It has been my observation that tame ferrets are very good at hunting tame
rodents.  Someone bought a large number of mice from a store which
then got lose in the empty store room.  My room did have wild mice in it, which
I would see from time to time.  The ferrets never saw them or reacted to them
slightest.  But when I took them to the invested store room, they immediately
lept to hunting.  Got every single one of the buggers in no time flat.  They
weren't interested in eating them mind you, not that I was going to let them
anyway.  My theory was survival instincts.  Wild mice instinctively masked
their scents or keep things like fear under control.  Caged mice were scared
whittless and could attract a blind, deaf ferret with a head cold.
 
Nathan
[Posted in FML issue 1190]