- The ferret (Mustela putorius furo) is a domestic pet.
- It is not a wild animal, though ferrets are descendants of the European
polecat (weasel) and are, therefore, close relatives of skunkSs, mink,
otters and badgers.
- There are 2 varieties of ferrets, based on coloration. Fitch ferrets
(the most popular) are buff-colored, with black masks, feet and tails.
Albino ferrets are white, with pink eyes.
- The female ferret is called a "jill, while the male is called
a "hob." Babies are "kits."
- The gestation period of ferrets is 42 to 44 days (average, 42 days).
- The average litter size is 8 (range, 2-17).
- Kits are born deaf, with their eyes closed. Their eyes open and they
begin to hear between 3 and 5 weeks of age.
- Kits generally are weaned onto commercial kitten chow at around 8
weeks of age.
- Kits reach their adult weight at 4 months of age.
- Males are typically twice the size of females, but both sexes undergo
periodic weight fluctuations.
- It is not uncommon for the average ferret to add 30-40% of its body
weight in fat deposited beneath the skin in the fall, and lose this
fat the following spring.
- The average lifespan of ferrets is 9-10 years.
- Ferrets are naturally inquisitive and can squeeze through very small
spaces
- The older a ferret is, the more mellow it is likely to become
- The dietary requirements of ferrets can easily be satisfied by feeding
commercial cat food
- Most ferrets prefer to sleep within a relatively small, enclosed area
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