What age to start young ferrets working

[Tam G 54]

Just getting back into ferreting after 20 years away from it. Ferrets I had when I was younger had already been working when I got them so never had them from kits. I have two young hobs the now 13 weeks old. When’s a good age to get them started got them out going threw drainage pipes the now in garden.

Regards

Tam

[The one 8,482]

Get them going threw pipes in the garden just now get them used to putting them down and picking them up moving your feet near them a lot of time spent on them just now stops them being hole shy later .Dont forget to put collars on and off them or first time out they will spend half the time rubbing there necks at the side of the hole 

[Aussie Whip 4,106]

I always started working mine at around 5 months but don't expect too much until they get the idea. Some were good straight away but don't write off the slow starters as they can often turn into the best workers with a little more experience.

[Aussie Whip 4,106]

Because we don't often use collars over here, or dig, I rattle a tin with a rock in at feeding time and it gets the youngsters out of the warrens quicker when starting off.

[Luckee legs 471]

Great advice from the answers above. Young ferrets are often nervous hunting the first couple of times out and if they are not used to being picked up around your feet it's a recipe for reluctance to fully exit the holes. Consistent sounds or talking to them when handling at home definitely helps them come back to you and as they learn the game this really speeds things up

I always work mine first season starting 4 to 5 months but don't expect much early on. Hopefully by February you'll see improvement and the benefit of careful starting. Good luck 

[Tam G 54]

Thanks guys for the reply’s. Just getting used to this site, couldn’t work out how to get back on to my post  . Thank il all on board been spend roughly an hour each night handling them and letting them threw tubes and picking the up they already are keen to come to me if I don’t pick them up they climbing up my legs ect. Will start fitting collars. I never used collars 20 years ago when ferreting but was just lucky I guess always tane a spade but never needed it. But I will use the detection collar this time round. Also will start making a noise when feeding them perhaps just whistling to let them familiarise that with feeding. Thank you everyone

[Arry 21,973]

2 hours ago, Tam G said:

Thanks guys for the reply’s. Just getting used to this site, couldn’t work out how to get back on to my post  . Thank il all on board been spend roughly an hour each night handling them and letting them threw tubes and picking the up they already are keen to come to me if I don’t pick them up they climbing up my legs ect. Will start fitting collars. I never used collars 20 years ago when ferreting but was just lucky I guess always tane a spade but never needed it. But I will use the detection collar this time round. Also will start making a noise when feeding them perhaps just whistling to let them familiarise that with feeding. Thank you everyone

As what the other lads have said already.

I made up some collars with no transmitter on them put them on for hours let them get used to it. Also let my nephews little kids take them for walk around the garden. As for age to start working if they were born in May I would work them around Christmas time starting on smallish places. As they get more confident run a experienced ferret with them in bigger places.

I think detectors are a great bit of kit especially down here in Devon with big thick hedges so handy to be able to tell if the ferret has slip out down the hedge.

Cheers Arry

[Tam G 54]

Hi guys I tane your advice from earlier and now the young ferrets I’ve had them out 3 times so far only got 1 rabbit a few of the places never had much but 1 place I went to I went down a night shon the lamp over field must have been somewhere between 50-70 rabbits on the park came back next morning netted up the holes all along the banking and hedgerow. Ferrets went down going threw the warren making there way threw the holes never got a rabbit never even heard anything moving underneath us. What you think are the ferrets not going deep enough? They are just over 6 month old not got a problem entering holes but I’m worried there not going deep enough or there not using there nose. What you guys think?

[WataWalloper 380]

1 hour ago, Tam G said:

 

Hi guys I tane your advice from earlier and now the young ferrets I’ve had them out 3 times so far only got 1 rabbit a few of the places never had much but 1 place I went to I went down a night shon the lamp over field must have been somewhere between 50-70 rabbits on the park came back next morning netted up the holes all along the banking and hedgerow. Ferrets went down going threw the warren making there way threw the holes never got a rabbit never even heard anything moving underneath us. What you think are the ferrets not going deep enough? They are just over 6 month old not got a problem entering holes but I’m worried there not going deep enough or there not using there nose. What you guys think?

Ferrets don’t realy start proper graft till there second season, saw some that didn’t show any interest at al first season turn into crackers, an saw some that started straight out the nest but I don’t hold much hope till there second season to be fair. 
 

could be either they ain’t dropping down deep enough, the warren too big an needs more ferrets to get the rabbits to panic, or I know a few spots up dales that look amazing, lamp them at night an they are lifting with bunnies, go back to ferret them an you get hardly anything if anything, an the rabbits are in the surrounding smaller spots an just use the big ones as a safety refuge at night incase they need to disapear whilst out feeding, jist don’t stress keep doing what you doing an the ferrets will come good, more they out the better they get, it’s that simple 

Edited December 7, 2024 by WataWalloper

[Tam G 54]

15 minutes ago, WataWalloper said:

Ferrets don’t reply start proper graft till there second season, saw some that didn’t show any interest at al first season turn into crackers, an saw some that started straight out the nest but I don’t hold much hope till there second season to be fair. 
 

could be either they ain’t dropping down deep enough, the warren too big an needs more ferrets to get the rabbits to panic, or I know a few spots up dales that look amazing, lamp them at night an they are lifting with bunnies, go back to ferret them an you get hardly anything if anything, an the rabbits are in the surrounding smaller spots an just use the big ones as a safety refuge at night incase they need to disapear whilst out feeding, jist don’t stress keep doing what you doing an the ferrets will come good, more they out the better they get, it’s that simple 

Thanks mate

[Arry 21,973]

2 hours ago, Tam G said:

 

Hi guys I tane your advice from earlier and now the young ferrets I’ve had them out 3 times so far only got 1 rabbit a few of the places never had much but 1 place I went to I went down a night shon the lamp over field must have been somewhere between 50-70 rabbits on the park came back next morning netted up the holes all along the banking and hedgerow. Ferrets went down going threw the warren making there way threw the holes never got a rabbit never even heard anything moving underneath us. What you think are the ferrets not going deep enough? They are just over 6 month old not got a problem entering holes but I’m worried there not going deep enough or there not using there nose. What you guys think?

Just keep using them and don't forget if you get a rabbit to let the ferrets rag it while its still warm. They should go for the base of the ears and neck, shake the dead rabbit around to wind the ferrets up.

Just keep at it its all a learning curve for you and your young ferrets.

Cheers Arry

[iworkwhippets 12,604]

some good advice from the lads 

[DogMagic2 54]

2 hours ago, Tam G said:

 

Hi guys I tane your advice from earlier and now the young ferrets I’ve had them out 3 times so far only got 1 rabbit a few of the places never had much but 1 place I went to I went down a night shon the lamp over field must have been somewhere between 50-70 rabbits on the park came back next morning netted up the holes all along the banking and hedgerow. Ferrets went down going threw the warren making there way threw the holes never got a rabbit never even heard anything moving underneath us. What you think are the ferrets not going deep enough? They are just over 6 month old not got a problem entering holes but I’m worried there not going deep enough or there not using there nose. What you guys think?

Rabbits proably in a diffrent warren altogether. 

[The one 8,482]

Young ferrets probably not going deep enough only way to know for sure is after they worked a warren run a experienced ferret threw it , and keep doing it till the older ferret goes to ground and doesnt push a rabbit out 

[Tam G 54]

4 hours ago, Arry said:

Just keep using them and don't forget if you get a rabbit to let the ferrets rag it while its still warm. They should go for the base of the ears and neck, shake the dead rabbit around to wind the ferrets up.

Just keep at it its all a learning curve for you and your young ferrets.

Cheers Arry

Thanks Arry I done that with the 1 rabbit we got but will keep doing and pull it about for them too. Thanks mate