Ferret

About...

Class: Mammal

Order: Carrnivora

Family: Mustelidae

Genus: Mustela: putorious

Size: Body length – 16 inches; tail length- 10 inches; weight- 5-7 lbs

Breeding: 1-2 years old

Gestation: 1-2 years old

Mating: year round, 2x year

Gestation: 43 days

No. of Young: 5-8

Lifestyle: Solitary

Diet: Small rodents, mammals, insets, fruits and vegetables

Lifespan: 6 – 10 years

Ferrets, also known as “European polecats”, originated in New Zealand and are now domesticated in America and Great Britain. They live in rocks and crevices, hollow logs and burrows made by other animals.

They come in a variety of colors; white, gray, brown, black and variegated or sable. Ferrets have a flexible muscular and skeletal structure which ash given them the nickname of “Nature’s Slinky”.

In the United States there are over 1 million ferrets used as pets. They love to cuddle, run, jump and hide. In other countries they are raised on farms for their pelts and for meat.

Ferrets are not endangered.