working dogs with ferrets

[Rachel]

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How is a whippet worked with a ferret?  Is the ferret ever mistakenly killed by the whippet?

Just curious!! Rachel

 

[Terry Smith]

It does happen. Best I ever saw was a Staffie x Patterdale ratting in a cotton mill. It killed 6 rats & 2 ferrets in less than a minute. The brawl between the dogs owner & the ferrets owner was pretty impressive too.

 

[Mark Roberts]

Hi Rachel

             I've worked Whippets & Ferrets many times without any problem, if you just take them out without first introducing them then you might have a problem?.

but if you introduce them at home in a calm enviroment and allow them to get aqainted then once out in the field there should? be no problem.

 

[Rachel]

Thanks for the replies Mark and Terry.  

I have no knowledge of this type of 'working' - do you put the ferrets down the rabbit hole to chase out the rabbits for the dogs to catch?

 

[Mark Roberts]

Hi Rachel

              I've tried getting the dogs down the hole but ? (only Jokeing)

if your not useing purse nets then you would put your ferret into the rabbit hole and stand a few yds behind the holes holding your dog facing the holes, as soon as a rabbit bolts from the hole you release the dog and hopefully they catch it, you then call your dog back hopeing that another rabbit will follow ect.

if your useing nets then you would cover the holes with the nets and then again stand a few yds behind the holes or to the side which ever is best for the situation only this time you only release the dog if you have missed netting a hole and a rabbit bolts from this one or if the rabbits misses getting caught in a net as it bolts.

dogs very seldon make a mistake as the rabbits come out very fast and the ferrets come out slow giving the dog chance to notice the diferance.

hope this help Mark

 

[Rachel]

Thanks Mark - a very comprehensive answer! can you bear two more questions???? does it ever happen that the ferret doesn't come out of the hole AND do you eat the rabbits or feed them to the dogs?

Aren't whippets fantastic! I loved your responses to that man with the '60lb of lard' labrador!!! you should have asked him when was the last time his dog caught his tea for him!

Incidentally that posting made me laugh out loud!  I've viewed it several times and it still makes me laugh...  wonder if he ever got his whippet???

Rachel

 

[Mark Roberts]

Hi Rachel

             it often happens that a ferret decides not to come out of the hole? it normaly happens when the ferret corners a rabbit below ground and kills it, it then settles down for a lovely warm meal. there are two ways of getting it out one is to sit and wait? this can take several hours even days as a fully grown rabbit will feed many ferrets for a week.

or as most do now is to fit the ferret with a locator colar these are fastened around its neck before they go down the hole and run from a small battery which is inside the collar, you then have a small lacator box which when switched on and passed over the ground will let you know to within about 6 inches where and roughly how deep the ferret is sat, unfortunatly then it's a case of spade out and dig for England till you reach the little love then you can lift the ferret & rabbit out of the hole.

I do eat the rabbits as I feel you only kill something for food, pest control or to defend yourself and well i've never been seriously thretend by a rabbit? well not yet anyway:wink:

(Edited by Mark Roberts at 1:02 am on Nov. 30, 2001)

 

[June Symmons]

Mark

With all due respect - no rabbit would dare threaten you!!!

 

[jeff]

hi mark

how does the ferret see down the hole

does it have a little light on its head.

         jeff(soon to be crucifide)

 

[michelle]

I`ve often thought about this myself.As collars can be fitted with location beacons why can`t a little spot light be added like a miners helmet?

(soon to be crucified as well)

Michelle???

 

[Mark Roberts]

Hi Jeffrey & Michelle

I've always found that a lazer lamp to be best as it's smaller/lighter than some of the other models for them to carry and it also has two light settings, so if the ferret want's to be intimate the bright light doesn't spoil the mood.

I've also found that the lazer lamp last longer than some of the others which means that theres no chance of the ferret getting frightened while its down the hole if it suddenly goes dark.

Jeff is it true that you won't do lure coursing as you dont agree with hunting with hounds!

& can I have a lock of you're hair for the doll i've made i've named it after you? "I can't race this week i'm doing overtime"

Michelle what can I say? i've nothing on you at the moment BUT.  (i'm going to have to ring Terry for some dirt)

but on a seriouse note a friend of mine used to enjoy working his ferret at night, and so fitted the ferrets locator collar with a small LED light and a cat collar bell so he could see & hear when it came out of the Hole.

 

[michelle]

Maybe you should make little Iluminous jackets for the ferrets, thus keeping them toasty warm and visible!!!.

I used to have 2 ferrets called Daisy and Blake, they both lived to about 8/9 years old, I originally got them for ferreting but got a bit attached to them. We had blake snipped and he was the local stud ferret, he died a very happy lad, he still performed up till he died even though he was blind, deaf with no teeth.

 

[Mark Roberts]

Hi Michelle

               Cut hobs are brilliant for making the jills think they've been mated thuse taking them out of season quick,

OK Rachel (this is my clarvoiant bit) when a Jill (female) ferret comes into season every spring if they are unmated they remain in season all though the summer and this can (but not always) lead to her getting an infection because of her swelling (simalar to a Dog in season) so ferret owners use a hob that has had his takle removed to mate the bitch thuse making her go off season after being mated and getting rid of the risk of infection.  if you get a ferret that works realy well the last thing you want is for it to get an infection and die.

(how that for antisipating a question)

Michelle you're hob ferret reminded me of the old saying about the three wise monkeys or ferret in this case

hear no evil, see no evil, eat no solids:biggrin:

(Edited by Mark Roberts at 9:03 am on Dec. 2, 2001)

 

[Vicky]

I could be wrong here but isn't it supposed to take the best part of a day for a hob to mate with a gill, Michelle's hob mated two of our ferret's in about half a day, kicked them into the living area whilst he curled up in the nest and went to sleep (like most men), so not only was he blind, deaf, and had no teeth he didn't leave the girlies very satisfied either!!!

(Edited by Vicky at 12:25 pm on Dec. 2, 2001)

 

[Mark Roberts]

kicked them into the living area whilst he curled up in the nest and went to sleep (like most men), so not only was he blind, deaf, and had no teeth he didn't leave the girlies very satisfied either!!!

Hi Vicky

          I was pleasd to see you never put "like most men" at the end of you're last statement?:biggrin:

(Edited by Mark Roberts at 4:01 pm on Dec. 2, 2001)

 

[michelle]

Blind, deaf with no teeth sounds like most of the men vicky and I see racing:shocked:

 

[Vicky]

Michelle

I'm glad you said who we see racing, i thought you were going to say who we have been with!!!

 

[Jake]

Hi what type of ferret locater collar is best for general ferreting 8ft or 15ft?

                               Jake

 

[jeff]

hi jake

        it all depends on the type of ground you are working ie railway embankments,sand dunes,flat fields,

hedgerows etc but why not be on the safe side and have 15ft locater.

i dont ferret much now but i bred and worked ferrets for

about 9yrs and at one point had over 13 ferrets .

in this time i never owned a locater but relied on the basics like always feed your ferrets before working them and hunt at the right time not getting to greedy when its getting to late in the afternoon,when the rabbits are less likely to bolt.i have never lost a ferret but have spent a lot of time digging for them usualy due to my own mistakes,but if i was to ferret now i would definetly have a locater,and a good hob to work on aline.

hope this has helped you

 happy hunting

 

[Rachel]

Oooh! big excitement - I've just discovered that my original enquiry went into page 2!  and I had not viewed it until tonight - very racy things these ferrets aren't they!

Things I have learned from my replies:

1. Whippets CAN differentiate between the ferret and the rabbit - (ferret he wear a leetle hat with a light on it - very indigestible)

2.  Ferret females should ALWAYS wear their hats and lights or otherwise run the risk of being got at in the dark by the dirty toothless old men of the ferret world

3.  All ferret males should make every attempt to appear female - (squeak in a high voice, wear short skirts and lipstick) if they want to keep their tackle intact

Michelle and Vicky - so am I to believe that none of these manly posters that you go racing with look like their avatars?

Rachel