FERRET RAISING AS A BUSINESS. 169 



For hunting purposes probably not. Perhaps a 

 cross of this kind would mean a better fur pelt, 

 but at the same time a somewhat smaller body 

 enabling it to enter smaller dens thus being able 

 more easily to "ferret out'' the smaller rat dens. 



From the foregoing it will be seen that there 

 are various uses and demands for ferrets. Chap- 

 ter XIX — Ferrets as Fur Bearers — will also 

 be of interest to raisers and prospective raisers. 

 So far very few ferret skins have been sold in 

 America, but in Europe where the animal is 

 known as fitch a good many thousand skins are 

 sold each year at prices ranging from about 15 

 to 75 cents. The fur value, as yet, is low but 

 should some fatal disease appear during the 

 winter season it would pay to skin and save the 

 pelts. 



The business of raising ferrets is one of more 

 or less risk for the animals are susceptible to dis- 

 ease, can not stand severe cold and are short 

 lived. On the other hand there has always been 

 a cash market for all raised, they produce good 

 sized litters, breed twice a year if rightly han- 

 dled, and food on which they thrive is not 

 expensive. 



