FERRET-SEARCH@LISTSERV.FERRETMAILINGLIST.ORG
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Date: | Sat, 30 May 1998 14:13:27 +0100 |
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>Bill wrote:-
>But if some of our ferrets are a guide. The mouse has little to worry
>about. Had a crack in the basement and some mice snuck in. Walked into
>the ferret's primary romm and startled a mouse that was munching on a bit
>of spilled food. So where did he run to hide? Right under a ferret.
>Did the ferret respond? Well she almost seemed to say "Be my guest".
>Didn't have any English or Swedish ferrets then so might have a different
>ending now.
If it had been an English ferret the outcome would have been a dead mouse.
Yesterday morning (Friday) was a nightmare, I have one ferret who can climb
over the plywood barrier dividing the living room off from the rest of the
house. I had been in and out of the room several times making sure to close
the door on the last occasion I did so I was sitting at the computer reading
my e-mail when I heard an animal squealing, my immediate thought was that
the other ferrets were having a bit of a scrap a few seconds later I
realised that it was a kitten. Horror of horrors the door was open and
there were only 3 ferrets in the room instead of 4. I shot upstairs into
the back bedroom and there was the ferret with a kitten in his mouth. I
shouted, the ferret dropped the kitten, I grabbed the ferret. The kitten
was suffering from a neck bite and had lost a lot of blood. I put the
ferret back in his cage and Ron and I did what we could for the 12 day old
kitten. I gave it glucose to help with shock and to try to replace fluid
but it was useless the kitten died a few hours later.
I feel absolutely terrible about the incident, I closed the door but it
couldn't have latched properly, either the dog pushed it open, the wind
blew it or the ferrets opened it from the inside. I had my back to the
door so I couldn't see that it had opened. In no way do I blame the
ferret, he was following the natural instincts of a hunting carnivore when
it comes upon suitable prey.
If you have ferrets and other small mammals please, please make sure that
the ferrets can't get to them. Most ferrets have a natural killer instinct
and it just isn't worth the risk. Adult cats and ferrets get on fairly
well, i.e. the cats keep out of the ferrets way but a kitten has no chance.
Sheila
Bolton Ferret Welfare & National Ferret Welfare Society Newsletter Editor
http://www.btinternet.com/~sheila/ferrets.htm (Last Update 10 May, 1998)
Waiting at Rainbow Bridge: Jill, Deanna Troi & Cameron
[Posted in FML issue 2325]
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