It has long been a belief amongst some misguided ferret keepers that mating
a jill to a European Polecat will produce an excellent working ferret with
plenty of 'fire'.
 
I recently read an article published in a country sports paper - the author
had taken in a injured European Polecat hob.  The hob was mated with one of
his calmest jills who was also an excellent worker.  (The hob has now been
released into a conservation area as it has recovered from its' injuries.)
 
The resulting litter was a great disappointment.  The author passed on kits
to his friends and kept one himself.
 
The polecat/ferret was kept with another litter of ferret kits but has
turned out to lack 'fire' is nervous of new objects introduced to the run.
The ferrets charge in and examine what 'dad' has put in the run the
polecat/ferret hides in a corner - natural behaviour for a wild predator -
leave it alone until it finds out whether or not the new thing can cause it
harm.  An injured predator will not be able to hunt and will therefore
starve, so it is perfectly natural behaviour.
 
The author threw a freshly killed hen into the run, the ferret kits charged
in and set to with relish, one of the hen's legs kicked out in spasm and
knocked one of the kits flying across the run, without more ado the kit
picked itself up and charged back into the melee.  Where was the
polecat/ferret - yup, hiding behind a box in a corner and just peeping out
watching until most of the action calmed down.  When the kit judged it safe
it joined in.
 
So much for the old ferreter's tales of brave polecat/ferret crosses.
 
The ferret would not make a very good predator in the 'wild' - why?  The
only answer would be because it is fearless and would approach any new
animal, object and probably end up as a meal for a larger predator that it
took on.  Nevermind curiosity killed the cat - it's get the ferret killed as
well.
 
Sheila
 
[log in to unmask]
http://www.btinternet.com/~sheila/ferrets.htm
Bolton Ferret Welfare & Newsletter Editor of the
National Ferret Welfare Society of the UK
The opinions expressed by me are not necessarily those of the NFWS
[Posted in FML issue 2082]