A couple comments here....I used to raise pet rats.  At that time, I didn't
yet have a cage that could hold Rosa once she got *really* determined.  I
had to tie and *knot* that door shut:P And, as critters do, the rats would
get out from time to time as well.
 
I found that the quickest way to get the rats, especially the young ones
back to their cage was to let the ferrets out.  Rosa and Taz definately did
*not* want to play with them.  They did get one from time to time.  Would
usually take them a while to kill it (I was *not* going to stick my hand
under furnature with two ferrets in full predatory mode *and* a severely
frightened and hurt rat!).  BUT, the adults would be able to hold them
off...fairly easily.  In fact, Rosa one day got out of her cage and *into*
a rat's cage with two pregnant females.
 
I came home, saw the ferts gone, saw the blood on the inside of the rats'
cage, AND the fact that the rats were *completely unharmed*, and started
calling.  Poor Rosa, all bitten:( None of the bites were serious, didn't
even need to take her to get stitched up, but she lost that fight.
 
And these were rats that had been raised and bred and handled by me.  Not
wild rats or other wild rodents.
 
I agree that any hunting that is done needs to be done and learned from an
experienced hunter who also knows how to assess hunting capability in
ferrets.  Yes, they are meant mostly to chase "prey" out into the open,
but if they manage to corner something, there can be serious problems very
quickly for the ferret.  And how many of us can be sure our ferrets would
have the sense to leave off when excited about something :P
 
The point about exposure to disease is a very good one, and along with the
dangers of being an untrained ferret hunter with an untrained hunting
ferret, are all the reasons in the world to not use our furkids as hunting
companions or rodent control without professional training.
 
Sue  "hey, it's cold:("
Rocky  "it's cold, I'm going to sleep zzzzzzzz"
Brit  "whine, cry, c'mon Rosa, play with me"
Rosa "leave me be"
 
Sue M.
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[Posted in FML issue 2244]