Buzz
Although domesticated for thousands of years, the charming and lively ferret has only recently become a popular pet in the past 30 years. Despite their rodent-like appearance, ferrets are actually carnivorous members of the mustelid family, sharing relatives like otters, weasels, minks, badgers, and wolverines. These fascinating creatures have a rich history in hunting, building airplanes, and even taking part in one of the most unusual blood sports known.
10. Ferret Legging
In various parts of the world, an ancient and bizarre sport has seen a revival. Ferret-legging is a grueling endurance challenge where participants place two live ferrets into their pants, which are tightly fastened at the ankles and waist. The ferrets claw and bite fiercely, trying to escape. The winner is the one who can endure the longest. One of the most well-known figures in the sport is Reg Miller from England, who popularized wearing white pants to highlight the blood from bites. A key rule of the game is that participants must forgo wearing underwear. Until recent years, records barely reached a minute, but in 2010, the record was obliterated when two men managed to keep the ferrets in their pants for a staggering 5 hours and 30 minutes.
9. The Weasel War Dance
To the uninitiated, the ferret's so-called 'weasel war dance' might be a bit unsettling. With its back arched, the ferret hops around frantically, its tail fluffed up. Strange hissing sounds accompany the performance. Normally nimble, ferrets tend to bump into objects and topple over awkwardly during this phase. Though it may seem like a display of aggression, it's actually an invitation to play—similar to how a dog might wag its tail excitedly when a toy or leash is presented. In wild relatives such as stoats and weasels, however, this 'dance' serves as a tactic to paralyze prey like rabbits. The bewildering motion lures the prey into a trance, preventing them from escaping when the weasel pounces.
8. Hunting
Though they may only now be found in pet stores, ferrets have been domesticated for over 2,000 years. Hunters would carry their ferrets in small cages or pouches, and upon discovering a rabbit warren, release the ferret to chase the rabbits. The startled rabbit would dart out through another hole, with the ferret in pursuit. The hunter could then shoot the rabbit or send fast dogs, like lurchers, to catch it. For centuries, this practice was essential for providing food, but today it's mostly a sport or a way to control rabbit populations that can become pests. Often, the hunter would gut the rabbit and feed it to the ferret, as it provides superior nutrition compared to commercial food. Many, however, view this practice as a cruel tradition from the past.
Although ferreting is relatively unknown in the United States, ferrets have historically been employed in the West to protect grain stores from rodents. While a rat isn't necessarily smaller, it stands little chance against a ferret in a battle. This predator kills by striking at the base of the neck, where the skull and spine connect. While cats are often considered supreme in rodent control, ferrets, with their small and flexible bodies, can access tight spaces and crevices that cats cannot reach, including inside walls and tiny dens where rodents often hide.
7. Ferrets as Pets
Despite their wild origins, ferrets generally make excellent pets. They're highly intelligent and can be trained to perform various tricks. Like cats, they can be taught to use a litter box. Unlike many other members of the mustelid family that prefer solitary lives and only meet for mating, ferrets enjoy the company of others. They're happiest when they have at least one playmate in their cage. A group of ferrets is referred to as a 'business,' and they can provide endless entertainment with their antics.
Ferrets do require more care than hamsters or gerbils. While they can spend much of their time in a cage, they need significant interaction. Ferrets are prone to various health issues, particularly adrenal disease and intestinal blockages caused by their habit of swallowing non-food items. Additionally, they have a strong musky odor that some people may find unpleasant.
6. Restrictions on Ferrets
Although ferrets are popular pets, many places have banned their ownership, including New York City and the state of California. The primary concern is that escaped pet ferrets could form feral colonies and pose a threat to local wildlife. There are several feral ferret populations around the globe, with one of the most harmful in New Zealand. Imported to control the rabbit population (which was also brought in), the ferrets found the native ground-nesting birds—who had evolved without natural predators—easier prey than rabbits. Additionally, ferrets present a serious risk to New Zealand’s cattle industry, as they can carry a strain of bovine tuberculosis.
Although the majority of ferrets sold as pets are spayed or neutered, there are concerns about the potential establishment of feral breeding populations. Ferrets also act as vectors for disease, carrying similar illnesses to cats and dogs, including heartworm, rabies, and canine distemper. Furthermore, ferrets are especially vulnerable to the flu. Researchers have found that the H7N9 avian flu, which has caused significant casualties in China, easily spreads among ferrets kept in close quarters.
5. Ferrets in Art
While the exact timeline of ferret domestication remains unclear, by the Middle Ages, they were well-established across Europe. Art from this era often features these animals, with one of the most famous depictions being Leonardo da Vinci's 'Lady with an Ermine.' This painting portrays Cecelia Gallerani, the mistress of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. The ermine refers to the short-tailed weasel or stoat in its winter coat, which turns white to blend into snowy surroundings. Ermine is a symbol of royalty, which explains the title. However, the animal depicted in the painting is almost certainly a ferret, likely a large male. A short-tailed weasel is small, weighing only about a quarter of a kilo (half a pound), while the creature in da Vinci's portrait is almost cat-sized.
4. Running Wires
While most 'working' ferrets are used to control vermin populations, they serve other, less apparent roles as well. Their unique ability to squeeze through tight spaces has led many organizations to utilize them for tasks like running wires. In the 1960s, Boeing used ferrets to thread wires through aircraft. Similarly, ferrets were used to lay cables for the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana at Buckingham Palace. They also helped lay cables for tunnels beneath Greenwich Park, which were crucial for London's New Year's Eve Millennium Concert. The ferrets were lured through the tunnels with meat as bait.
The photo above shows 'Nibbler,' a ferret who assisted with the wiring of the Large Hadron Collider.
3. Danger
Although a ferret’s bite can be sharp and painful, posing little danger to adults, there have been terrifying instances of ferrets attacking infants. In June of 2000, two pet ferrets attacked a 10-day-old girl in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, while her mother was napping. The child may have perished if not for the family dog, who intervened. Fortunately, the injuries were minor and did not require stitches.
On January 10, 2011, emergency responders arrived at a home in Grain Valley, Missouri, to find a horrific scene. A four-month-old baby left alone in a rocker had been attacked by a ferret. The child had lost most of his fingers, with only his thumbs and part of his pinkie finger remaining. The boy’s father was later convicted of second-degree child endangerment, a misdemeanor, while the mother was sentenced to two years of probation and 30 days in rehabilitation.
Tragically, there have been fatal incidents, such as the death of 10-week-old Vivian Bettencourt from Hillsboro, Oregon, who was killed by a ferret in 1991. In almost every case, these tragedies resulted from parental neglect. Some experts believe that because infants emit a milk scent, ferrets may perceive them as prey.
2. Hybrids
Just as gray wolves can interbreed with domestic dogs, ferrets can also mate with European polecats to produce offspring. In the UK, some polecat-ferret hybrids exist in the wild, with hunters sometimes preferring them over purebred ferrets, who have lost some of their predatory instincts due to domestication. Ferrets and polecats can also breed with European minks. While the male offspring of this pairing are sterile, the females remain fertile. These hybrid animals resemble ferrets or polecats but share the mink’s affinity for water. Unfortunately, this poses a risk to the mink, which is critically endangered and found only in a few small areas of Europe.
1. Colors and Waardenburg Syndrome
Most ferrets are either albino, characterized by white fur and pink eyes, or sable, resembling their wild polecat ancestors. Those who use ferrets for hunting purposes typically prefer albino ferrets, as their pale coat makes them easier to spot in the field. Sable ferrets can vary in color, from a light beige to a darker gray shade.
In recent years, breeders have been creating ferrets with unique color patterns, such as 'badger' and 'panda.' However, these designer patterns often lead to a genetic condition known as Waardenburg syndrome, which causes the skull to widen and results in hearing loss. Ferrets with a white stripe or blaze on their head are often partially deaf. Deafness in ferrets can make them more challenging to train and increase the likelihood of biting when startled.
