The ferret is a very close relative of the polecat, but it is as yet unclear whether it is a domesticated form of the European Poleact, the Steppe Polecat, or some hybrid of the two.

 

It is likely that ferrets have been domesticated for at least 2,500 years

 

Males are called Hobs and Females are Jills. Babies under 1 year are called Kits.

Neuted Males are called Hobble or Gib, Neuted Female is called Sprite.

A group of ferrets is known as a "business".

 

There is a lot of opinions to how old a ferret lives for but it depends on their life style. Keeping a Jill in season to long will cause serious problems, bad diet and general illnesses cause ferrets to die early. They tend to die from illnesses caused by old age rather than old age itself. 8 Years life span is a good indication but could be between 5 upto 14 years.

 

Mustela Putorius Furo

 

Between 400g and 2kg

 

Between 35 and 60cm. Hobs may get upto twice the size of Jills

 

Hob: 5-9 months - Hobs come into season earlier then Jills

Jill: Spring after their birth

 

40-44 days

 

Please see ferret care page

 

Ferrets/Kits are fine with children when handled but it is the adults responsibility to make sure that the ferret is suitable for children and must be supervised. Children may be put of if a kit or ferret bites. Some people ask if they are suitable for their children to look after. As the adult you need to make sure that the ferret gets plenty of attention often, getting the right care, food, change of bedding and you also have to be prepared to take them on if the children get bored of them. You may also need to handle kits in the first place to train them.

 

When excited, they may perform a routine commonly referred to as the Weasel War Dance, a frenzied series of sideways hops and bumping into things. This is often accompanied by a soft clucking noise, commonly referred to as dooking.

 

average is 6-8 but can be from 3-15. Our average is 10

 

6-7 weeks

 

32 days

 

32-35 days

 

Canine Distemper - this is usually fatal

 

 

FERT (Ferret Education and Research Trust) recognises 5 main domesticated colourings:-

1] Fitch. This is a traditional name for the polecat marked ferret. 2] Albino 3] Silver

 

 All the other colors of a ferret fall into one of the categories.

Fitch/Polecat ( Dark brown/black body, Black feet, Dark eyes)

Black ( Black coat no pattern)

Albino ( White coat, red eyes)

Silky/Silver-mitt (pale coated with darker tips on each hair giving a silver appearance)

Sandy/Butterscotch/Cinnamon ( from pale gold/brown to deep red coat)

Dark Eyed White (also Black eyed white, dark eyes and white coat)

 

Please see ferret care page

 

You can buy Ferret boxes that are made out of wood but check they don't overheat. Ferrets are escape artists so all housing and transportation must be solid otherwise a solid cat carrier with small bars and good clips making sure they have adaquate ventilation. 

 

Yes. Please see ferret care page

 

Yes. Please see ferret care page

 

Ferrets shiver when they wake up to bring their body temperature up. This is nothing to worry about unless they do not stop it atall.

 

 

Ferrets are very sociable creatures and love company of their own kind. They should be kept together. Most ferrets get along however there is always the exception.

Un netueted males or vasectomised males will fight.

Introducing them at a young age will help.

 

Ferrets do give of odours which is most present in breeding season. This can be helped by changing bedding regularly and their toilet daily. You can bath them with a specialist ferret shampoo but this is not recommended as they will produce more oils to stop them from geting dry skin causing them to smell more. They can also give of a strong odour if upset.

 

Ferrets can get fleas and ear mites. You can easily treat them for this as you would a cat or dog. Please go to a ferret friendly vet for medication. Ferret products are much more widely available nowadays in shops and at vets.

 

There are many ferret treats out there nowadays but there is a lot of debate about whether they should be given to ferrets or not. Personally I wouldn't touch any of them due to the ingredients. All a ferret needs is a good balanced diet and your company is enough of a treat for them.

 

 

Ferrets can be kept indoors and outdoors

 

Please see ferret care page

 

Ferrets are very sociable and it is important that you spend plenty of time with them. This is rewarding for both of you. Otherwise what is the point of keeping one. They are very energetic and playful so need plenty of space to do this in. They love tunnels, hammocks and anything they can investigate. You can even buy ferret harnesses to take them for walks.

 

Yes you can and I highly recommend it due to the amount of missing or stolen ferrets. We are fully licensed from petlog to microchip cats, dogs and ferrets and other animals. Please see the microchipping page.

 

Ferrets are natural hunters. Ferreting is very popular nowadays and we do it ourselves. We believe it creates a good bond between owners and ferrets and is great for the ferrets as it is keeping them to their natural lifestyle. This is the most humane method of controlling the rabbit population. If you are interested in this please see the working ferrets page

 

A true polecat is naturally wild and not tame. The domesticated ferret has come from the Polecat. Many people say they have True polecats but this is not true. True Polecats that have come from the wild and not been tamed are temperamental and can be aggressive. They belong in the wild and not as a pet However there are many breeders that breed them for there good traits and can happily live like ferrets. One advantage of breeing european polecats is that they are a stronger mammal as ferrets were domesticated from them. Many breeders try to sell black ferrets as polecats to get more money. You will know if it is a true polecat. If it is then think why do you want it. It is not for begineers. If its not then walk away as you are being lied to. Some people get confused with the term polecat which is referred to the colour and markings of a ferret the same as sandy, chocolate, black, silky etc. This is not meaning it is a pure polecat just simply the markings of the ferret.
We have been doing research into the health of European Polecats and ferrets and like many true breeders we will be introducing the Eurpean Polecat to our breeding line to help keep the original DNA of the ferret. This is to produce healthier stronger kits as over many years ferrets will suffer from long lines of inbreeding so this helps to keep the fresh gene pool. This is not something that we have looked into lightly and will cause no difference to our breeding lines apart from some stunning healthy dark kits. He have done much research to find the right tammed domesticated european polecats to produce the best possible outcome. If you have any questions as regards to this please do ask.

 

Being so closely related to polecats, ferrets are quite easily able to hybridize with them, and this has occasionally resulted in feral colonies of ferret-polecat hybrids that have been perceived to have caused damage to native fauna, perhaps most notably in New Zealand. As a result, some parts of the world have imposed restrictions on the keeping of ferrets.

 

Ferrets are known to suffer from several distinct health problems. Among the most common are cancers affecting the adrenal Glands, Pancreas, and Lymphatic System. Viral diseases include Canine Distemper and influenza. Health problems can occur in unspayed females when not taken out of season. Certain health problems have also been linked to ferrets being neutered before reaching sexual maturity. Certain colors of ferret may also carry a genetic defect known as Waardenburg Syndrom which can be determined by white patches on the ferret and deathness. Similar to domestic cats, ferrets can also suffer from hairballs and dental problems.

 

Ferrets have four types of teeth (the number includes maxillary (upper) and mandibular (lower) teeth)

Angora ferrets have been breed for their appearance. They are long furred. There is not that much known but they are purely bread for appearance. It is not in the ferrets interest for many reasons. Also due to the breeding it is believed that angora ferrets have more health issues and problems in breeding. They are also higher maintenance and not recommended to be used for working due to their long coat. For this reason we do not breed Angora ferrets.