19 Interesting Facts About Ferrets

A rather fascinating, amusing and adventurous creature, Ferrets are quirky little animals belonging to mustelid family including weasels, minks, badgers and Wolverine. They are inquisitive, playful and endlessly amusing. Here are some interesting facts about ferrets worth knowing:

FerretsImage: angoraferretry.nl

1. Sleep lovers

Ferrets love to sleep. They usually doze off for 14-18 hours in a day. If only humans could do this too.
Source: lovethatpet.com, image: ferret-world.com

2. Little thieves

Ferrets Hiding

The Latin name for Ferrets which is Mustelaputoriusfuro means “smelly little thief” which is quite appropriate. By nature, they are hoarders and love to steal things and hide them in secret places. If you have a pet ferret and a missing key, you know who to blame.
Source: pets4home.co.uk, image: pinimg.com

3. Ferrets can Dance

ferret dancing

In the wild, Stouts and Ferrets perform a hypnotic dance, which throws their prey in a trance. They arch their back, puff their tails and move from side to side.
Source: mentalfloss.com

4. Smelly Animals

ferret outdoor

Ferrets have a reputation to be stinky and smelly. They have a distinctive musky odor which comes from their skin glands.
Source: petresearch.net, image: Flickr

5. It’s illegal to own a ferret at some places

ferret hiding

Even though ferrets are one of the popular pets in the USA; it is illegal to own a ferret in New York and the state of California.
Source: listverse.com, image: Flickr

6. The little cute ferrets!

ferret baby

A newly born ferret is so small in size that it can be fit in a teaspoon. Small ferrets can squeeze themselves into a hole of less than one diameter.
Source: peteducation.com, image: Flickr

7. Social and Outgoing

ferret rolling

Ferrets have no inherent fear of humans and are considered very gregarious and social animals. They can learn tricks if trained properly.
Source: peteducation.com, image: Flickr

8. Ferret legging is a horrible sport

ferret legging

A horrifying sport by the name of “Ferret Legging” is played in various places around the world. The participants drop two live ferrets into their pants which are clinched off from ankles and waist. The animal bites to get free and the winner is one, who withstands the torture for the longest time.
Source: listverse.com, image: nypost.com

9. Ferrets are Carnivores

ferret eating

Unlike other domestic pets, ferrets are carnivores. They love to hunt and eat small animals in the wild. Domestic ferrets are fussy eaters.
Source: pets4home.co.uk, image: Flickr

10. Some Ferrets are Professionals

Ferrets

Ferrets love burrowing, and this skill is used professionally. When wires cannot be pushed through tunnel rods, ferrets are used to pull wires through underground tunnels and help lay the wires.
Source: mentalfloss.com, image: geograph.org.uk

11. Queen Victoria owned a Ferret

The great Queen Victoria had albino ferrets and even gifted them to her near and dear ones.
Source: interestingfunfacts.com

12. A group of Ferret is called “Business”

group of ferrets

Now that’s a great professional name for the professional beings.
Source: Wikipedia, image: Flickr

13. Ferrets can have distinctive health problems

Ferrets are known to suffer from a lot of health problems. Cancers affecting adrenal glands, pancreas and lymphatic system are most common among other.
Source: Wikipedia

14. Ferrets were earlier domesticated for hunting

ferret yawn

In the earlier times, ferrets were domesticated as they help in hunting. They are well equipped with running down the holes and driving other animals like rats and rabbits out of their holes.
Source: Wikipedia, image: Flickr

15. Ferrets are not trusted around babies

ferret playing

Even though ferrets are great pets for adults; they need to be kept away from babies. Several reports have shown that pet ferret attack babies in the absence of parents.
Source: mentalfloss.com, image: Flickr

16. Dead Sleep

Ferrets dead sleep

So, we have established that ferrets love to sleep but did you know that ferrets can give an impression of being lifeless while sleeping. They cannot be wakened even when picked up or jolted.
Source: peteducation.com, image: i.ytimg.com

17. Leonardo da Vinci painted ferret

Lady with an Ermine

It is believed that in one of the famous painting of Vinci’s, “Lady with an Ermine,” the painter depicts ermine as a ferret. What a muse!
Source: facts.randomhistory.com, image: wikimedia.org

18. Love dark places

Ferrets in dark place

Ferrets love the dark places and are often fascinated by cupboards or recliners. They prefer to go in a dark room to sleep.
Source: slideshare.net, image: pinimg.com

19. Moody pets

ferret

Ferrets are known to be very temperamental. The usual behavior of ferrets is affected by its moods, sentiments, and temperament. Now that is a lot of work for the owner of a ferret!
Source: slideshare.net, image: Flickr