In reply to the posts about my comments on rabbits and ferrets (different
email address though).
 
Firstly I do not train my ferrets to hunt, they need no training.  They
will chase rabbits out of the bury on their own and so will yours if you
put them down one.  If they catch a rabbit because the rabbit will not bolt
then they do kill it and in all probability so will yours.  The idea is to
net the holes to catch bolting rabbits otherwise I have to dig the ferret
and the rabbit out.
 
Domestic dogs are not ferrets so studying dogs is not observing the
behaviour of ferrets when they have the opportunity to do what comes
naturally to them.  I would also like to add that uncontrolled domestic
dogs are regularly shot for attacking and killing farm animals.
 
Humans are not a good example of predator living in harmony with prey
either.  History (and the news) is full of man preying on man and other
species.
 
To the poster who thought that their ferret is not a predator because it
doesn't attack their cat or dog.  Mine don't either.  Cats and dogs are
not prey animals for ferrets.
 
If you cant bring yourself to think of your ferret as a predator which
kills (given the opportunity) then how do you resolve the fact that it is
carnivorous.  Kibble is just pieces of dead animal.
 
Steve
[Posted in FML issue 3094]