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Lost Ferret Chapel Common? - dcb (7th Jan 2016 - 11:43:47) Anyone lost a blond coloured ferret on Chapel Common? Saw it when dog walking yesterday. It was working the large rabbit holes at the end of the main valley (the old A3 end). Looked sleek and well and not fazed all all when we walked past.

Re: Lost Ferret Chapel Common? - s (7th Jan 2016 - 17:06:14) Hi dcb, It is just possible that you have spotted a wild polecat. Sounds like unusual colouring but not unknown. If you do a search here then you'll see that this isn't the first time a similar sighting has been made on chapel common. Very exciting if so :-)

Re: Lost Ferret Chapel Common? - Ginny (8th Jan 2016 - 06:03:01) Last year I saw a man working some ferrets at Bramshott common. By the time I'd finished my dog walk it was getting dark, the man had gone and there was a very brave cream coloured ferret left behind which even walked over my boot. I was totally stumped about what to do as I had my dog with me (who wanted to chase the ferret), it was nearly dark, and I had nothing to put it in. By the time I'd decided to phone someone to bring up a box the ferret had wandered off and went down a hole. I'm not suggesting that this is the same ferret, just suggesting that if they don't come back to their owners then they may sadly just get left behind to fend for themselves. I still wonder whether or not the Bramshott one survived in the wild. By the way, a few years ago I saw a wild polecat near the mill in Tunbridge Lane which was very different to this ferret.

Re: Lost Ferret Chapel Common? - Ali (15th Feb 2017 - 13:36:44) Today walking in chapel common I spotted a cream coloured ferret poking its head from a hole. Seemed friendly and young. I had my dogs so didn't know what to do. I left it there but covered the hole with a few big leaves so the ferret wasn't too conspicuous, he really looked quite sweet sat gazing out of the hole. I was told by a local lady that people take them over the common for the rabbits and some get left behind, I guess this was one of the unlucky/ lucky ones. I just hope that a terrier doesn't spot him 😬

Re: Lost Ferret Chapel Common? - John wilson (15th Feb 2017 - 16:05:57) Took photo of ferret in same place 16-4-16 still surviving on rabbit.

Re: Lost Ferret Chapel Common? - Ginny (15th Feb 2017 - 17:55:29) I'm glad to read he/she is still alive. It's actually probably having a far happier life in the wild than it had being kept in a cage.

Re: Lost Ferret Chapel Common? - cynicalrider (20th Feb 2017 - 13:41:06) You may not understand that ferrets are domesticated animals, and not meant to live 'in the wild'. Releasing them into the wild would have a serious ecological impact as the release of mink did in the 90s. They will prey on a wide range of quarry, unused to their presence, and are likely to cause serious damage if unchecked. This ferret is almost certainly owned by someone as a pet, whether used for rabbiting or not, and I hope it is found by them before it gets killed by a dog.

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