Probably the best ferret in the world...

Just a random ferret photo really, but I couldn't resist. This is one of three youngsters born to my jill a few weeks ago. And no, I wasn't really getting it drunk, although it did seem interested in the taste around the rim of the can.

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Ferret faking it!

Ok, I give up. That jill is no more pregnant than I am. She's a big faker. She showed all the signs, she even put on a load of weight. But the time has passed and now she's getting slimmer again. Maybe she was after the extra rations, maybe she fancied a bit of peace and quiet on her own, or maybe she just enjoys the limelight. But pregnant she isn't! I'll leave the webcam on for a while, just in case. Then I'll think about what to point it at next. The vegetable patch perhaps - at least the potatoes are actually producing something!

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Ferret birthcam - a web first!

Eat your heart out, Springwatch. In a groundbreaking web first we bring you... FERRET BIRTH CAM! A totally Kate Humble free zone, guaranteed.

Here, live on the web, watch this jill give birth. Maybe. In a couple of weeks' time. We hope.

She was mated (we think) on Saturday 21 May by Emma's albino rescue hob. So by normal calculations that should make the kits due on 2 July.

Click on the image above to watch the live stream (hopefully, if I've set it up right. If it's not working, drop me a line and I'll try to sort it out).

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A great day's ferreting

It wasn't the biggest bag ever - just four rabbits in fact. But it was a great day out, and a momentous one for my elder daughter Emma's new ferret, Boo. That's him above, with the punk hairdo after a bit of a tussle underground. And below, Emma with Boo and one of my jills - Emma is sporting her furry headband thingy she got for Christmas, and looking a bit more stylish than my usual ferreting companions.

It was Boo's first introduction to working, and he took to it very well - bolting three rabbits into the purse nets, and coming back up straight away. On the last hole (why do we always have to do that 'one last hole'?) he killed one underground. As it turned out, someone long ago had dumped a load of old chicken wire, concrete slabs and rolls of barbed wire into that very spot, and covered it over with earth. That made digging somewhat difficult.

Fortunately we had Emma's boyfriend Steve with us. That's him in the photo above. He did a splendid job of pulling up wire and slabs, then digging down to find the spot indicated by the Ferret Finder (being the oldest member of the party, these days I get to operate the Ferret Finder, and delegate the manual labour). And sure enough there was Boo, watching over rabbit number 4.

After that we decided it was time for a cup of tea and turkey sandwiches, took a few photos and called it a day - one we'll all remember for a long time!

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10 ferrets stolen - reward offered

Russell Summers, who I blogged about recently, called to tell me he's had a break-in at home, and 10 of his ferrets have been stolen. He's devastated - the stolen ferrets represent 10 years of careful breeding to produce his own line of great workers, so it's a real setback for him.

Russell lives in the Cranbrook area in Kent, and is offering a cash reward for any information that leads to the recovery of his stolen ferrets. If you have any information that might help him, drop me a line at james@marchington.com, or call me on 07836 350652 and I'll pass the information on.

Since posting last time, I've saved the audio file of my interview with Russell - listen to it by clicking the 'play' button below.

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If there's a Russell in your hedgerow...

...don't be alarmed now, he'll just be catching the coneys.

On Friday I went ferreting on Romney Marsh with Russell Summers, a colourful character who, it would seem, is a bit of a legend in Kent - both for his ferreting skills and his unique way with words.

Born and "dragged up" (as he tells it) in London, he couldn't wait to get out to the countryside, where he's developed a passion for rabbiting, with ferrets, nets and dogs. He doesn't like to use a gun, he told me, certainly not around his ferrets or dogs. Besides, having seen him work with his long nets, I can't imagine he'd have much need for a gun. Not much gets past him!

He has adopted the new quick-set type of long-net, which is carried in a wire-framed basket with a shoulder strap. It was impressive to see Russell peg down one end of the net, then walk backwards pausing only briefly to plant each pole; a 100-yard net was set in little over a minute.

Then it's in with the ferrets. Russell doesn't muck about with two or three ferrets - he was using 11 on Friday, all bred by himself (he's very proud of his pure-bred strain of wild polecats, but that's another story).

On this crisp, sunny morning the rabbits weren't hanging about to argue with that lot - they bolted well from the first hole, and soon we had a dozen or so in the bag.

Later in the day we moved to a long run of old hedgerow, where the rabbits were less cooperative. Despite the large team (a "business") of ferrets, they were hole-hopping rather than following the plan and bolting into the nets. That's where we really could have done with a decent dog or two.

Still, there was plenty of Mark Gilchrist's game pie, and a Thermos of hot soup, to cheer us up. And even the most tardy ferret was retrieved well before sunset.

Thanks to Mark Gilchrist, his friend Cai, plus Russell and his colleagues, for a very successful and informative day. I'll be writing a feature about it for our next issue.

Meanwhile, here's the song I alluded to in the headline. Enjoy...

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Thieves targeting ferrets now?

Anyone who lives in the countryside knows about the crimewave that dare not speak its name. If it ain't nailed to the floor, it goes. The police don't want to know, even when you can tell them precisely where the missing goods are located. Try tackling the problem yourself and barns mysteriously catch fire.

I suppose its the ferreting season coming up - but I've recently heard of a handful of cases around the country where ferrets have gone missing. In each case, it wasn't just the ferrets that went, but various items of ferreting kit too. One poor old chap lost his favourite ferreting spade, which he'd had since he was a boy.

I don't suppose there's much an individual can do, other than take some obvious precautions - locking up the gear if possible, perhaps moving the hutch out of sight from casual visitors, and rigging up a security light or two to discourage thieves from snooping around.

...or maybe you could catch up a few of these and keep them around the place - skunks! Apparently there are some living wild in Britain, and this one was spotted near Kidderminster. If you're about to press 'play' be warned, the chap who found it was so surprised that he said some rather rude words. You might want to mute your speakers for the sake of any children present!

Still ferreting at 90

Great film this - hope I'm still ferreting at 90 years old!



And if you like that one, check out Tamar Tale from the same filmmaker.

Winterising the ferrets

I've been adding some insulation to the ferrets' hutch, in preparation for the colder weather. I haven't tried this stuff before, but it looks good - it's sold as loft insulation, and it consists of a kind of bubble wrap with plasticised foil on both sides. I've put a double layer around the ferrets' sleeping box, and also wrapped it round the water bottles in an attempt to stop them freezing.

It seems like amazing stuff - should come in handy for all sorts of other things too, like a groundsheet in a tent, and a reflector for photography. There's still plenty left on the £10 roll I bought, so I'll give it a try. The only likely problem I can see is if it doesn't stand up well to the weather. It feels robust enough, but plastic can degrade quickly in sunlight. We'll see.

New ferret run

Yes, I know it's really a chicken coop, but it also happens to be ideal for the ferrets, and I got this on eBay cheaper than I could buy the timber and wire to make my own at B&Q.

I went to B&Q anyway, to get the paving slabs for the floor. One of the main problems with the old run was that the ferrets kept digging their way out, and then catching them up again was quite a chore. Whatever else happens, they won't be digging out of this one!

The other trouble with the old set-up was that the hutch was simply falling to bits. The timber was rotting away, and it was only a matter of time before the floor fell in, or the roof blew off.

So now the 4 jills are settled in their new home, busily exploring all the corners and climbing the wire mesh all the way to the roof, just for a look, before sliding back down again.

I've added upgraded bolts and latches, as the originals were designed to keep chickens in, and weren't up to holding back ferrets.

After years of keeping ferrets, nothing surprises me when it comes to their ability to escape or get into mischief in the most unlikely ways. But so far, so good!

Ferret breakout!

Went to feed the ferrets this morning - and this was the scene. The rascals had been busy through the night, and burrowed under the wire.

The most likely hiding place was under the garden shed, and a bit of basic tracking confirmed that something was under there, so I set a live-catch mink trap baited with a few bits of ferret food, and went to have a cup of tea. Shortly afterwards...

Three back in their (newly secured) hutch, one to go...

UPDATE: This morning, I opened up the hutch and look who had sneaked back in (evading all my carefully laid traps along the way):

So that's it, all home safe and sound. She was tucked up in the bed, fast asleep, and looked at me a bit surprised. Now I just have to fix that hole...

UPDATE: This should fix it - I've filled in the hole with concrete!

What a cheek!

A fox has climbed onto the ferret hutch and left a calling card!

New videos on using the Ferret Finder 3

Simon Whitehead of Pakefield Ferrets has produced a series of three videos for Deben, the makers of the Ferret Finder 3. After a shaky start, the new-style Ferret Finder is an excellent bit of kit - and these videos will help you get the best out of it. This one is an 'in the field' demo:

New use for a handwarmer

In this weather, the ferrets' water freezes overnight, and it never gets warm enough during the day to thaw again. Each day I've been bringing the bottles inside and running them under the hot tap until they're thawed - the ferrets love drinking the warm water afterwards. I suppose it's like me enjoying a hot cup of tea while I'm sitting in a chilly hide.

Then I had a brainwave - at least I think it is! I fired up one of the excellent Peacock handwarmers, and propped it between the ferrets' water bottles. So long as it doesn't go out overnight, it should provide enough heat to keep the water from freezing. I hope so anyway - I'll let you know if it works.

UPDATE: It worked a treat - the water stayed unfrozen, and was even slightly warm in the morning. On the other hand, Robin's simple commonsense solution (see comment below) is practical and cheaper!

Credit crunch hits ferrets

I've been feeding the ferrets on James Wellbeloved, but at over £40 for 20kg it's quite expensive. So I'm going to try this stuff from Chudleys. At under £20 for 15kg it's almost half the price, and I can pick it up at the local feed merchant.

Ferret rescue

I knew Pop was going to be trouble (see earlier post) - that's the slippery little rascal in the video above. Sure enough, she got up to all sorts of mischief while I was away in Scotland. Daughter Vicky was looking after the 5 jills while we were away, and I'd topped up their food and water so they would need little more than a quick check each day.

Coming home from school, Vicky noticed a poster on a lamp-post in the street - "Ferret Found". She rushed down the garden and counted... 1, 2, 3, 4 ferrets - 1 missing!

She dialled the number on the poster (it was a house about 100 yards down the street) and discovered that the missing ferret - yes it was Pop! - had already been picked up by Surrey Ferret Rescue.

This morning I drove down to Guildford and met Michele who currently has 12 rescued ferrets in her garden shed. We had a long chat about the tricks ferrets get up to, I gave her a modest donation towards the cost of ferret food etc, and drove home with the miscreant in a carrying box.

Back in the hutch, the other jills sniffed her inquisitively, and she soon settled down. I've found the tiny gap in the wire that she slipped through - although none of the other 4 found it - and fixed it up good and tight so she can't get out that way again.

I'll have to keep a close watch on her though, as she is proving to be the best escape artist ferret I've ever had - and that's saying something!

The old hob has died

SANY0291, originally uploaded by james.marchington.

Here he is a month ago, out after rabbits. The past couple of days he had been a bit off his food, then I went down the garden this morning and he was lying dead in the run. He was getting on a bit, but it's sad that he's gone.

Ferret eats slug

Are all ferrets stupid, or is it just mine?! They seem to enjoy chewing slugs - and not surprisingly get a load of sticky slime all round their mouths, then mope around looking miserable and trying to wipe it off.

Last weekend I spent some time ferret-proofing the area around their hutch. The problem was that I'd open the hutch in the morning to feed them, and they'd all pile out and run around the place. Trying to keep an eye on all 5 ferrets was impossible. Before long, one or two of them would have found their way under the fence. I'd round up the others, then spend 15 mins or more standing on a box trying to coax the wanderer(s) back from the neighbours' garden (they're not exactly ferret fans) - which then meant I was late setting off for work, got stuck in traffic, became even more late, etc.

So I decided to block up the exits. It took a while, screwing up bits of chicken wire and ramming them into the holes with a fencepost. And tacking more wire to the trellis fence. And blocking the hole under the garden shed. But it worked. Apart from the hole I missed - back to the drawing board, but that one's filled too now.

They still run about when I open the hutch in the morning, but now they can't get far, so it's easy enough to round them up and put them back in the hutch after I've filled the food bowl.

Anyway, during all of this faffing about, I noticed that the ferrets pounced on any slugs they found, and started chewing them - even though they don't seem to like the inevitable consequences. Are they too silly to work out it's a bad idea, or are slugs just irresistible to ferrets?

Where's he been?

Two weeks go by and not a peep out of James? Yup, I've been to the land beyond mobile phones, broadband internet and skinny cappucino with an extra shot - the west coast of the Isle of Skye. It was fabulous to get away from all the daily bull and concentrate on the stuff that really matters - spinning for mackerel off the rocks, stalking rabbits, walking the hills for grouse (surely there must be one here somewhere?!), and even a few hours flyfishing for salmon (almost as scarce as the grouse).

Here are a few pictorial highlights. More on my flickr page. I'll add some more detailed posts once I've cleared the logjam in my inbox - including a report on field testing a selection of midge repellents...

In search of grouse

Sunset over Macleod's Tables

Sara caught a salmon on the Snizort!

Picking mushrooms

There must be a grouse round here somewhere!

So that's what the pocket on my Nomad fleece is for!

Heading home after spinning off the rocks

Some work better than others...

Emma with mackerel

Ferret line-up

Ok, so here they are. The two eldest (by 9 days) are sisters, and are easily distinguished by their dark colouring, with white front paws and a cream bib. Telling them apart is something else. The only difference I've been able to spot is that one of them has a tiny fleck of grey on the top of her head. They are very similar in character, but 'no grey fleck' is slightly more aggressive and inclined to nibble your fingers when she's had enough of being picked up.

They are both super-friendly, and get very excited when the hutch is open, flinging themselves at the opening and climbing out so fast it's almost impossible to get them back in again and shut the door without risking trapping one. That and their tendency to nibble hasn't endeared them to the kids, who have retaliated by not giving them names.


The other two are younger, and are also sisters (of each other, not the other two). This one - below - (which the kids have named "Pop") is a lovely silver colour, although she is darkening up as she grows older. She is the meekest of the 4, and it's easy to imagine that she's being bullied by the others as she tends to lurk inside the nest compartment when I open the hutch. Watching them play, though, it's clear that she is a little troublemaker, jumping on the others and nipping them to start a play fight.


Pop's sister - below - (named "Panda" by the girls) is the darkest of the 4. She has no white paws or bib. She is earnest and inquisitive, and may turn out to be the most conscientious worker of them all.


I am making sure to handle all the ferrets as often as possible, usually twice a day, in the morning before setting off for work, and again when I get home. This means that I have a distinctive odour, and get some funny looks from my fellow commuters on the train.

I top up their food and water at the same times. At weekends, of course, there's time to handle them more often, as well as cleaning up the mess - not just the obvious, but the food they dig out and throw round the hutch, and the bedding they've dragged out into the rain, which has turned into a soggy mush.

I'm feeding them on James Wellbeloved (20kg bag for about £45 here - if you know where to get it cheaper please let me know!). For water, I'm using a standard rabbit-type drinker, which has the advantage they can't knock it over or try to swim in it.


From previous experience, I know how easy it is to fail to lock the hutch properly, so I've used these spring clips which can't fall out.


Skye the lab is fascinated by the ferrets, and they by her. If they ever manage to meet up without the wire between, all hell will break loose!