pet lines V working lines

[canis lupus 1]

I been convinced for years that the populality of ferrets as pets could be indangering our ferrets health. As the years are going by the ferrets i see at judging shows are getting larger, and they just seem to be getting un healthyer. Plus could this breed out the workingness of a ferret.

 

I concerned we are going to lose the good size ferret that will fit down a hole and lose working ability like we have with many dog breeds.

 

all of my ferrets have been rescued but if I had to go to a breeder I choose a working line over a pet line any day.

 

these are pic of my 4 ferrets.

 

Oliver is my posable Greyhound ferret, he was found wondering in the Glostershire hills and I exspect a lost worker, he is the size and weight I'd exspect from a worker, though I don't think he has the attitude.

 

Phoenix is from a working line his breeder kept the jills and gave the hobs to rescue, when he came to us he was scared of the outside world, I could'nt raise my voise and he was a rear biter, with time he is now a fantastic ferret, he still a little nervous, but if he gets a sent he like a ferret on a missson I exspect if given the chance he be a great worker.

 

Havoc is from unknown breedig, but still has the shape and size and attitude to work I acherly think he enjoy it.

 

lastly Oscar, an unwanted litter, he the largest of my ferret and there just no way he have a clue what to do with a rabbit, the world is a big game to him.

 

non of these ferrets have been worked by me, as I never had the chance and realy need to go out with someone first to learn but don't know anyone local to do so.

[canis lupus 1]

does'nt anyone have any views on this??

[stubby 175]

I class my workers as pets, but I can see what your getting at, I prefer a mixture of sizes, specialy with the hobs, bigger the better, have often found small jills cant make stubborn rabbits bolt, but stick a big hob down, and they are soon running,

I feel the difference is not so much workers or pets, but how the keeper goes about it, Im a firm beliver in keeping breeding records, so that future matings can be made only using the best ferts, if records are not kept, a few years down the line and you'll have no idea who's being paired to who, resulting in non working type ferts

[The one 8,592]

Years ago i lost a few old jills to old age and so not to be short of ferrets i took in a pet ferret planning to bred from her and keep the young . It was a good job she never came into season as she was the most usless ferret iv'e ever seen sheonly ate dry grub and never went down a hole .There can only be one type of ferret for me bred from worker to worker ,I prefer a good sized jill that has the pace for a full days ferreting nothing too small the rabbits pull it about and nothing to big iv'e to dig more than i have too as if a rabbit wont bolt i know my ferret will kill it

[droid 11]

So what exactly constitutes a 'line', and how do you maintain it?

[stubby 175]

I would say, a working line,

 

you start with a jill, that is used by yourself, and is a good worker, come breeding season you pair her to another proven good working hob, now say she has 6 kitts, when they are old enough you take them all out on a few ferreting trips, were say that two of the six show themselves as good, the other four are sold on as pets, this gives you your starting block to getting your own line started, again the reason for keeping breeding records, keeping back only the best with the attributes that you want in your line, and using them in your future pairings

[droid 11]

Thanks, stubby.

 

So do you outbreed or inbreed?

Edited April 30, 2008 by droid

[dru 0]

im slowly learning about working ferrets so correct me if i go wrong please

i thing i have noticed is if a ferret is just feed on dryed food they will walk past a rabbit hole like it aint there, but if the ferret is feed on whole food they try and go down and i get the feeling they would do the job or at least try .

i've got ferrets that didnt know what meat was when they came to me and the looks on there faces when you offered them rabbit ect is 1 of disgust but know there the first to try and go down

would they make good workers ?

i've resently got a jill with one eye , the person i got her from said she was a worker and got kicked in the face by a rabbit . would she still be able to work or would she be better for breeding workers ?

[sue 1]

i see my ferrets as working partners while out ferreting and pets when at home ,i have such a soft spot for them when i breed my working lot i use the best for ferreting and future breeding but the useless lot i keep i do alot of public relations children love to hold the ferrets so do people who have never held a ferret before they make good handleable ferrets especially castrated hobs ,then you get the old guys who ferreted years ago telling you their stories of years gone by some good ones and then you have good natter about how over the years good ferret keeping makes more sense now and the old guys say they would have loved to have a locator back then you can get a good few tips from them too

[para1 11]

I been convinced for years that the populality of ferrets as pets could be indangering our ferrets health. As the years are going by the ferrets i see at judging shows are getting larger, and they just seem to be getting un healthyer. Plus could this breed out the workingness of a ferret.

 

I concerned we are going to lose the good size ferret that will fit down a hole and lose working ability like we have with many dog breeds.

 

all of my ferrets have been rescued but if I had to go to a breeder I choose a working line over a pet line any day.

 

these are pic of my 4 ferrets.

 

Oliver is my posable Greyhound ferret, he was found wondering in the Glostershire hills and I exspect a lost worker, he is the size and weight I'd exspect from a worker, though I don't think he has the attitude.

 

Phoenix is from a working line his breeder kept the jills and gave the hobs to rescue, when he came to us he was scared of the outside world, I could'nt raise my voise and he was a rear biter, with time he is now a fantastic ferret, he still a little nervous, but if he gets a sent he like a ferret on a missson I exspect if given the chance he be a great worker.

 

Havoc is from unknown breedig, but still has the shape and size and attitude to work I acherly think he enjoy it.

 

lastly Oscar, an unwanted litter, he the largest of my ferret and there just no way he have a clue what to do with a rabbit, the world is a big game to him.

 

non of these ferrets have been worked by me, as I never had the chance and realy need to go out with someone first to learn but don't know anyone local to do so.

 

oliver is a Black Eyed White mate and is a very nice ferret as are all the rest.

In my opinion the only thing likely to have an adverse effect on the hunting ability of ferrets

is show people. It was a bit of fun to show ferrets at Lurcher shows but now to my mind it has got out hand.Look what they have done to dogs.

[Halfinch 51]

[

oliver is a Black Eyed White mate and is a very nice ferret as are all the rest.

In my opinion the only thing likely to have an adverse effect on the hunting ability of ferrets

is show people. It was a bit of fun to show ferrets at Lurcher shows but now to my mind it has got out hand.Look what they have done to dogs.

 

Could still be a greyhound though

[canis lupus 1]

Now Para I agrea with you there, we go to fun shows only, shows that raise money for rescues the rest of the year we are at county shows and game fairs racing raising awearness about ferrets. But you get some judge shows that have so many colour classes that it turning into ferret crufts, breeding for colour rather than health, breeding for a lardger cuddley animal that may end up with organs that can't suport them. When I said pet and working I did'nt mean they where 2 seperate thing of course there not, mine are pets but they could be working animals, and of course yours are workers that are also pets but the two things are starting become seperate when it comes to breeding, and that makes me so so sad. That ferrets are starting to go the way of the dog.

 

We have had 8 ferrets over the last 6 years we lost one a year for the last 4 years, two of heart problems one at 2 years old the other was about 4yrs. We lost one to Kidney problems at about 4yrs old to, these where not what I class as working types but they could have been and where rescues.My beautiful Harley was PTS last year at 7 yrs old due to an anal gland tumor, she was my other greyhound type and was healthy her whole life unttill the end, all my ferret have been rescue as I said before, and maybe we been unlucky but shorely this proves that ferrets are not strong geneticly then they use to be.

 

lastly Oliver is not a BEW he has sandy and silver in his coat and his eye dark ruby.

[para1 11]

Now Para I agrea with you there, we go to fun shows only, shows that raise money for rescues the rest of the year we are at county shows and game fairs racing raising awearness about ferrets. But you get some judge shows that have so many colour classes that it turning into ferret crufts, breeding for colour rather than health, breeding for a lardger cuddley animal that may end up with organs that can't suport them. When I said pet and working I did'nt mean they where 2 seperate thing of course there not, mine are pets but they could be working animals, and of course yours are workers that are also pets but the two things are starting become seperate when it comes to breeding, and that makes me so so sad. That ferrets are starting to go the way of the dog.

 

We have had 8 ferrets over the last 6 years we lost one a year for the last 4 years, two of heart problems one at 2 years old the other was about 4yrs. We lost one to Kidney problems at about 4yrs old to, these where not what I class as working types but they could have been and where rescues.My beautiful Harley was PTS last year at 7 yrs old due to an anal gland tumor, she was my other greyhound type and was healthy her whole life unttill the end, all my ferret have been rescue as I said before, and maybe we been unlucky but shorely this proves that ferrets are not strong geneticly then they use to be.

 

lastly Oliver is not a BEW he has sandy and silver in his coat and his eye dark ruby.

 

Keep up the good work mate, sorry to hear about your losses.There are definitely two types of ferret now work (Pet) and SHOW shite.To tell you the truth I wouldn't know the difference between a BIW and a silver all polecats or albinos to me. My eyes aint what they used to be ha ha All the very best mate and happy ferreting P1