Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2012 2:18:59 GMT -5
Guess who killed his first mouse?
Yup! Hercules!
His first intro to whole prey at day 16 after rehome/rescue from the humane shelter - woo hoo!
He killed it straight off, no chase, clean bite to back of neck, then toted it off to stash it and keep it away from Windy, a long time whole prey eater.
He bit into it enough to draw blood, but made no attempt to eat it right away so I gave it Whoopi. Windy carted hers off and devoured it.
I'm so proud of him! He's turning into a proper carnivorous ferret! His cage mate is burrowed into a cubby so she'll get a chance at a mouse later. Granted it was a juvenile mouse, just maybe a week older than a hopper - so it didn't have much "fight" in it; but hey its a start!
I took him back into the bathroom (aka mouse room) so he could watch when Fizzle got her mouse. WHich I went ahead and dispatched for her. She immediately set into devouring it (proving her appetite is back full force) and he sat and watched and smelled and listened to her crunch a bit. Then he trotted off to where he'd stashed his mouse, but of course it was gone. He watched Fizzle for a bit, climbed into the shower stall and sniffed where he'd killed his mouse then came back out and glanced at her again!
I really do believe they learn by watching and smelling others which may be one reason so many of mine have turned so quickly!
All I can do is thank Josie for that - she was such a good hunter, absolute carnivore and her obvious enjoyment and expertise was picked up by the first few rescues and rehomes and they have just kept passing down her teachings! Yeah, and that's MY story and I'm stickin to it!
So one more predator awakens and another small ferret's confidence is bolstered! Go Hercules!
Cheers,
Kim
Yup! Hercules!
His first intro to whole prey at day 16 after rehome/rescue from the humane shelter - woo hoo!
He killed it straight off, no chase, clean bite to back of neck, then toted it off to stash it and keep it away from Windy, a long time whole prey eater.
He bit into it enough to draw blood, but made no attempt to eat it right away so I gave it Whoopi. Windy carted hers off and devoured it.
I'm so proud of him! He's turning into a proper carnivorous ferret! His cage mate is burrowed into a cubby so she'll get a chance at a mouse later. Granted it was a juvenile mouse, just maybe a week older than a hopper - so it didn't have much "fight" in it; but hey its a start!
I took him back into the bathroom (aka mouse room) so he could watch when Fizzle got her mouse. WHich I went ahead and dispatched for her. She immediately set into devouring it (proving her appetite is back full force) and he sat and watched and smelled and listened to her crunch a bit. Then he trotted off to where he'd stashed his mouse, but of course it was gone. He watched Fizzle for a bit, climbed into the shower stall and sniffed where he'd killed his mouse then came back out and glanced at her again!
I really do believe they learn by watching and smelling others which may be one reason so many of mine have turned so quickly!
All I can do is thank Josie for that - she was such a good hunter, absolute carnivore and her obvious enjoyment and expertise was picked up by the first few rescues and rehomes and they have just kept passing down her teachings! Yeah, and that's MY story and I'm stickin to it!
So one more predator awakens and another small ferret's confidence is bolstered! Go Hercules!
Cheers,
Kim
what a good boy!