Scandalous !  There are mice in the house.  This is not supposed to happen,
I have a ferret.  If Stinky's smell alone doesn't keep the mice away, then
Stinky herself should make an active effort to chase them out, but neither
of the two seems to be happening.  A few days ago I smelled the presence of
mice.  Tonight I saw one.
 
I woke up Stinky, who was sleeping in my arms and showed her the mouse.  It
was gone before Stink could focus her sleepy eyes.  Carefully we went after
the little beast, which was hiding in some portfolios.  I pushes Stinky
between the gaps.  She got exited about having to do something urgent, but
she wasn't quite sure what was expected.  So I started sniffing, to tell
her to use her nose.  And indeed she did.  The little darling imitated me.
She sniffed her way around the folders, but still she did not know what she
was searching for.
 
So now I have a problem.  How does one teach a ferret that mice are
enemies?  So far I have been teaching her not to attack other animals.  I
have not fed her any rabbit, in the hope that she might get along with my
niece's pet rabbit, without associating the typical rabbit aroma with food.
Also I have not given her pigeon, because a pigeon hunt on the balcony
could be dangerous.  Basically I have been teaching her not to bite any
living animal.
 
Must that all change now?  Do I have to buy her life mice to teach her
these animals are meant for hunting and devouring?  Will that turn my soft
and innocent little Stinky into a ferocious hunter?  Will she, once she has
enjoyed the thrill of bloodshed also start attacking rabbits and the like?
 
Or can she very specifically distinguish one kind of prey from another?
There must be some of you ferretowners out there, who know the precise
answer.  Ferrets were, after all, bred for thousands of years for hunting
purposes.  Surely some of you know, how that past relates to their domestic
behaviour.
 
Before people start flaming me: I do not take unnecessary risks while
introducing the ferret to the rabbit.  The rabbit is very big and Stinky
has known him, since she was very small.  The rabbit has always been
stronger and can freely run away, while Stinky was always on a leash and
under constant supervision.  But the rabbit still comes back to Stinky
because my ferret is so friendly and playful.
 
Any mails from people who have experience with mice and ferrets, please
contact me, friendly greetings
 
Patrick Faas in mouse ridden Amsterdam
[Posted in FML issue 2896]