Differentdawn.com: Ferrets

The Domesticated Ferret

Over the years, they have quietly taken their place as America's third favorite companion animal, right behind dogs and cats. Although still illegal to own in both Hawaii and California, in the rest of the country hundreds of thousands of ferrets have moved into houses, apartments, and cabins and are busy hiding car keys and stealing socks even as we speak. But what is their appeal? Some people are repelled and even terrified by them. Others seem to devote their lives to the happiness of their little furry friends. Why is it that America seems to have such a love/hate relationship with these little charmers? We may not be able to answer that directly, but here at Differentdawn.com, we've definitely got the bug! Just ask our seven little associates, Tina, Jem, Scout, Radley, Ernest, Austen, and Saphie! Intrigued? So are we. Join us in unraveling the Mystery of the Fascinating Ferret.

The Domesticated Ferret:

Aristotle wrote about them and both Genghis Khan and Queen Victoria owned one, but what, really, is a ferret? Although a small population of Black-Footed Ferrets still exists in the wilds of Wyoming, modern pets trace their lineage back to the Old Country. Most experts believe that they were originally descended from the European Polecat. Regardless, ferrets have a long domesticated tradition, beginning thousands of years ago when they were used for rabbit hunting and for small rodent population control. Indeed, by the time of the Roman Empire, ferreting - or the use of ferrets in flushing rabbits from their holes - was a common practice among the peasant population and soon spread throughout the whole of Europe. Today it seems that they would much rather drag the TV remote under the sofa and cheerfully relocate your wallet to the dark depths underneath your dresser than hunt through the dusty depths of a rabbit warren. They haven't completely given up their working class background, however; ferrets are still used to run wiring and cables through pipes and passageways where their human co-workers couldn't even dream of going. It has even been whispered that they work for the British Royal Family: somebody had to run all of those video cables under St. Paul's Cathedral to televise Prince Charles and Lady Diana's wedding, now didn't they? These little critters certainly get around...and under...and through...and around again!

Pherret Physical Phacts:

These tiny little carnivores will dance their way across your carpet and directly into your heart, but before they do, it is important to be properly introduced. While the average ferret owner can glance into a room full of wrestling weasels and tell them apart at a glance, the general population might have a little more difficulty. Here are a couple tricks of the trade. The males, called hobs (gibs if they have been altered), are almost fifty percent bigger than the female jills, who are whimsically referred to as sprites, in altered form.

(Since large breeding farms supply most of the ferrets available today, the kits are de-scented and altered before they even reach the pet stores. De-scenting is, for most people, not really an option; there is a reason that their scientific name loosely translates as 'stinky polecat!') The top weight for a hob is around five pounds, while a full-grown jill will top out at a delicate three pounds. They live anywhere from seven to ten years on the average, although some owners have reported them living to the ripe old age of twelve. As with most domesticated animals, selective breeding has allowed them to come in a variety of colors, from albino to sable (a dark brown), or champagne (cream) and cinnamon (red).

It is also not unusual for ferrets to change color slightly through out the year. At times a sable may be distinctly dark brown, but months later, might appear almost grey. Some markings do not change as much. Most ferrets have a dark band across their eyes called a mask; but remember, we said most, not all. The traditional banding is all but impossible to distinguish on some of the lighter colored critters. One thing that all ferrets do have in common is their distinctive body shape. Long and sleek and with a decidedly pointed nose, it is easy to visualize these creatures burrowing through the ground, mask or no mask. Add to that their impressively long canine teeth, and it is no wonder rabbits headed for higher ground when they heard these predators coming!

So You Want One, Huh? (Pros and Cons of Ferret Ownership)

Oh, yeah. They're cute. They're cuddly. And they keep looking at you with those shiny black eyes every time you're at the pet store. You're just a heartbeat away from bringing one home, but you're just not quite sure. Trust us, we went through the same thing a few years ago. We gave in and it was the best decision we ever made. Ferret ownership is not for everyone, though. Here's a list of pros and cons that you should consider before bringing them to live at your house.

The Pros:

1. The Cuteness Factor: They are adorable. That's a hard argument to fight against. Ferrets are as cute as the day is long and twice as cheerful. We can't remember ever seeing a ferret who was obviously having a bad day. Asleep or at play, ferrets ooze personality from every pore. When you let them out to play for the first time everyday, they are so excited to be out, so excited to see you, just so darned excited to be a ferret, they do an absolutely amazing Happy Dance. Arching their backs as high as they can and 'grinning' from ear to ear, they snicker loudly - you have to hear it to believe it - and bounce rapidly up and down and, usually and sometimes unfortunately, sideways.

This display will go on until they tire or, more likely, until they see something shiny and take off to investigate. It is an absolutely charming display. It is also easy to see their personalities shine through during playtime. Differentdawn.com's oldest matriarch, Tina, tends to talk to herself while running around the house looking for cats to chase. One of our youngest, Ernest, has to be watched carefully since he will become so excited that he'll dance wildly off of the couch and plummet to the floor, only to hop across the room, directly into the wall!

2. Ease of Care-Taking: Just like us, ferrets like their rest. The difference is, a ferret's rest period lasts almost eighteen hours out of every twenty-four. Because of their need for beauty sleep, they are perfectly happy to be left home alone in their cage for most of the day. All they require is a few hours of fun with their favorite humans every evening. Since they can be litter box trained, clean up is a simple matter of emptying their used litter into the trash and replacing it with a fresh batch every day. They can be fed out of a bin feeder although they do like their treats whenever they can con them out of a hapless passer-by. Ferrets also tend to be easy to entertain in the toy department as well.

One of our favorite playthings to supply them with is a hard rubber baby teething toy. These toys allow them to chew to their heart's content without the danger of swallowing bits of plastic that might otherwise lead to dangerous intestinal blockage. There is also quite a selection of ferret specific toys available on the market, from tubes and tunnels to edible chew toys. Your ferret will quickly let you know what he prefers to keep himself busy while you are off earning the money to buy his ferret kibble!

3. Fitting Into the Household: We've had ferrets that lived alone, ferrets that lived with cats, ferrets that lived with dogs, and ferrets that lived with ferrets. Just about any combination works. Ferrets are fearless little creatures and think nothing of hopping up to a big dog to say howdy. With the right training, ferrets can live with almost any other companion animal. Since they can be trained not to bite, ferrets can also live with children, as long as the proper amount of supervision is provided. Cats tend to be wary of ferrets, since ferrets have an innate fascination with following cats around and nibbling at their tails, but our cats have learned to take the high ground when the most aggressive of their housemates are roaming free. Dogs can pose a danger to ferrets - especially big dogs who like to play a little rough - but, again, with the proper amount of supervision, cohabitation is definitely possible.

The Cons:

1. What Is That Perfume?: Okay, we'll be honest. Ferrets do have an odor, no matter what you do about it. Most ferrets are descented at a very young age, but that only involves removing the larger anal musk glands. Known in Latin as 'stinky polecats,' ferrets do tend to leave a lasting scent on their bedding and on anything else they come into direct contact with around the house.

As long as they are well groomed, bathed often, and kept in a clean enclosure, the odor shouldn't be too much to bear. They do need to have their litter boxes emptied daily, however, because their feces tend to be pungent as well. Since they have an incredibly short digestive tract, ferrets process their meat-based food very quickly, thus leading to frequent and copious elimination. Again, cleanliness is the key. Keep their cages and their bodies clean and the odor stays at a minimum. There are a number of products on the market today that work wonders. Ferret shampoos, ferret body sprays, ferret litter box sprays, and ferret food additives are all available at your local pet store or from your favorite online pet supply merchant like The Ferret Store.

2. Legal Ferrets: Okay, it is still true; ferrets aren't legal everywhere. Regardless of the best efforts of lobbyists, ferrets are still banned in California and Hawaii. Before you bring one home, it is best to check and see what the restrictions are, if any, in your area. If it is illegal to own one in your neck of the woods, a quick search of the web should get you in touch with a ferret legalization group in your area. Say it loud and say it proud: a chicken in every pot and a ferret in every home!

3. Ferret Felons: People aren't joking when they refer to ferrets as little thieves. If it isn't nailed down and it looks interesting, the odds are pretty good that it will be relocated to the latest, greatest stash spot lickety-split! Our biggest offender is one of our oldest males, Scout. Scouty is a thief with a sweet tooth; along with our car keys and wallets, he has been known to empty the entire Halloween candy bowl, transporting the contents to the depths of the couch and under the bed in the course of one short evening.

We've had shoe liners stolen out of our boots, glasses snitched off of the nightstand, and coasters liberated off of the coffee table. Scout was once caught trying to yank a full-sized boot through the two-inch gap under the dresser; from the looks of the boot, he'd been at if for some time before he was busted! Some people can't deal with the constant relocation of their stuff - just remember to keep a sense of humor!

4. Can't Just Have One: We debated about listing this under the Pros as well. Although we have known many people who have had one happy ferret, our staff highly recommends having two or more of the little furry bouncers. As long as they get enough attention, one ferret will be fine, but they do tend to forget how to play like ferrets. Ferrets love to wrestle and chase and nip and wrestle some more. Alone, your ferret will be reduced to solitary entertainments and might well forget how to be a social animal. The choice is yours...and judging from the seven ferrets we have at our offices, you can see which side of the coin popped up for us.

There's more, you know. There are a thousand reasons to own them, and almost as many against the idea. It all depends on what you want out of your companion animal. If you love free-spirited, happy, challenging, daredevil pets, we recommend joining the ranks of the proud ferret owners. Once you start, it's almost impossible to go back!

Have any further questions or stories to share? Visit the Forum!

Information Sources:

Long, Marion. "Grin and Ferret." Home Arts Network: Just Pets. 1997. [web page] http://www.homearts.com/depts/pastime/37ferfs1.htm [Accessed June 13, 2001.] Note: page no longer exists; redirect to: http://www.ivillage.com/topics/pets/0,10707,167023,00.html

Shefferman, Mary R. The Ferret: An Owner's Guide To A Happy, Healthy Pet. New York: Howell Book House, 1996.