FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT. 59 



Never handle a ferret roughly; pick them up 

 gently and in so doing you will have very tame 

 ferrets, as they like to be handled in a gentle 

 waj'. When a ferret comes out of a hole, do not 

 make a grab as soon as her nose ai)pears, but 

 wait until she gets all out and then pick her up. 

 If not, you Avill have one that will become shy 

 and not come out as it should. 



Their average life is from three to five years. 

 A ferret's natural diet in its wild state is meat, 

 but bread soaked in milk is a good food. For 

 one ferret give about a cup of milk with a small 

 slice of bread broken in it once a day, also a 

 small piece of meat two or three times a week. 

 K(M'P all salty food away from them, as salt is 

 hurtful. 



People in general seem to think the ferret is 

 a Avild, unknowing animal; but experience has 

 been to the contrary. I have known ferrets to be 

 raised under an old barn and when milking and 

 feeding time came, could be called like cats. 



It is very important that hutches, boxes and 

 other places, or enclosures be carefully watched 

 and kept clean. They must be so built, arranged 

 or located that they are warm during cold and 

 wintry weather. Ferrets are very susceptible to 

 cold. A window or other opening allowing draft 

 will prove fatal. The hutches or building where 



