can a ferret be too big to work

[Guest the yorkshire lad]

just looking for a bit of advise folk... My new 2 ferrets are going to be bigger than your average, they are pretty big already at 15 wks. The jill that i have is already twice as big as my mate's jills although they are smaller than your average and the hob is obviously alot bigger. do you reakon i will be diggin alot especialy with the hob, cause if this is they case i may have him vactionated so i can put him with her come spring so no need of a litter. In other words i may not even work him. What do you think?

 

 

 

The Yorlshire Lad

[Guest Jane Russell]

just looking for a bit of advise folk... My new 2 ferrets are going to be bigger than your average, they are pretty big already at 15 wks. The jill that i have is already twice as big as my mate's jills although they are smaller than your average and the hob is obviously alot bigger. do you reakon i will be diggin alot especialy with the hob, cause if this is they case i may have him vactionated so i can put him with her come spring so no need of a litter. In other words i may not even work him. What do you think?

 

 

 

 

The Yorlshire Lad

I know nothing about ferrets -- have they got names? If not how about Terry & June? -- but the dog looks wise

 

Jane

[ginge2k6 0]

i should not think so, i have never worked hobs. only jills, but size really does not matter up to a certain point(just my opinion) a big hob would play a role in your team, for example my polecat jill is really shy when you try to pick him up and will play hide and seek inthe warren with you, but in big places he will really shift rabbits and find the ones hiding, therefore he is as valuable to my as my silver/white jill although he is smaller, ferrets do different jobs thats why you have to think about where to use one the best. sorry if this doesnt make sense as i am feeling a bit off :11:

[Yokel Matt 918]

They will be fine to work mate even if they are a bit 'big boned'... as long as they are not so big that you need a terrier collar New a guy who had a polecat he called Tyson and he was more like a mink ... he was the best he had. I saw a full grown rabbit trying to scramble out of a bolt hole and Tyson dragged him back in by one leg screaming... not that this is actually a good thing but he was a powerful and tireless worker. They may have a few problems getting through the purse nets...

[Ron Weasley 83]

Yorkshire lad, you definitely have to give him a go before you write him off. I've always found that bigger ferrets are more likely to kill underground, but as has already been said, they won't tire as easily, and will shift the hard bunnies that the jills can't manage.

 

As for having him vactionated? Do you mean vascectomised?

 

Ginge, your reply did make sense, not too bad at all mate, just got confused that you talk about your JILLS and then refer to them as HIM and HE!

[ginge2k6 0]

probably because i thought my jill was a hob untill a few months back, gets confusing :11:

[Simoman 110]

I don't think the size will matter at all......unless you are ratting.

[Rabbithunter 456]

i dig down to my smaller than average jill more than i dig to my slightly bigger than average hob.

 

I once had a hob who was 24" long from nose to tail, he was bred by myself, but he had to go at a kit, as i didnt have the room for any more hobs.

[Ricky-N.p.p 0]

My first ferret was a big hob polecat(freddy)...as in nightmare on elm street !

he was the lenth of my arm..i kid you not !

He was a great worker and hardly ever killed in !

he bolted a fox once when we where ferreting a dump !

couldnt beleive my feckin eyes !

 

the guy who i was with still goes on about it till this day !

[Guest Frank]

My polecat hob is a bigun and has just started to kill, but only the odd time, as he is still young.

I find he has a lot more energy, then my jills and seems to go deeper, shifting them big stubborn does and bucks.

 

His good at leaving a warren clean of rabbits.

 

Frank.

[whin 463]

any bigger mate and these ferrets will need a dog kennel ,ahah

[moonwalker 1]

if its wider than a rabbit then you got a problem :11: never had a big ferret that did nt work plus there easier to put the collars on nice pair

[Guest Bigbob]

I like a descent sized jill that will last all day i'd be scared a over sized hob would pick up the knack of killing the rabbit very easly and it would just turn into a spade job at every burrow

[Rabbithunter 456]

dont go ferreting when they is gale force wind's blowing you wont have to dig to more than most folk..

Millet

 

unforuneatly millet, as you know, sometimes you just have to go in strong winds last saturday was a killer on the hands, just glad i wasnt pissing about with purse nets all day.

 

We only had the one dig on that day, with six ferrets in every sett we done.

 

 

 

i agree, on windy days rabbits are more reluctant to bolt, but they soon shift when they realise theres a ferret up its arse that's not laying off.

[rob reynolds uk 3]

id say use your jills first then bring out the big lad for any that will not bolt ,most ferrets no matter what size it is ,if its wareing a coller it will snag on the net at some stage ..some rabbits just will not budge no matter what, so a big hob is the anwser i say, dead or not as long as you get the rabbit and the ferret out thats all that matters..i hate to let rabbits get away so i send in rocket ron :11: a real killer