190 FERRET FACTS AND FANCIES. 



and then when you do reach him, be sure that 

 you get him the first time. Better wait a few 

 minutes for it than to have a shy ferret. 



They are old enough to work on rabbits when 

 three months old and for rats when about six 

 months old. Any ferret will hunt and drive rab- 

 bits from their burrows and come out after they 

 have driven the game out, so you can pick them 

 up. That is all one could desire. Any ferret 

 will do this without training. 



It is natural for them to hunt, drive and kill 

 and it is just as natural for the rabbit to be 

 afraid of them and so it takes a hike at once. 

 Ferrets will drive out rats, rabbits, mink, go- 

 phers and weasels, and some claim to have 

 ferrets that will drive out skunks. 



When you train a young ferret with a bar* 

 ness on, the first burrow you put him in, if there 

 is a rabbit in it, have your partner catch the rab- 

 bit at the other end of the burrow and hold the 

 rabbit in the hole until the ferret gets hold of 

 it. In a lesson or two the ferret will be a No. 1 

 and work good ever after. If a ferret works 

 good on rabbits he will soon learn to kill and 

 hunt rats, etc. 



The breedingi season of ferrets is from March 

 to September and I have heard that they some- 

 times breed as early as February. Those who 



