At what age can ferrets be taken out ferreting?

[Peteyboii290414 2]

Hello I have had 2 Jill’s and a big job for nearly a year now I have worked ferrets before but the ones I had before were allready working what tips can I do to help them with the best possible chance off getting them to work I don’t have any experience ferrets and I don’t know any one with any any tips would be appreciated they are nearly 1 year old now so by reading I assume there more then old enough to work and have had plenty exercise and had a good raw diet I have given them dead rabbits what my freind has shot and I have being makeong a slit and pulling all the guts out apart from the heart lungs I put them in a bowel my two  jills go straight for it and try and rip it apart but my hob just sniffs it takes a bite and then just leaves it it’s like he dossent see it as food because now after given him one when I put one in there run and hutch he dossent even bother with it 

[Arry 18,514]

7 hours ago, Peteyboii290414 said:

Hello I have had 2 Jill’s and a big job for nearly a year now I have worked ferrets before but the ones I had before were allready working what tips can I do to help them with the best possible chance off getting them to work I don’t have any experience ferrets and I don’t know any one with any any tips would be appreciated they are nearly 1 year old now so by reading I assume there more then old enough to work and have had plenty exercise and had a good raw diet I have given them dead rabbits what my freind has shot and I have being makeong a slit and pulling all the guts out apart from the heart lungs I put them in a bowel my two  jills go straight for it and try and rip it apart but my hob just sniffs it takes a bite and then just leaves it it’s like he dossent see it as food because now after given him one when I put one in there run and hutch he dossent even bother with it 

I would start them on small burrows just keep putting them in mate. Fresh burrows so they have scent and better still in you know theres rabbits in there. Just keep trying them they will switch on mate. if you catch one or have a nice warm one from your mate wriggle it around see if you can get them to bit it just behind the ears. Atb.

Cheers Arry

[Aussie Whip 3,822]

Yeah, what Arry said start them on a 2 or 3 holer. I wouldn't worry about the hob, one of my best ferrets would never eat rabbit or any raw meat, don't know why but he was a great worker. He did kill underground but wouldn't lay up feasting. He was a good ferret for pushing out stubborn rabbits for the dogs.

[toolebox 1,384]

On 29/11/2021 at 17:41, Peteyboii290414 said:

Hello I have had 2 Jill’s and a big job for nearly a year now I have worked ferrets before but the ones I had before were allready working what tips can I do to help them with the best possible chance off getting them to work I don’t have any experience ferrets and I don’t know any one with any any tips would be appreciated they are nearly 1 year old now so by reading I assume there more then old enough to work and have had plenty exercise and had a good raw diet I have given them dead rabbits what my freind has shot and I have being makeong a slit and pulling all the guts out apart from the heart lungs I put them in a bowel my two  jills go straight for it and try and rip it apart but my hob just sniffs it takes a bite and then just leaves it it’s like he dossent see it as food because now after given him one when I put one in there run and hutch he dossent even bother with it 

What else do you feed them ? I always make sure my ferrets clean up the whole rabbit before I give them a fresh one .The only advice I could give you is to give your ferrets some hot liver from a freshly killed rabbit while out working after a couple of hours & I also swop them around after a couple of hours work during the hot summer ,saves them taking a nap on me .

[Peteyboii290414 2]

On 29/11/2021 at 13:30, Aussie Whip said:

Yeah, what Arry said start them on a 2 or 3 holer. I wouldn't worry about the hob, one of my best ferrets would never eat rabbit or any raw meat, don't know why but he was a great worker. He did kill underground but wouldn't lay up feasting. He was a good ferret for pushing out stubborn rabbits for the dogs.

Hello I went out for first time and both them worked well surprisingly the small warren a did was empty looked like hadn’t being used in years had cob webs so a didint bother putting them down so a found another set but it was a 10 holer I put one Jill in one side the warren she went down no bother and I put my other Jill down the other side the warren she was a bit hesitant at first I just left her after 2 mins off her looking at the hole she nudged forwarded and went in after couple mins I got one bolt from her to the dog the dog caught it happy days wile I didint notice my other Jill had allready bolted 1 out her side but the dog didint see it and Nethir did I about 20 mins went by and I never seen my ferret or rabbits I thought they laid up or found eatchother and started messing around as they are sister and always play together but turns out 1 my Jill’s had a stubborn rabbit who noticed me when it went to bolt and froze just near the entrance to the whole and had one my jills behinde it biteing it arse I stuck my arm down pulled it out quick death my jill came out and moved around the warren but didint go back down any more holes she instaid took it upon her self to go down to the dead rabbit and had a bit play with them I left her my other jill worked for about another 15 mins after that we got one more bolt and I thought best not to push my luck and pulled her out and went home with 4 rabbits in the bag 1 happy ferreter and over the moon with my Jill’s they all got some well deserved rabbit in the hutch for the night to feast on and I got my lass to cook me a rabbit stew for my suppa but all in all it was a good day out for there first time instinct like yous all said really did just kick in 

[Aussie Whip 3,822]

22 minutes ago, Peteyboii290414 said:

pulled her out and went home with 4 rabbits in the bag 1 happy ferreter

That's a decent bag these days for anyone, glad the ferrets went well they sound like they are going to catch you plenty of feeds mate, atb with them.

[Peteyboii290414 2]

36 minutes ago, Aussie Whip said:

That's a decent bag these days for anyone, glad the ferrets went well they sound like they are going to catch you plenty of feeds mate, atb with them.

Yeah mate gunna give my hob a run on the weekend on a diffrent warren see how he dose a don’t really like working hobs am more for the Jill’s but there’s times when ya need a hob like so think am gunna keep him and see how he dose if not to good al probs get him castraed and use him to bring my Jill’s outa season when a don’t want kits 

[Arry 18,514]

5 hours ago, Peteyboii290414 said:

Yeah mate gunna give my hob a run on the weekend on a diffrent warren see how he dose a don’t really like working hobs am more for the Jill’s but there’s times when ya need a hob like so think am gunna keep him and see how he dose if not to good al probs get him castraed and use him to bring my Jill’s outa season when a don’t want kits 

You don't want him castrated mate you want him to have vasectomy mate. If he's castrated he will not be interested in the Jills.

Well done on your day out mate.

Cheers Arry

Edited December 7, 2021 by Arry