ferrets ?.

flutered

my question to you folks is, i need a ferret, (rats), i would prefer to get a young one, rear and keep it, i have seen them used as pets in the continent, which sex is the best to rear and possibly neuter, i used to breed a few chickens one time, this year i am going at it again, i have the breeding stock, also the rats, they seem to recognoise the poisen, even though i have tried to disguise it using chocholate etc, the house where i am putting the incubator and heat lamps is riddled with the feckers, all advise is welcome, also thank you in advance for it.

Gerry.L

If you could, youd nearly be better getting two of them. THey'll keep each other company. Ferrets get very bored cooped up in a cage all day.

Ive had them for pets and for hunting and trust they are very active and will want a good deal of attention. If you plan on getting them only to keep rats at bay. Id advise you to look at a different method.

You say poison isnt working. Have you tried just regular snap traps. THey are better than any poison.

clivej

I heard the big mouse/rat traps work well using Nutella on bread as the bait.

custom 7mm08

if you dont have too much moisture in the house use a mix of hardwall powder porridge oats and plenty of sugar

hunterpajero

what does the hardwall and sugar mixture do the rat?

fallowbuck

we had rats in our attic ,was a pure nightmare tried the poisin but to no avail. Got 2 buck pole cats left them in the attic for three days and three nights solved the problem found only three rats ,but i think it was the presence of the polecats, well what ever it was it worked and if they come back ill be getting a lend of them again:pac:

Gerry.L

hunterpajero wrote: »

what does the hardwall and sugar mixture do the rat?

It hardens inside them....

Spunk84

flutered wrote: »

my question to you folks is, i need a ferret, (rats), i would prefer to get a young one, rear and keep it, i have seen them used as pets in the continent, which sex is the best to rear and possibly neuter, i used to breed a few chickens one time, this year i am going at it again, i have the breeding stock, also the rats, they seem to recognoise the poisen, even though i have tried to disguise it using chocholate etc, the house where i am putting the incubator and heat lamps is riddled with the feckers, all advise is welcome, also thank you in advance for it.

They become very tame when handled alot. Actual dog tame, had one years ago which used to climb up my shirt and sleep on my shoulder if you keep them in the house you will have to get their glands removed as they stink, when coming into breeding season they stink even worse. only problem is if they get near your chickens they will have a go at them. Fierce little hunters.

Best bet is buyandsell, donedeal, gumtree. Personally I would get a big hob or 2 they are so easy going and become very docile. As for hunting rats you can't beat a female, small but fierce after rats

Gerry.L wrote: »

Ive had them for pets and for hunting and trust they are very active and will want a good deal of attention. If you plan on getting them only to keep rats at bay. Id advise you to look at a different method.

I agree as well if there only for rats, what happens when the rats go? As above said they are very very active, to the point if there in the home you will have to clips for your doors in the cupboards as they will rack the place very curious animals
poison.

good logs...

get a cat, best of all.:D

Spunk84

Spunk84 wrote: »

if you keep them in the house you will have to get their glands removed as they stink, when coming into breeding season they stink even worse.

They do stink but don't get their glands removed. Keep them outdoors. Removal of the glands doesn't solve the smell as the odour is excreted through the skin as well as the glands. Just tones it down a small bit, hardly noticeable.

Mine play with the dogs sometimes that's how tame they are, put a rodent near them though and they're like demons. Cleared the rats out of the shed for me too, and the mice in the attic.

custom 7mm08

as gerryl said it turn to a lump in their system which they cant pas. anytime we see a rat around home that is what we use and it solves the problem.

homerhop

They used to use that method in the sugar factory where they couldnt lay poison

243 SbS

flutered wrote: »

my question to you folks is, i need a ferret, (rats), i would prefer to get a young one, rear and keep it, i have seen them used as pets in the continent, which sex is the best to rear and possibly neuter, i used to breed a few chickens one time, this year i am going at it again, i have the breeding stock, also the rats, they seem to recognoise the poisen, even though i have tried to disguise it using chocholate etc, the house where i am putting the incubator and heat lamps is riddled with the feckers, all advise is welcome, also thank you in advance for it.

Ferrets are best kept together 2 neutered males is probably the best combination, Unneutered ones tend to fight and smell a bit. Get them young and handle them a lot and they get very tame and make very entertaining pets.
There is an old wifes tale about if u have ferrets the smell will keep rats away - Its not true. I saw one squeeze into the ferrets hutch to eat their food.

They usually have young in early summer so now is probably not the best time to get one.

2 words of warning
1. Even the tamest ferret when over excited can bite so they may not be suitable if u have small kids.
2. Unless their run is like Fort Knox your chickens will have a very low life expentancy.

Spunk84

Best bet go with a cat, alot less messing around

coryg

have a jill ferrtets thats having kits and i dont know wath to do if any1 knows post it here or pm me