grompz 703 Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 you are totally right what you say bunny tickler,i well remember the greyhound ferrets you mention being long,lean and keen,why they fell out of favour idont know,i think you would be hard pressed to find good old working strains of them now.abbot brothers of norfolk used to advertise in exchange and mart and had excellent stock,real metal in them,wish they were still about today,like you said they used to send ferrets to every corner of britain 2 pound each,good days. 4 Quote Link to post
Wayne Andrew 38 Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 Tell me then cause I is interested. Why doesn`t a tiny ferret need digging to ?? What makes a tiny mouse sized ferret less likely to need dug to ? I don`t dig to my ferrets because of there size !. is it no you that goes on bout these wee ferrets get a gd kicking and they cant hold a rabbit? now all o a sudden they may need digging to think your comin round te the idea o these mini ferrets infact I bet you got a shed load o them and you just don't want anybody catching on hahaha atb 1 Quote Link to post
No1DogMan 50 Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 Tell me then cause I is interested. Why doesn`t a tiny ferret need digging to ?? What makes a tiny mouse sized ferret less likely to need dug to ? I don`t dig to my ferrets because of there size !. Earlier you said the little ferrets get there heads kicked in. Now they are capable of killing and being dug to. Make your mind up. Quote Link to post
Rake aboot 4,929 Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 If a small ferret comes across a rabbit it can`t move, it will end up dug to unless it moves on.. A bigger ferret is more likely to move a stubborn rabbit. Who said anything about killing and lying up? Quote Link to post
pie-eater 377 Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 If a small ferret comes across a rabbit it can`t move, it will end up dug to unless it moves on.. A bigger ferret is more likely to move a stubborn rabbit. Who said anything about killing and lying up? As well as that a ferret that isn't big enough to hold or kill a rabbit could cause you to dig several holes as the rabbit drags it around. 2 Quote Link to post
Raymond 618 Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 If a small ferret comes across a rabbit it can`t move, it will end up dug to unless it moves on.. A bigger ferret is more likely to move a stubborn rabbit. Who said anything about killing and lying up? As well as that a ferret that isn't big enough to hold or kill a rabbit could cause you to dig several holes as the rabbit drags it around. The reverse to what you just said is mostly when its time for me to stop ferreting. I like to dig,dont get me wrong I love the bolters aswell, but when the baby bunnies are about and your digging down to the ferret and he draggs the baby bunny away.Does my head in.You would have holes all over the place. 1 Quote Link to post
fluff 409 Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 had greyhound ferrets and stil got one left half greyhound, we had them in the late seventies and got some of the abbostford guys in early ninties bitches were long and killers ,the dog ferrets were pure killers to ,but worked hard ,the show shite and cross breeding them with polecats and little weasel ferrets kinda diluted them , ive always thought a small ferret is alrite but not for up big warrens or real hill land were the rabbits are there to fight not bolt at times ,the micros after 2 or 3 days rabbiting would be glad to stay in there boxes ,not a lover of any thing to small dog wize of ferrets, brought several young abbotsford type to scotland in the early ninties good workers ,alas things get taken for granted then you have to find simliar strains to help you out , 1 Quote Link to post
wi11ow 2,657 Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 i tryed a greyhound ferret got kicked to bits but the lad out x them and got a very good jill ferret i have a small ferrets here carnt hold rabbits but have some fire in there belly Quote Link to post
fluff 409 Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 sounds good but when you working numerous warrens at this time of year the ferret really has to make them bolt as there getting sticky in some areas ,micros not so good for up hills on areas were there pl3enty to go at ,and cold weather and wild you need a ferret thats steady not flighty and sticks to his job , al places are diffrent 2 Quote Link to post
ozziedogger 1 Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hey fellas I've had big small and in between but I'm not sure if I've seen what you call a micro ferret has any one got a picture of one next to a normal sized ferret just curious Cheers ozziedogger Quote Link to post
grompz 703 Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 glad a lot of you guys go along with me about good sized hobs being betterto work and dig to in big setts and thick hedges,dont get me wrong i am not knocking micro ferrets or the lads who use them,but the ground and conditions i work my ferrets in,they wouldnt stand a chance against some of the hard bucks that they would be up against,and yes i have seen these micro ferrets work,and cant honestly see the point in them,just another money maker and show pieces,but each to your own. Quote Link to post
Country Joe 1,411 Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 in the old days greyhound ferrets was a long lean ferret usually of a good size , you could buy them from exchange & mart & they was put on train for you to collect (in boxes not first class ) they came in a cardboard box Abbot Brothers, I sent away for one years ago, was a young lad with not much savvy, When it arrived, i put my hand in the box where it immediately latched on to one of my fingers drawing a lot of blood. 1 Quote Link to post
Country Joe 1,411 Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 There is a happy medium, you don't want a huge Jill, but neither do you want a tiny worker, If you have a dig on, you want a fert that can hold, the one thing you don't want, is a rabbit dragging it all round the bury. Come breeding time there's lots of medium size Jills, having Kits, of excellent working stock, usually going free, or cheap. So no reason for Wild polecat crosses or fancy named runts. Theres nothing wrong with a normal sized Ferret, they have been used on rabbit control for years with good effect. 2 Quote Link to post
fluff 409 Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 a good greyhound bitch feret will work as good as adog ferret ,there rare now saw three or four in last twenty years there size of a dog ferret ,hardly get fat and are abit hyper and will bite the eyes out of rabbits for fun , as i says got a half gryhound she is alump of abitch and can work well, even on bucks that are ready for the fight attitude , small ferrets are no good for pushing rabits that basicaly not afraid of the ferret the majority come off if there getting hammerd about a hole 1 Quote Link to post
coneykenny 98 Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 I've always prefered the small hob or average sized Jill. If they come on a stubborn rabbit that refuses to bolt they can get over the rabbit and get to the neck, making a quick kill and move swiftly on. Never had to do much digging thank feck. Quote Link to post
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.