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Table of Contents
Thought to be a descendant of the European polecat, a ferret (Mustela furo) is a small domestic species of the weasel family Mustelidae, typically brown, black, white, or mixed in color. Cousins of stoats and weasels, currently domesticated ferrets are kept as pets in most countries worldwide.
See the fact file below for more information on the ferret or alternatively, you can download our 26-page Ferret worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Etymology
- The word βferretβ comes from the Latin furittus, meaning βlittle thiefβ, due to the common ferretβs preference of hiding small objects.
- A male ferret is referred to as a hob; a female, on the other hand, is a jill.
- A spayed female is labelled a sprite, a neutered male is a gib, and a vasectomized male is called a hoblet.
- Baby ferrets under a year old are named kits. A group of adults is a business, or historically as a βbusynessβ, and are also known as besyness, fesynes, fesnyng, and feamyng.
History of Domestication
- Ferrets were domesticated for unknown reasons; however, this may have been because of hunting. Based on phylogenetic research, it was a descendant of the North African lineage of the European polecat species.
- Findings of mitochondrial DNA reveals that these muselids were domesticated 2,500 years ago, and it has been stated that the ancient Egyptians have initially tamed ferrets, although no mummified remains of such species have yet been discovered, nor any ancient writings of a ferret, and no polecat now thrives in the wild, that claim seems unlikely.
- The American Society of Mammalogists labels ferrets as distinct species.
- They were also used by the Romans for hunting.
- Ferrets were first brought to the New World in the 17th century, and were widely used from 1860 until the commencement of World War II to safeguard grain stores in the American West from rodents. They are also still used for hunting in some regions, such as the United Kingdom, where rabbits are seen as plague pests by farmers.
Characteristics
- Just like their weasel cousins, ferrets have a typical mustelid body shape – long and slender. They reach 50 cm in length, including a 13cm tail, and weigh between 0.7 and 2.0 kg, with males being relatively larger than females.
- They are considered as induced ovulators, or a stage when a female ferret ovulates because of an externally-derived stimulus during or before, mating, instead of ovulating cyclically or instinctively.
- They sport different fur colorations, including brown, black, white, or mixed.
- The gestation period usually takes place for 42 days and females may produce two or three litters annually. The litter size is generally between three and seven kits, which are weaned after three to six weeks. Kits become independent at three months and reach sexual maturity at about 6 months.
- Ferrets live approximately seven to 10 years.
- They have four types of teeth: (1) twelve small incisors found between the canines in front of the mouth, typically used for grooming, (2) four canines for killing prey, (3) twelve premolars for chewing food and cutting through flesh, and (4) six molars at the far back of the mouth for crushing food.
Behavior
- Ferrets are crepuscular; on a daily basis, they spend 14 to 18 hours asleep and are most active during dawn and dusk. They burrow a lot and choose to sleep in enclosed spaces.
- Ferrets kept as pets should be taken out daily to exercise and should also be allowed to play for at least an hour.
- Unlike their ancestors, which are solitary species, ferrets are gregarious mammals that enjoy living in social groups.
- They are territorial mustelids, marking their territories with scents secreted by the scent glands near their anus. They can also distinguish individuals from these anal gland secretions, along with the sex of other species. They may also use urine marking for sex and other species identification.
- Like skunks, they produce anal gland secretions when frightened, but the odor is not that strong and spreads rapidly. They may also hiss.
- When they are excited, ferrets may do a βweasel war danceβ, involving uncontrolled sideways hops, jumps, which sometimes causes them to bump into nearby objects.
- When sad or upset, they produce soft squeaks.
Diet
- Ferrets imprint on their diet as early as six months old; owners should introduce babies to different types and flavors of suitable food as possible.
- Their wild ancestors used to consume a whole small prey, including its meat, organs, bones, skin, feathers, and fur. They are obligate carnivores, with a short digestive system and quick metabolism.
- For caged ferrets, prepared dry foods made almost completely of meat, including high-grade cat food, give the most nutritional value. Some owners feed pre-killed or live prey, such as mice and rabbits, to more closely replicate their natural diet.
Uses
- Ferrets act as significant experimental animal models for human influenza, and have been also used for research and studies on the 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) virus.
- They have also been used as subjects for the study of pathogenesis and treatment in a number of human diseases, including cardiovascular conditions, nutrition, respiratory infections such as SARS, airway physiology, cystic fibrosis, and gastrointestinal disease.
- In the United Kingdom, ferrets participate in racing, often part of the programme in rural fairs or festivals, with people placing small bets on these mustelids as they run on set routes through pipes and wire mesh.
- A small experimental study has also been done on ferrets, where a nasal spray effectively blocked the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
- In 2020, black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) were used as experimental subjects for the COVID-19 vaccine in Colorado.
Ferret Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the ferret across 26 in-depth pages. These areΒ ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Ferret which are the cousins of stoats and weasels, currently domesticated ferrets are kept as pets in most countries worldwide.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Ferret Facts
- Creature Feature
- Ferret or False?
- Life Cycle
- Ferret FAQs
- Fast Ferret Facts
- Whatβs the Difference?
- Other Mustelids
- As Pe(s)ts
- Ferret Poem
- Humans and Ferrets
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Link will appear as Ferret Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 10, 2021
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.