>Soren Thingaard who has continued to breed them for several generations to
>improve >their temperament (as the original breeder bred his ferrets to
>hunt rabbits).
 
Hi All ,
I would like to correct a few misconceptions some people seem to have about
the temperament of working ferrets.  Yes there are a very small percentage
of ferrets that are psycho but the majority when handled correctly from an
early age are just the same as totally pet ferrets.  Some working ferreters
see no reason to tame there ferrets, they think incorrectly the ferrets
work better.  Or perhaps they like having their fingers bitten when
retrieving rabbits from the nets.  My working ferrets lived with us in the
house, until for their own safety I removed them from my toddler son who
treated them as mobile throwing toys.  It is common when ferreting in the
more remote parts of the UK to pick up feral ferrets and use them for
breeding.  I know one ferreter who got himself a pregnant " polecat " in
Wales a few years back, although she was a spitfire and never really tamed,
her granddaughters were handed round to children at shows.  From a UK
breeders point of view all the talk of ferrets being bred for temperament
seems a little strange.  You can breed for health, colour and body shape,
temperament comes from the work being done by handling the kits.
 
Chris.
 
Chris Lloyd  ICQ no.    44575318
Wessex Ferret Club  Southampton. UK.   www.wfc.cwc.net
The Pack     www.btinternet.com/~chris.lloyd2/
[Posted in FML issue 3354]