New addition

[tsteve9999 456]

While I was out with the mutt yesterday I gained a new addition to my zoo, a young jill ferret that popped out of a warren.

The dog made a put at her at first till he realised what it was which made her dive back underground but within a couple of minutes she was back out and other than a little hiss she let me pick her up and carry her in my hands a mile or so back to the car without so much as a murmour. It looks like she has been out for a while, she's thin and she has what looks like a nasty bite that has taken one eye and a few other cuts and scratches, but after a good feed. bathing the eye regularly and removing 2 ticks she looks a load better.

Can't believe anyone would ferret at this time of year, but I suppose whoever has lost her will just get another one for free and do it all over again.

[Carraghs Gem 1,699]

Sounds as though she was delighted to have found you, must be hard going for a domestic ferret to try and survive in the wild, you never know she could be an absolute belter

[BenjaminCadd 109]

Well done, it is true though some people will use them like expense items as they can get them for free or for a fiver and will walk off and leave them if they are not out in the next ten mins, i found a Albino hob in the same sort of state, running across a feild, coverd in ticks and he lost his eye due to ticks! Cleaned him up and fed him up and he was the best ferret i have had for working, as daft as it sounds he was Loyal and always had that something extra about him! I hope your Gill is the Same good luck with her, its a shame we cant catch these people doing it, they would make good moving targets!.

[tsteve9999 456]

She is the most placid little thing you could wish to see, but it's obvious she has had a hard time of it. Her left eye is gone completely but she doesn't seem in pain with it and it's already looking better after being bathed a few times.

My only problem now is that I have 2 whole hobs so I'm going to have to pay out one way or another, either have her done or the hobs.

My run has 2 tiers and 30 foot long so it's been no hardship to section a piece off fand separate them and I'll give her a go when the season starts, if she works fine if not she wont cost a lot to keep.

[whippet 99 2,613]

or just house her seperate , loads of second hand hutches about

[The one 8,593]

For the price of a collar she could be at home with her owners but she sounds off better where she is mate

[tsteve9999 456]

For the price of a collar she could be at home with her owners but she sounds off better where she is mate

Spot on mate, though I think I know who she belongs to.

A bunch of kids from the area have a couple of lurchers and I saw them a few months ago digging for a ferret nearby where I found her (no collar that time either), plus I found a dead hob last year not far away, so I think it's them. I have some sympathy for them because none are over 14-15, but to do it on a regular basis isn't on imo.

I did speak to them about getting a collar but it fell on deaf ears I think, plus they have no permission there and used to do a runner from me till they realised I wasn't the landowner, so may have legged it if someone else came to them.

[whippet 99 2,613]

steve you seem a good bloke judging by your posts , hope all works out for you

[max abell 198]

Good on yer mate for giving the jill a much better chance in life than the one she did have with her old owner hope she works well for yer

[Country Joe 1,411]

I remember being out for a mooch years ago, when I noticed Rabbits bolting from a flood banking, thinking it was a Stoat I went to investigate, when out came a Jill polecat Fert She didn't bite, and I to carried her home, turned out to be a cracken worker, hope you have the same.

[tsteve9999 456]

I've just took her a chicken wing out for dinner and can't believe how much she's improved in a day. She's gone from poking her head out the nest box for a while before hobbling out to racing up and down the wire the second she knows I'm about. While cleaning her eye earlier I've noticed she has a broken canine tooth to go with all her other knocks, Christ knows what she had a fight with but it gave her a right belting by the looks.

[Guest vin]

sounds like she,s bumped into a rats nest..or maybe some fox cubs.

 

whatever the circumstance Steve...it was meant to be matey..Fate and all that.

 

She will repay your kindness ten fold next season mate.

 

good luck and good on ya.

Edited May 7, 2012 by vin

[tsteve9999 456]

Well she's already repaid me in a way mate, I've just gone to clean out the run and there's 3 kits sitting in the nest box squeaking at me :icon_eek:

When I took her to the vets about the eye last week I asked him what he thought and he said she wasn't pregnant, just shows what they know eh?

Maybe I should advertise them as "wild caught", going by the prices some people ask on here they would be worth 50 quid apiece

Seriously, if anyone wants one they are welcome to one for free as long as they will look after right.

[theferreter 311]

sounds like shes got a good home now hope she does you proud in the comming season and bolts you plenty of rabbits

[rob190364 2,594]

bit of luck there mate, stick a pic up of her