any ferret keppers

[vizsla]

Thinking about getting a ferret iv never had one before but have been around them quite alot. I was wondering what it would be like around a fairly girlstrous dog given time to get to no each other, would there be alot of biting followed by alot of whining?

 

[salad]

ask bushwhacker mate , he knows his stuff there

 

[Bushwhacker]

In what sort of instance do you envisage the two together? Working in the field or having the ferret in the house as a pet?

 

[vizsla]

Hi mate im not planning on working the ferret im just thinking as a pet, my dog hasnt got a nasty bone in her but she can be excitable id neva put the ferret into a situatoin were it felt over threatend as id expect it to react the the way any ferret probably would with a bite. But i was thinking with carefull introduction would they become friends and maybe even play together. Im not one for locking up pets my dog goes most places with me and if i had a ferret i would take that along too, on walks and when im at the workshop.
If so what ferret would you recomend and do you have any tips to make it work.
Thanks alot

 

[Dougster]

My two dogs are interested in my two ferrets but they will never become friends.

I was told to get a pair or better three, our two came from a neighbour and he couldn't shift the rest on.

 

[vizsla]

Ayup dougster, can your ferret and dogs be out together though withought any problems. Do you work yours

 

[andyc54]

get at least 2 they need company of another ferret and if you get a jill she needs to be brought out of season every year either with a jill jab or by mating otherwise they get infections and become sick.as for it getting along with a dog they will always need close supervision as dogs love nothing better than small furry things that run. my whippet used to eat from the same bowl as the ferrets when i kept them but i still was always on hand keeping a very close eye on them,as for getting on with each cant really help as my whippets so laid back it just put up with them even as nipping youngsters.Another thing search for a local ferret rescue they are usually over run with them and they will pair you with ferrets with a good temprement and who can happily live together

 

[vizsla]

Cheers andy thats good advise it would be nice to rescue them aswell il have a look at my local rescue center

 

[Alamo]

I've bred working ferrets almost all my life.

As long as they are well bred, well reared, constantly handled and you know what to expect from them, they make fantastic pets and will generally get along just fine with a dog....although I'd still keep an eye on them, just incase!

Unfortunately, one thing I wouldn't recommend is keeping them in the house. Yes I know there are people who do so and those same people will try to convince anyone that their ferrets don't smell. To be honest, I quite like the musky smell of 'eau de ferret' but not everyone does. ALL ferrets have this natural odour, which any truthful visitor to the house should be happy to confirm.

Also, as previously mentioned, Jill (female) ferrets will need to be brought out of season at least once every year. Although not something I would recommend, this can be done by most vets with a Jill jab. My preferred option is to use the services of my vasectomised hob (male).

AL

 

[vizsla]

Good advise mate im after two so would i be better off getting a jil and a hob or two hobs also should i raise them from kits or get rescue ones that are already handled. Thanks

 

[Bushwhacker]

Oh yeah! I was going to write something here but I don't think it would be any different from what Alamo has said. Go for the rescue ones and, without going into detail, so long as they've been 'done' you could get any combination so long as they already cohabit.

 

[loosehead]

some good advice on here mate - as to working them with dogs , you need to be very , very sure of your dog . have sadly lost ferrets in the past as a youngster , who was happy to believe his friend when he said that his dog was fine with ferrets
brought my lurchers up from pups to be used to the ferrets - used to feed them together - but was always very careful when working them together - hunting takes both animal back to their natural drives - and needs to be closely monitored to avoid any mishaps
best of luck !

 

[789987]

I've bred working ferrets almost all my life.

As long as they are well bred, well reared, constantly handled and you know what to expect from them, they make fantastic pets and will generally get along just fine with a dog....although I'd still keep an eye on them, just incase!

Unfortunately, one thing I wouldn't recommend is keeping them in the house. Yes I know there are people who do so and those same people will try to convince anyone that their ferrets don't smell. To be honest, I quite like the musky smell of 'eau de ferret' but not everyone does. ALL ferrets have this natural odour, which any truthful visitor to the house should be happy to confirm.

Also, as previously mentioned, Jill (female) ferrets will need to be brought out of season at least once every year. Although not something I would recommend, this can be done by most vets with a Jill jab. My preferred option is to use the services of my vasectomised hob (male).

AL

i seem to recall reading that you can get some gland removed to stop the smell. never actually seen it though

 

[Bushwhacker]

i seem to recall reading that you can get some gland removed to stop the smell. never actually seen it though

I'm fairly sure that practise is banned and quite rightly so.

 

[vizsla]

Now i just need to find some iv trawled the net but they all seem to be miles away, i remember a few years ago when ferrets were always in the papers and the local gun shop. Non in the countrymans weekly nor the ad mag or local paper and none at my local rspca. strange

 

[Dougster]

I'm fairly sure that practise is banned and quite rightly so.

It is illegal in the UK. We had our boys castrated and the smell is better, but wood shavings seem to help. They have the back of the shed and although they are handled and have play out every day they don't mix with the dogs, but I have a setter and a Bavarian / lab cross (killer when he gets things) so it was never going to be.

They are fun, but they are the primary responsibility of my boy - the chickens being the task of my daughter and I just get to shovel......

They are funny, especially when they are having fun and making that chirpy noise. Ours are huge though and don't work, they'd probably get stuck where a rabbit goes through, but when tired when we first got them one literally ripped my earlobe in half. My 6 year old son told me it as my fault and what had gone wrong, so I wasn't allowed to shoot it.

Listen to the boy and not me is the moral of that story.

 

[Bushwhacker]

PM me tomorrow morning early on and I'll try and hook you up. RSPCA are useless.

 

[Firelite]

Its a bit early for kits (babies). The Jills won't be coming into season until end of February or beginning of March and gestation is 42 days. Thats when the ads will start to appear. I recently got a couple jills from a "rescue" centre myself. Turned out I'd been given a jill and a hob! She's a bit nippy still, but he is fantastic. Conclusion; go for a rescue, but be careful to assess their sexes for yourself. Good luck

 

[loosehead]

that's an unusual cross mate - there's a young lad in the beating gang that i look after that's got the same . it's a bit sharp too - but it's got a cracking nose . can't be many about ?

 

[vizsla]

Thanks for all the help and a big thanks to bushwacker for giving me a contact, im going to have a look at some 18 month old rescue ferrets thay are "done" and vaccinated, a nice lady who genuinly seems to care and want to help and she wants to do a house visit to see were they will be kept which is a bit of a pain but i cant fault her with all the idiots out there that cant lookafter there pets.
Cheers ash