Would a ferret kill mice?

Question

I was just wondering if ferrets are used to/ would kill mice or if they had been used to kill mice in the past?

Answer 1

Ferrets are traditionally used to hunt rabbits in Europe, although not in the US. They are obligate carnivores, and as such, are certainly able to hunt and kill mice. However, just like some domestic cats, not all ferrets make good hunters, and not all of them would even know what to do with a mouse.

Answer 2

Ferrets were used to hunt rabbits,all animals that make their homes in the ground for the ferret has a very sinewy body and can get into burrows and their teeth should tell you they are good hunters-aggressive. Will kill mice.they are also very smart and don't give up so even if mice were in cage would attempt to open and get the mice-poor little mice would be too stressed to have a predator around. Would only work if ferret and mice kept in separate rooms and ferret not allowed to roam outside his home unsupervised for can smell mice and ist opportunity would attempt to find and kill.

Answer 3

yes, a ferret is a carnivore in the wild and hunts small rodents. If it wasn't hungry it would treat a mouse like a cat would...as a toy. Ferrets are part of the Mustelidae family, and you can see by the link what animals that includes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustelidae
FYI - One of the most endangered animals in the world is the Black-footed ferret and it eats almost exclusively the black-tailed prairie dog...basically a large ground squirrel..aka - rodent.
Zoo
http://www.thezootribe.com



Zoo
http://www.thezootribe.com

Answer 4

first, to clarify the above answer, the ferrets you are talking about, the domestic ferret, are NOT in the wild anywhere! the only feral population called "ferret" is the endangered black-footed ferrets of the northern states, and they are of a different family anyway.

to answer your question, a domestic ferret will inadvertantly kill any living thing smaller than them just because they play so rough. so, don't mix them with mice, rats, guinea pigs, birds, etc.

Answer 5

yes is the easy answer, A ferret will attack anything it thinks could be eaten.

Answer 6

yes , and if you had one at home no mice would be there . they give of an odor that would keep the mice away.

Answer 7

Yes, they kill/eat them in the wild.

Answer 8

FERREETS AND OTHERS OF THAT LINE CAN BE VERY AGGRESSIVE BUT IT DEPENEDS ON THEIR INDIVUAL PERSONALITY AND HOW YOU RAISE THEM