The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-13
About Ferrets.


''I am fond of rats, mice, moles,
reaches, flies, feas, moths, scorpions,
ants and like vermin, because l have
studied their habits and ways nearly all
NV life," said little man in spectacles
Yesterday. He sat at his desk in a
small shop in busy street down town,
writing busily. At his side was a pen
about five feet long, two feet wide and
three feet deep. In it were twenty OF
thirty ferretS coiled together in an IN.
dulating mass of fur, with here and
there a sharp muzzle and a pair oi
bright little eyes rising above the mass
and looking intently at the little man
who wrote at the desk.
There was 4 time, many years ago.,
continued the little man, wheeling
around in his chair, ''when vermin wert
more or less obnoxious to me, but ]
began to study their habits and natures,
and in short time l became so much
interested in them that all dislike dis
appeared. Invent into the business of de-
stroying them about 1850, and since that
l have had my hands full. Imake con-
tracts to rid houses, hotels and institu-
tons of rats for so mnch a year. NV
charges vary considerably. For a good.
sized city residence | remove all rats
and keep them away for a year for fifty
dollars"
"How do you do it?''
with these little beauties" said the
little man, turning affectionately toward
the pen AS he did so the ferrets wrig-
gled ont of the cosey tangle in which
they had lain and bounded upward
with their fore-pawS in the air and their
heads thrown back, exhibiting JOY at
every Jump. They were pretty little
creatures, about as large in girth as an
average rat, but almost twice the
length. Their heads were rat-shaped,
their fore-claws very sharp and their
activity and quickness amazing.
Il have a thousand of them, said the
rat-catcher, land Wouldn't sell the lot
for $4,000. l have trained them all so
that they obey me unheSitatingly.
When wish to clear house of rats |
take some of my ferrets-five or six or
ten-and slip them into the rat holes.
| leave them there all night and whistle
for them on the following day. They
come right me and take them home.
No rat can escape a ferret. The rats
run from ferretS like mad, but it is use
less. Wherever a rat goes a ferret can
90. The ferret catches rat and then
eats him-tfesh, bones, hair. tail, ev-
erything. Ferrets cannot live without
rats for any length of time. feed
mine hair, feathers and fur regularly
twice a week"
where do you get your ferrets?"
81 breed them. Different breeds can
be crossed as easily as with dogs"
He took bit of raw meat in big
pair of iron nippers, and held it at a
height of about four feet over the den
of terrets. Every one of the little crea-
lures bounded fiercely for the meat.
He raised it as they jumped, and only
half a dozen of the best jumpers sue
ceeded in fastening their jaws on it.
To show how tenaciously the ferrets
held their grip, the rat catcher swung
the meat around his head and slammed
the ferrets against the sides of the pen,
but they could not be shaken from their
hold. Then he selected one, seized it
by the back of the neck and tore it
loose from the meat.
This one," he said, holding it aloft,
sis a new breed. 1t is cross between
the American mink and the Fitch fer
ret, and can stand the climate better
than the uncrossed breed. Ferrets re-
quire considerable care, but avoid any
contagious diseases by very simple
plan"
"What is itp'
CAS- soon as ferret gets the least bit
off shoot it and throw it away. 1t iss
wise plan, for the rest are never troub-
led IN Y Su7a