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Previous Issues > March 2008 > Wildville! > Ferrets
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 Wildville!
Ferrets
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
 Ferrets are long, furry animals that like to play. Many people keep the domestic ferret as pets and enjoy watching them tumble, play with toys and learn tricks. But having a ferret is not all fun and games. The word ferret actually means little thief and they like to steal and hide things, like car keys, jewelry and food. They also have a natural odor that is kind of stinky!
Many people think that ferrets are rodents, like squirrels, but they are not. The ferret is part of the weasel family and is related to the otter, polecat and skunk. There are two species of ferret the common ferret and the black-footed ferret.
The common ferret has a long slender body and short legs. It can be up to 20 inches long but only weighs about two pounds. Its fur is white, yellowish or sometimes brown, and its eyes are reddish pink. As with any pet, having a ferret at home as a pet requires a lot of work. They need a big, tall cage to live in with a litter box. They also need toys to play with, but they are easily entertained and will play with lots of different objects. When they are let out of the cage, they must be watched carefully, or they will get into trouble, like chewing on wires, getting into food or hiding under rugs. They can be trained to do tricks and to walk on a leash. They are friendly pets, but they can bite and have sharp claws. Ferrets sleep a lot, as much as 14 to 18 hours a day. They are most active at dawn and dusk.
The black-footed ferret is an endangered species. It has a black mask across its eyes and has black feet and legs. Ferrets are carnivores, which means they eat meat. They live in prairie-dog burrows in the great plains of the U.S. and were almost extinct. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been able to reintroduce ferrets successfully into many states, such as Kansas, South Dakota and Colorado.
Sources: Ferret, in Encyclopdia Britannica; Kathy Feeney, Caring for Your Ferret; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, www.fws.gov.
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