Return of the Polecat

[SwanseaBlues]

Thanks for the advice
I have added her photo as my profile (which I hope works).
I have received a call from the vet and she is well so we are getting her back tomorrow ..

[SwanseaBlues]

Hi All
I had lots of really positive responses yesterday regarding how to look after her which I have made note of but now that there is a photo of her can anyone say from the photo whether she is a polecat, ferret, poley! or is it still too difficult. The reason I ask is that the vet has stated that she is a polecat!

I don't suppose it really matters though!

[Alan]

Hi Swanseablue

Looking at the the pic, my hunch would be it’s a Polecat-like Ferret or ‘Poley’ (paler, less distinct head markings. Although this is no guarantee!).

If your vet thinks it’s a Polecat, what reasons did he/she give?

You haven’t mentioned how it reacts to handling, but if it’s at all tame, I would think it’s been handled before!

Ask yourself these questions, which may help to make you decide: Is it calm or highly-strung? Does it come to you at feeding time, or does it hide until you go away? When it moves about does it just amble about easily but inquisitively, or does it have a tendency to move about quickly looking for a way out? The first part of these questions would point to a Ferret that is used to humans or may have been handled before.

Unfortunately many Ferrets are dumped in the countryside if they are of no use to some, or because they’re unwanted youngsters. Also don't forget hybrids - Polecat x Ferret. You get many of these to confuse the issue.

Also Polecats if found when young can get use to handling, just like any Ferret can.

I’ve had Ferrets that if you’d have seen them loose in the countryside, you’d have sworn they were true Polecats, and yet in fact some of their parents where actually Albino Ferrets! So you see, outward appearances often aren’t what they seem.

Try these websites for more info:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ferreter/
http://www.yptenc.org.uk/docs/factsh.../pole_cat.html
http://www.sxbrc.org.uk/news/polecat...ning-to-sussex

As you said, maybe it doesn't matter as you're keeping her anyway, but it's nice know either way isn't it..

Alan

[Tragus]

Hi SwanseaBlues

I have to agree with Alan, it sounds more like a tame escapee. It does look a little like a polceat/ferret in your profile pic.
Sadly my Polecat has just died in the last few days. He was a wild polecat bought in after being found in a hedgerow with both ears infected and still had his eyes shut!!
He was regularly handled at the centre as he needed treating twice daily. In the end we felt it unfair to return him to the wild as he had become accustomed to humans.
I hasten to add though, only I could handle him. Anyone else would get bitten. This was true up until his death. If I needed the Vet to treat him I had to take him to be gassed down first!! My Vet was bought up with ferrets and I can assure you, he would NEVER handle him without being knocked out first. This was as I say, a semi tame polecat, who had been neutered.

In my experience as a Wildlife Rehabber at a local Wildlife Rescue Unit (not RSPCA) we have had many 'true' Polecats in.
An adult polecat will not let you examine them, let alone handle them without a bite or two.
They will (and have done to me) bite down to the bone. A ferret/polecat however may offer a warning nip or hiss first, before sinking their pearlies into flesh!!!

On a more serious note, your Vet has given the right advice. The Jill should be spayed as this will prevent her becoming seriously ill. Females do need regular mating or they develop anaemia which can kill them.
Even experts can find it difficult to tell polecats from tame escapee ferret/polecats, but in my experience they tend to be much bigger, heavier, more pronounced banding on the face and NO white under the chin. They are much more aggressive than tame escapees, and even the sickest polecat will bite if handled.

Good luck with her and enjoy her company.
If you need any more advice, please pm me and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

[May]

The closest I've been to a polecat was in a rescue centre where I helped out a couple of times. I had to feed them .. they prepared the food, because as a long term vegetarian I didn't want to handle dead day old chicks or stinky dog food I was told to open the hutch door and quickly push the bowl of food in .. they assured me once they saw the food they would stay put.

They lied.

I opened the hutch, shoved in the bowl, or tried but they all escaped, flinging dead day old chicks into the air from the bowl as they ran to the four winds inside the room the hutch was. Chicks were flying every which way, polecats were bounding up and down the corridor and then the person who had prepared the food appeared. "Need a hand?" she asked. "Um .. yes please," I replied sheepisly.

[Lou-D]

What a lovely story, May, I'm chuckling away to myself imagining you stood there with polecats bouncing and weasel dancing with joy around you! Anybody who's kept ferrets will know what I mean! I was once asked to keep an eye on the ferrets belonging to the guy across the road while he was away but they were very rarely handled (not sure what his point was in keeping em!?!) and when I put their dried food in, they were more interested in taking a chunk out of my hands (this is usual when they are frightened or hungry) than in their food or in escaping! I have got several interesting scars from my years of keeping and rescuing ferts.

I currently have 9 of the loveliest and funniest ferrets plus am fostering 3 (including 2 young kits) at the moment, but have a special interest in mustelids especially polecats (even though we don't get them around here) and stoats.

Keith Flintham, I know you made your post a long time ago, but if you happen to see the ferret again please could you contact either Hull and East Riding Ferret Rescue or Withernsea Ferret Rescue. Not all ferrets will survive in the wild and could suffer and die, especially in winter. Thank you.

Lou

[May]

Heh, looking back on it Lou, It was pretty funny, just at the time I was horrified!