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]