709]

Oh to be 17 again, like they say," to be old and wise you must first be young and stupid".

Read the feckin post, he said ferrets living wild, secondly there are plenty of feral ferrets living wild in wales, and thirdly sometimes you do get certain litters of out crosses that do seem unwilling to become truly tame, no matter how well fed, handled etc.