The Best Ferret Toys

Things You May Not Have Known About Ferrets

The ferret is a creature that belongs to the mammalian class of animals, which has a long history of domestication. It is closely related to the weasel and other related species. They are typically fairly small, averaging only 20 inches in length and rarely exceeding 4 pounds. They naturally have life spans of up to 10 years and have been living with humans for thousands.Sometimes you will find ferrets that have been hybridized with one of their closest living relatives called a pup. This has even occurred in the wild, with the creatures congregating to gather to create hybrid colonies in the wild. Sometimes these colonies can become so pervasive they pose a threat to the local wildlife and environment such as the case was in New Zealand. In response to the threat posed to their local fauna, New Zealand placed restrictions on the ownership of ferrets as pets in the country.

The Most Unexpected Facts About Ferrets

Everyone who has stepped foot inside of a pet store is familiar at least with what a fair it looks like, but they may not know how they behave. Whether you are learning about these beautiful creatures for the first time or you are intimately familiar with them, there is always something new to learn about these little guys. Ferrets are some of the most interesting creatures that you will find out the pet store, and there are plenty of interesting facts to back that up. Let's take a quick look and see if you do not agree.

Ferrets Produce Strong Smelling Oils For Their Musk

One of the first things that you will notice is the smell of a parent pretty much as soon as you walk in the room. Ferrets naturally produce an oily substance called musk used to secrete chemicals they detect with the sent. This is used for communication and to identify relatives or strangers among ferrets. If you accidentally startle a fair, you might trigger them to release the secretions of their animal glands in a very similar manner to the skunk. Luckily the secretions from their animal glands are not quite as odorous as those from the skunk.

They Are Incredibly Sociable Creatures

If you are looking for a furry friend, you will have found a good match in the ferret family. Although ferrets do spend quite a bit of their time asleep when they are awake, they are known to be rather friendly. They enjoy playing and are among the few species known to exist in the wild in peaceful social groups.

They Are Omnivorous

Many people assume that because the animals are so tiny, they must eat a vegetarian diet, but that is not true. Ferrets are something called an obligate carnivore. This means that the ferret's body does not produce all of the nutrients that it requires to sustain life unless it consumes meat of some kind. Feeding ferrets different kinds of fruits used to be recommended above for more was known about their biology, but today it has been shown that it is likely harmful to their health to feed them such things.

You Might Find Some Hairballs Even If You Do Not Have a Cat

Cats are not the only creatures that lick themselves and then end up having to cough out hairballs later on down the road. Ferrets are also known to display this behavior, which can appear quite strange by human standards. You will likely experience this as the seasons' change, and the months began to warm up when the ferrets are shedding their winter coats. You can help to prevent any excessive hairball accumulation by regularly brushing your ferret out with a comb.

Ferrets Were Domesticated By The Greeks

While it is uncertain the exact date that ferrets were very first domesticated, it is clear that they have been around humans for an incredibly long time. The earliest written records of animals that fit the description of a ferret date back to the ancient Greeks' time. As early as 450 BCE Aristophanes was writing about creatures that matched the description of ferrets. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that even the ancient Egyptians may have Some of them as pets.

The Closest Living Relative In The Wild Is The Polecat

Parents are the domesticated form of a common weasel that is endemic to the European continent. The polecat is a wild version of the ferret, and it can be used to crossbreed and create hybrids that are very similar to domesticated ferrets. But while polecat is a little more aggressive and so should not be mistaken for a ferret, they will make much less family-friendly pets.

When Under Threat Ferrets Will Dance

All creatures have some behavior that they display when they are confronted with a threat. Sometimes this behavior can appear quite ridiculous to us. When a ferret is startled by something that they perceive as a threat to their safety than they do a dance that is meant to put the attacker into a trance, domesticated ferrets display the same behavior. Still, they use it to play instead of hunting. Look out for this type of behavior to see when your ferret is in a great mood.

Ferrets Used To Be Trained To Hunt Rabbits

One of the biggest drivers of the popularity of ferrets during the early days of their domestication in modern England was rabbit hunting. Because ferrets are so adept at running through tunnels, they can flush rabbits out of their holes with ease. Sometimes the ferrets will even corner the rabbits in a hole under the ground, and the hunters will be able to dig it up out of the borough.

Ferrets Have Worked Together When Hunting With Falcons

Falconers are known to commonly employ ferrets to help with the training of their Falcons. Falcons are given prey by the ferrets used to retrieve the freight and bring them out for the Falcons. Together the two creatures are competent at working together for the hunt.

It Is Possible To Hire A Professional Ferret

It may appear like ferrets are simple house pets. Still, they are incredibly useful in certain situations, to the point that you can go out and hire a professional ferret right now if you need it. The ferret is great at running through small tunnels or burrows and is used in several industries for that explicit purpose. For example, in London at the turn of the millennium, ferrets were used to help lay wire through underground tunnels that were difficult to access by humans. They have also been used to help clean out pipes that would have been difficult or costly to replace but were nearly impossible to clean by hand for humans.

Unmated Females Can Produce Excessive Estrogen

Believe it or not, if a female ferret does not have offspring, it can be detrimental to their health. When a female ferret does not have any children, then they will begin to produce estrogen in some cases excessively. Sometimes they will produce such extensive extradition that it will lead to toxic effects that can ultimately culminate in death.

Be prepared For Some High Energy Pets

Ferrets are notoriously high energy pets and have been known to be great at running laps around the track. Ferrets are commonly used to compete against each other in a sport that is known as ferret racing. Ferret racing is the most popular in the city of London. The sport is fairly straightforward and involves letting several ferrets run through sections of pipes with their lids replaced with chicken wire so that the ferrets will be visible to the spectators of the sport. Many of the ferrets that take part and thus far can be seen quite obviously enjoying racing around the track.

They Are Notorious Chewers

If you have not had a ferret for a pet before then, you need to be prepared for a pet that will end up chewing the whole house if you let them. Ferrets have a very nasty habit of chewing on almost anything that they can lay their hands on because of their rapidly growing teeth. You need to make sure that you get the things to chew on that will not be destructive if you are going to keep them around your house. Otherwise, you could end up with some pets that destroy anything that they see.

Keep An Eye Out For Certain Common Health Conditions

Unfortunately, ferrets are prone to certain specific types of health issues common among the species, thanks to their inbreeding history. The vast majority of the ferrets sold in the United States are bred by one of two large companies. This means that the genetic stock available for all of the ferrets to breed with each other is fairly limited, leading to many different issues. Some of the most common that you should keep an eye out for our cancers of the adrenal glands and pancreas. Domesticated ferrets within the United States are especially prone to these conditions. They can be found in ferrets as young as one year of age, and you should monitor those conditions strictly if you plan on keeping one of these lovely animals as a personal pet.