>From:    Chris Lloyd <[log in to unmask]>
>(Many whole males are nippy and aggressive.)
<snip>
>When I attend shows my ferrets are handled by dozens of complete strangers
>all day and some young kids can be very rough with the ferrets.  My big
>hobs, whole and castrated take it all in their stride and will play all
>day but I find the jills can get fed up and stressed after a few hours.
>For safety sake and to keep my insurance cover clean I would go for Hobs
>over Jills every time when doing long demonstration Shows.
 
All my adult hobs have been neutered - still got 3 kits that will be
visiting the vet this winter.
 
I use both hobs and jills when attending shows.  Some of best PR ferrets
are jills.  Twiggy, Piper, Tuppence, Kes, Spooky, Lulu and Lady are an
absolute delight to handle.  Having said that Dumpling must be about the
number one favourite with the kids, when his previous owner brought him to
me I was warned to be careful because he nipped.  He's never nipped me or
any of the hundreds of folk who have handled him at shows.  Some of the
hobs I use when doing PR shows are OK to be handled but not to put near
faces.  Tiberius loves sucking ear lobes, Casanova can get a bit too
enthusiastic when he kisses.  Max, Oliver, Brock, Buddy, Alfie, Paw Paw,
Brecon and Badger are rock steady.
 
"The Hooligans" 5 four month old kits and their mother did get handled at
the Town & Country Festival.  The trick was to wait until the kits had
played so much that they were tired out.  Result, they would lie in
someone's arms and just look adorable...
 
--
Sheila
Bolton Ferret Welfare & N.F.W.S. News Editor.
NFWS. Web Site: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ferreter
last update 22 Oct 2001
Web Site: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ferreter/bolton.htm
last update 22 Oct 2001
Waiting at Rainbow Bridge:- Jill, Deanna Troi, Cameron, Carnath, Button,
Bill, Bobby, Jasper, Inga, Holly, Fergle, Amanda, Sparky, Daniel, Blackie,
Marvin, Claude, Bumper, Kurt, Tasha Yar, Larry, Lily, Ben, Fritz, Dax,
Kelley & McCoy
(The opinions expressed in this post are not necessarily those of the NFWS)
[Posted in FML issue 3596]