HANDLING AND TRAINING. 77 



ling. Some may be cross at first, biting at every 

 chance they get. If impossible to handle with 

 the naked hands, use a pair of thick gloves that 

 they cannot bit through. A ferret bite, so far as 

 known, is not poisonous. It is best however to 

 take no risk. 



The first thing to teach the ferret is that you 

 do not intend to hurt it in any way. Handle for 

 several minutes daily and in a week or two they 

 become tame and apparently like to be picked 

 up and handled. They soon learn their owner, 

 feeder and handler, coming to their keeper on 

 sight of him, or when called, providing you have 

 used some call when feeding. Like cats they 

 soon learn their call, but instead of kitty ! kitty ! 

 kitty ! it can be ferry ! ferry ! ferry ! or some such 

 call. 



A cross ferret can be picked up in the bare 

 hands, by the tail, then let the front feet touch 

 something. Now slip your hand around its neck, 

 close to the head, so it cannot bite you. A few 

 such lessons and they learn who is master. Be 

 gentle in handling yet hold them firmly until 

 they cease struggling. Never tease or torment 

 ferrets in any way as it tends to make them 

 cross and snap at anything that moves near 

 them; also makes them shy and more trouble 

 to catch. 



