jigsaw 11,809 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 I have a hob ferret here that ive owned since 6 weeks old,well I swore I'd put him to sleep weeks ago but I never got round to it.So I decided yesterday that this was his last chance,I headed off into the unknown and with my kelpie cross and the saluki pup I meandered about looking for ground burrows to run him in as the ditches were out of bounds on my own.I neted up the 1st lot and in he went,after showing at the mouth over and over again I decide I'd lift him next time he showed,he was in ground,or if you like out of ground as he did nothing but pop up from every hole every 10 seconds.Then he was missing for what seemed an eternity(5 minutes )and HELLO a rabbit bolted straight into the net.The question I pose is,WHY COULDNT HE FIND THIS RABBIT QUICKLY,20 minutes arseing about.Anyway my hopes were raised,I saw a few half grown rabbits dissapear down a tidy warren on the bank and neted up and put in ''RAMBO THE FERRET''..........nothing.In and fcukin out for at least 10 minutes,then a wee head appeared andHELLO BOYS a rabbit bolted and Taz picked it nicely(mind you it was a smallie).10 minutes passed and nothing,locator on,mark,dig of 1 foot,2 BIG rabbits in the stop end and the ferret on like a good thing Right says I,were in the money now.Off I go with 3 rabbits(I left the wee one go,Taz,soft mouthed or what)I then spoted a medium sized rabbit dive into a 3 hole warren,in goes RAMBO and .........nothing........after 15 minutes still nothing.......just poping in and out of holes,I threw my hands in the air and walked off sick,scratching my head as to why he wouldnt hunt the last we just saw.I moved on to a big grounder and netted up,put in 'BIMBO'' and 3 rabbits hit the net straight away from different exits,no sign of the hob locator on,1 dig to another rabbit,happy out I did another bank and blank.Now the problem is,is the ferret not finding them or is the warren empty.This is the burning question.I tried another 3 warrens that I saw rabbits go into and on 2 I got nothing,so Ive come to the conclusion at this point hes not searching them well enough.I decided to head home as I was rather frustrated with him at this point,on the way back I passed the 3 holer he failed to find in and said,hell,i'll run him just to see.In he goes out comes a rabbit and Taz catches,but its not the rabbit I saw going in there earlier,this one was smaller.Back in again and nothing so he failed to find the other in there.Why didnt he find it first time round?So I head off home with a nice few rabbits but the quality of the hunting is not good.I dont hunt in the summer ever but I had to sort out this mope of a ferret and now I dont know if hes going to improve or not.The only way I'll know is by hunting him further and I dont like killing small uns but I feel I must sort out this animal for once and for all.My other hob is the best Ive kept in a long while and is now 4 years old so I need a replacement,I depend on him too much,if anything happens to him Im snookered,I have a poley ordered for next season from good stock,I used the hob extensively last season and his work rate was something else,I caught a huge no.of rabbits with him up to February.Hes a no messing smallish hob,straight in and rabbit straight out,when the warrens empty hes out and is a quiet and steady ferret.So whats your thoughts on this matter,more work?I know I had rabbits with ''RAMBO '' but hes very hot and cold,and not a ferret I'll keep unlesss he becomes consistent.Hence the title,confused.com Quote Link to post
Brimmer 220 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Sounds like he is messing about, if he one of last years, a bit fat and not been out much then he may stand a chance if slimmed down and given the work, but it sounds like you know the real answer to whether you should keep one that is not interested. Sounds like the older one is a good un, some don't make the grade, even bred from good stock! Quote Link to post
The one 8,401 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Aye you got to laugh when you hear folk saying a ferret's a ferret they need to wake up some ferrets just dont go deep enough etc and will never make the grade give them a chance them i know what id do Quote Link to post
jigsaw 11,809 Posted April 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 well sunday coming im visiting with a mate that has a serious rabbit population explosion,im bringing the 2 hobs and i'll see if theres any improvement,i had him hungry yesterday but i dont like having to keep him from feeding to get him to hunt.its not necessary with the other hob.So its do or die literally next Sunday,fingers crossed its do.I thought I'd get a better response than what I did.I know myself whats what but it would be interesting to read others view points too. Quote Link to post
The one 8,401 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Well as long as you think youv'e given him a fair shot id knock it on the head theres nothing worse than a ferreting pissing about at a burrow or rabbit's showing a hour after youv'e ferreted it make you look a right dick in front of the landowner and will get you your marching orders Quote Link to post
Brimmer 220 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 (edited) A couple of days slimming may not work though, getting an animal into shape takes a few weeks, probably nearer a month to be honest. Most will show willing within a few outings fat or in shape. Edited April 17, 2009 by Brimmer Quote Link to post
jigsaw 11,809 Posted April 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 having him fat is not an issue,hes lean as it is.i have him running around the back twice a week.i dont over feed him either.I reckon hes just not an out and out worker,i have to say that the bugger is hyper active.its an ordeal geting his collar tied as he wont sit still for a moment,and its the same when hes in ground,runing and rushing from entrance to entrance,maybe a little prozac might help Quote Link to post
youngo 20 Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 I know exactly how you feel mate. Half way through last season my trusty old hob was dead in his cage one morning. I got given a lovely looking white hob but no matter how much I tried him he just didn't have any instinct. I like alot of people always thought a ferret was a ferret but when experianced dogs are marking holes nets down an the ferret does nothing but go in and out for 10 - 15 mins with nothing to show for your efforts, I dont think theres anything more frustrating lol. What do you feed him on? just thinking if maybe you feed him on whole rabbit with the skin on he might start to see them as food and encourage him to hunt more Quote Link to post
jigsaw 11,809 Posted April 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 thats all i feed him youngo,if thats not about tripe or sheep heads.i think really nothing will get him hunting properly,i may have a pet home for him yet,spoke to a girl last night thats interested in taking him for her ''APARTMENT'' Quote Link to post
youngo 20 Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 Fair play to you Jigsaw I think you've given him more time and effort than most would, but I think you know mate he's just never going to make the grade. All the best mate what ever you decide to do with him Quote Link to post
JordKil 0 Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 Iv got one a bit like that except when he did come across a rabbit he sat and licked at it while it was still alive! My other hobs would have been straight on but this one is just useless. Iv tried and tired with him and now he sits in a cage in the shed as a 'pet' for any of the wee cousins and for my girlfriend to play with as he is dead friendly and would never bite. Shame he doesnt work as he is like an obediant little dog and follows you around every where but he has absolutely no interest in rabbits or even meat just his dry chow and his bed. I guess that some just dont have it in them or they did and it disappeared. Shame really. ATB Jordan Quote Link to post
benny 1 5 Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 I dunno like. i guess its just unfortunate that the ferret just aint making the grade. But least u can use him as a stud if u keep any jills. Its a hit and miss with ferrets i think i have an albino jill that doesnt mess about she gets the business done and pops out after a while to see whats happening above but she always manages to bolt. She seems persistant and some ferrets just dont have it in them. Its a shame! But i would consider using him as a stud or someone will take him for that if u decide to give him up. FM Quote Link to post
benny 1 5 Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 Also some ferrets have been known to be uncapable to put up a big enought figh with the rabbits. I can remeber once i was ferreting and i heard this almighty thud beneath me and i swear it was a rabbit giving some fight! FM Quote Link to post
JordKil 0 Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 Also some ferrets have been known to be uncapable to put up a big enought figh with the rabbits. I can remeber once i was ferreting and i heard this almighty thud beneath me and i swear it was a rabbit giving some fight! FM Yeah big bucks will put up a fight, my wee jill got the worst of it at one point, lucky I dug her out in time she was trapped in a stop end with a very angry, very stuck buck rabbit. (soon taken care of by a hob lol) Quote Link to post
spiderfly 111 Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 maybe the rabbits you see are going in 1 burrow and going out an other 1 down further....every ferret i seen al ways worked .....maybe fitness...???? Quote Link to post
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