Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-15
HANDLING FERRETS.
HOW PROFESSIONAL RAT CATcHgRs
USE THE ANIMALS.

TrnpB nud robson FntI-Ihey Are
Generally Worked with u MuzxIc.
"Weasels and ferrets," said pro
fessional rat catcher, ARE about the
same thing. The imported ferreti
trained to the business are larger thar
the weasel, that is all. After l an
through with rat catching use my fer
rets to hunt rabbits out of brush piles
hay and straw stacks, which Is prof
table business when rabbits are
plenty. What you call rabbits ovei
here we In England call hares.
"When man once starts In as
understand training and working fer
rets, there is such an attraction in the
trade that he never willingly gives II
up. It's a profitable business without
too much competition"
"Do the ferrets ever bite you?"
"It's very careless and awkward
man that gets bitten by trained fer
ret. When one Is bitten by an enrag
ed ferret, the bite Is of very severe
character, extremely painful and slow
to heal"
AS the rat catcher talked 6-month
old ferret, his fiery little eyes gleam
Ing like living gems, was crawling over
his lap and trying to get in under his
coat. "This fellow" said the raj
catcher, 'is as gentle as kitten anG
likes to have his back rubbed and te
be cnressed as well as any cat you ever
saw. When the ferret bites rats
neck, he knows exactly what he is do
Ing. and his front teeth, cutting like
razors, go right through the jugular.
"Of course we generally muzzle them
when we send them In after rats, ana
we always muzzle them when we send
theiu In after rabbits. II their teeth
were ut liberty, they would kill the
first rat or rabbit they met and would
remain in the hole sucking its blood
When we put ferret into house aft
er rats, we stop up all the holes at the
outside of the house except one or two
Over these we place bags. and the fer
rets, driving the game before them
run the rats into the bags. We keep
the ferret without his ordinary meals
before using him, and this makes him
keener in his chase.
ITS mighty easy to spoil ferret.
After II young ferret has been badly
bitten by rat, MS sometimes happens,
you cant get him to go into hole
muzzled. But when a ferret Is full
grown ard has the skill and courage
that lie should have he Is holy terror
to rats and Is valuable animal.
would not sell well trained ferret fol
$50, the price Of a good horse. Such
ferret l should be willing to put In
pit with so rats, and he could In short
time kill every one of them. Rats are
great fighters when they are cornered.
but no other animal OF the same size
Inns MS much courage as q ferret OF
weasel
'In England the largest ferrets are
called polecat ferrets and are n cross
Of the two animals, which are much
alike. In this country the word pole.
cat is applied to the skunk. an entirely
different animal. The word polecat
is supposed to be m abbreviation OF
Polish cat, and the animal abounds
all over Europe. The mink Is much
like the weasel, except that 1t Is larger,
and many dcpredations that are Mt.
tributed to the weasel are committed
by the mink. All these animals prowl
by night. and they frequently go many
miles In search of food, even coming
into towns ana the suburbs Of cities"
Audubon, who was close student
81 nature, was delighted with the
weasel, or American ferret. Its long,
flexible body, its extraordinary length
Of neck, the closeness of its fur, its
keenness of scent. its wonderful agil-
ty and quickness Of movement, all ex-
cited his admiration.
An American writer says: "rhe COM
mon weasel hns sometimes been
caught and carried Off by large hawks
and owls. Sorry was the experience
Of the captor In such cases. He has
caught Tartar. The captive will bite
into the sides of the enemy, SO that
both will fall to the ground, the bird
mortally wounded and the weasel usu-
ally comparatively unhurt. = I"
The weascl's courage In defending It.
self when attacked by birds OF prey Is
universally admitted, nor is It deficient
In fierce opposition to dogs and even
men when its nest is invaded by ell
ther. 1t usually kills for food. biting
through the head into the brain with
such expertness that Its victim cnn
scarcely utter cry of pain, 1t usually
eats the brain first: then the rest of
the body follows. In pursuing mice.
rats and moles 1t follows them into
their runs or holes. A weasels
proximity to n poultry yard is not to
be desired. But In barns, hayricks
and grain stacks II ls decidedly ad-
vantageous, as II will surely exteml-
nate or drive away rats and mice"
The weasels characteristics nre not.
ed In two American sayings, Catch
n weasel asleep" and "Sooner trust
IL.