>From:    Leonard Bottleman <[log in to unmask]>
>I've also been trying out mice with our pet ferrets, with mixed results
>thus far.  I appreciate the anonymous poster's information on their
>mouse/ferret experiences.
>The mouse interactions have in NO WAY altered our ferrets' personalities
>or behavior beyond making them more active and alert during and after the
>mouse event
 
I raise mice for my snakes.  The mice are humanely killed, and are usually
frozen for later use.  For the poster who wondered about CO2 gas
euthanasia, it is considered the most humane way to kill mice.  They become
unconscious nearly immediately and do not suffer.
 
Anyway, I thawed out a small mouse for my ferrets one night to see what
would happen.  Wicket, who will eat anything, immediately took it and ran
off behind the garbage can.  Luthe went to see what the interesting object
was.  Wicket had started on the head but wasn't very interested beyond
taking a few chomps.  Luthe however, who is a year and a half (Wicket is
4), immediately ate the head and then carried the body around, stashing it
in various places.  If it looked like another ferret was showing interest,
he would move it.  At the end of the night I found some unidentifiable
mouse parts, a very small amount, left in their play tent.  I removed them.
At no time did Luthe act any differently than normal.  He didn't become
ferocious or show any signs of wanting to run around and bite everyone.  He
was just concerned that someone might take his mousey before he was done
with it.  He does the same thing with Cheweasels.  None of the other
ferrets except Wicket showed much interest in it beyond sniffing it to see
what it was.
 
Karen
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A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of
the wicked is cruel."
                                         (Proverbs 12:10 RSV)
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If you love ferrets, check out:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/index.html
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[Posted in FML issue 2543]