New mate's a lifesaver for female ferret

A ZOOKEEPER has saved a frisky female ferret's life – after finding her a date with a new male.

Edinburgh Zoo keeper Ross Poulter had to find a mate for two-year-old ferret Two Socks because of a little known medical condition.

Female ferrets, known as jills, become ill and can die if they do not mate when they come in to season.

Mr Poulter, 30, solved the problem after fellow zoo worker Kim Black mentioned she had a male or "hob", called Gomez, at home – pining for a female friend.

The animals hit it off immediately when they were paired up today. Mr Poulter, a reptile keeper at the zoo, said: "Ferrets make great pets but if a jill is not mated she can develop aplastic anaemia and die.

Miss Black, 21, who usually handles snakes and lizards in her work as a volunteer at the zoo, said: "Ross needed a mate for Two Socks and Gomez has been getting very frisky without a female, so the obvious thing was to set up a date."

"Gomez is a great pet with a very good temperament and good genes. He'd never even seen a female before but once they were introduced they seemed to get on straight away."