XII.—THE FERRET'S ADVANTAGES AS A RAT EXTERMINATOR.
Ferrets have been brought forward, chiefly by the labors of the present writer, to be regarded within the last few years as domestic animals. There is certainly, yet, a great degree of prejudice against the ferret—a natural result of ignorance of its ways; but we firmly believe that the more it comes in contact with man, and is bred in captivity, the more readily it will be put by him in the division of common domestic animals, and he will, furthermore, find it his best remedy in rat extermination, making the latter worthies as scarce as the ordinary rat has made its black-complexioned cousin.
For this latter purpose the ferret's most apparent advantages are as follows:
- First. There is nothing a rat is more afraid of, by nature, than a ferret, so that the rats are driven off by acute bodily fear.
- Second. The body of the ferret, and its small head also, is remarkably flexible, thus enabling it to get into and drive out the vermin from their holes and breeding-places.
- Third. When through hunting they do not stray off, but return to their pens, and wait there till they are put in.
- Fourth. They devour the entire carcass of the rat, after killing it, and do not leave the slightest trace of it around.
- Fifth. The ferrets can be trained to obey the whistle somewhat like a dog, and, by attaching a bell to their necks, they can always be traced to whatever part of the building they may stray.
- Sixth. After they get acquainted, and have been handled for some time, they become affectionate pets, and can be fondled and caressed freely.
- Seventh. They are very cleanly, peaceful, and nondestructive in other ways.