Hi
 
Just add my opinion in the hunting topic.  I guess in Sweden we have the
same history concerning ferreting as in UK.  When meeting new people, the
ones that recognize ferrets are either ferret owners themself or they relate
them to animals you use for hunting rabbits It's been very common, and still
are, down south in Sweden anyway to hunt with ferrets.  My brother-in-law is
a hunter and very familiar with ferrets, but not in the way we are, he
respects the animal but would never, ever consider it as a pet all though I
worked very hard to make him change his mind on this subject.  Not very long
ago I saw a program on TV where ferreting were discussed, unfourtunally I
missed most of the show, they showed a ferret running down a rabbit whole
and chase it up through another one.  To reward the ferret the hunter let
him shake the cought rabbits by the neck, I promise the ferret looked real
happy doing this.
 
I even seen a mouse getting killed by Wilma, even though my heart cries for
the sake of the little cute mouse, she was very effictive the poor mouse
didn't have to suffer at all on e quick bite on the neck and you could hear
'querrk', no playing, fooling around as cats do.
 
Another thing I read a few weeks ago on FML about ferrets eating catched
mice etc.  The brother-in-law hunter mentioned before said that ferrets dont
eat the rabbits, if they get a chance they draw all blod from them( errk a
vampire) I haven't been able to check this statement up furtherly but I know
the mice caught by my fuzzies, were not eaten, but they were very dried out.
 
take care you all
 
Helen
Wilma( catched 6 or 7 mice totally)
Tod( no luck hunting)
Hubert( catched 1 Rat)
[Posted in FML issue 1462]