Overview

I've always been passionate about animals. I don't know that I can tell you why except that it feels internal. Not that it can't be acquired, I don't think that, but it's always been natural for me. I can truly say that animals make life better!

Details

WHAT IS A FERRET? A ferret is a small, warm blooded mammal in the weasel family (mustelidae). Ferrets are long in body with short legs. There are two kinds of ferrets--the domestic ferret and the black-footed ferret. The domestic ferret is the type widely kept as a pet. Domestic ferrets vary in color from white to nearly black usually with a dark mask and tail. Black-footed ferrets have dull yellow fur that is slightly darker on the back. Black-footed ferrets have black feet, black tail tips, and black fur around the eyes. The scientific name for the domestic ferret is Mustela putorius furo and black-footed ferret is M. nigripes. Ferrets are amusing to watch and quite playful and mischievous. Intelligent predictable with mellow temperaments. They will often times take things they see laying around the house and hide them. While roaming around your house they will climb into any tight spot they can fit themselves into. They will probe every possible nook and cranny so ferret-proofing a room or the whole house is a challenge. They do not make a whole lot of noise. Ferrets enjoy any attention their humans can give them. Take them out of their cage and let them explore your home and they will often get silly and start bouncing around like Pooh's friend Tigger! Ferrets like to play and should be provided with toys such as plastic tubes, cardboard boxes and balls connected to a string. Small toys and thin rope-like objects should be kept out of reach because young ferrets may try and eat them. Ferrets tend to be highly animated for short periods of play activity and then will lapse into a deep sleep. Once asleep they are hard to wake up. Similar to a cat, ferrets rarely ever bite as long as they were handled by humans from a young age and they enjoy being pet. On nice sunny days the ferrets cage can be places outside for the ferret to enjoy some sun and fresh air. Two or three ferrets do well living together. They can either be kept in a large cage or allowed to roam free around the house like a cat. Some owners keep their ferrets in a cage most of the time giving them daily supervised outings to roam free around the house. Ferrets are born with scent glands which are used as the animals natural self defense. These glands can have a strong odor and are usually removed from pet ferrets kept as pets. They will still have a somewhat musky odor from other skin glands. Ferrets are nearsighted but they make up for their site with their good sense of hearing and smell.