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What could my ferrets be scared of?

The other day I put two ferrets into a rabbit hole but both backed away from it with their backs hunched and fur flared out. What causes that sort of reaction?

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Ferrets
EDWARD COOK
What they?re telling you is that there?s something nasty down the hole ? a ?non target species? as I call them.

This sort of reaction is more likely to occur on a day of really foul weather when all sorts of animals run for shelter, or in spring when they go underground to give birth.

Chances are your two scented a fox in time, and backed out before going too far.

I?ve lost a small number of ferrets to foxes over the years because the difference between an earth and a burrow isn?t always as obvious as many people think.

When all’s said and done a fox earth is nothing more than a scraped out rabbit hole.

Nowadays I?m in the habit of taking a terrier with me ferreting and this solves any likely problem!

If she marks the hole by sitting in front of it then I know there?s a rabbit downstairs whereas, if she growls at the hole and enters at speed then I know a fox is close by.