MANAGEMENT IN FERRETING. 155 



DISEASES OF FERRETS. 



These little animals are subject to a kind of distemper 

 generally when they are just weaned, which is called 

 " sweating," and which is better let alone. Foot rot is also 

 common, caused by a want of proper cleanliness and ventila- 

 tion, and here prevention is much more easy than cure. 

 When it appears, the claws grow long and ragged, from the 

 animal not wearing them away by friction ; the toes are red 

 and raw, and the poor creature is terribly lame. Several 

 remedies are adopted, but the first thing to be done is to 

 cut the claws as close as they can be shortened without 

 reaching the quick, then touch the raw parts with blue- 

 stone, and keep them dressed with an ointment composed of 

 equal parts of mild mercurial ointment, simple sulphur 

 ointment, and tar ointment. By repeatedly applying these 

 remedies, and the use of great cleanliness, the foot rot may 

 generally be got rid of. 



MANAGEMENT IN FERRETING. 



After hunting the young ferret two or three times with 

 the old bitch, she generally takes to the work, and will 

 readily enter the rabbits' holes and drive them without 

 further trouble. The ferret should have been fed with only 

 half the usual allowance on the day previously, and this will 

 make it the more eager. Sometimes ferrets are allowed to 

 enter rabbit holes without being muzzled, but the usual plan 

 is to muzzle them in someway. Of the various modes adopted, 

 the most efficient is that by means of a fine cord, which is 

 tied over the nose and neck in the following manner: Get 

 some fine whipcord or strong twine, 

 cut off a piece long enough to go 

 round the neck, and about four 

 inches over. In the middle of this 

 tie a small loop, as at Fig. 4 ; then 

 take another piece about eight inches 

 long, and double it, tying two knots 

 (Fig. 5, b c) at such a distance as to 

 allow the nose to be admitted between 

 them. To put these on, first tie the 

 string (Fig. 4) round the neck so that 



