Teeny Tiny Baby Ferrets

A newborn ferret is so small that it can fit into a teaspoon.

Picture from Adorableish.com

Generally speaking female ferrets are smaller than the male in the species.  Often times the males are double even triple the size and weight of the smaller more petite girls.  Regardless of gender, most ferrets are in the  one to five pound weight range.

A Ferret Has A Tooth For Everything

A ferret has four different types of teeth, all used for different things.

 Picture from Wikipedia

Twelve small teeth known as the incisors and are used for grooming.  Four canine teeth are used for killing prey.  Twelve premolar teeth are used by the ferret to tear and chew food.  And finally, six molars are used to crush food.

The Real Wolverine

Other than being a popular comic book superhero, the wolverine may be one of the more misunderstood animals in the world. After all, it’s name seems to imply that it is some sort of wolf, whereas it roughly resembles a small bear in appearance. Actually, the wolverine is a member of the mustelidae, or weasel family. However, this tenacious animal is nothing like a pet ferret.

Wolverines are about the size of a medium dog but with a shorter snout and stockier body. They have an oily, insulated coat that is resistant to frost in the cold, far-northern climate they inhabit. Wolverines are carnivores and hunt just about any form of wildlife in their territory. Extremely tenacious and resourceful, wolverines will also attempt to steal kills from larger predators such as grizzly bears and will eat carrion when it is available.

It’s not known exactly how many wolverines there are in the wild. Much like the comic book character, wolverines are solitary animals and prefer stay very far apart from one another; males have ranges that can exceed 240 square miles and do not overlap one another. It is estimated that the vast majority of the population is in Canada with occasional sightings in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Wyoming. Other large populations exist in northern Europe and Asia, but have been in decline due to fur trapping. Though these independent little predators are rarely seen, they represent an important part of northern ecosystems.

Ferrets Sleep the Day Away

Black-footed ferrets sleep up to 21 hours a day, and mostly hunt during the night. They mainly prey on prairie dogs, hunting them in burrows and taking their shelter. Due to a government-assisted wipeout of prairie dog towns in the 20th century (because their underground burrows are destructive to farmers' fields), the black-footed ferret also suffered from lack of food and shelter. As a result, the animal is still endangered.

A Ferret's Victory Dance

Whenever ferrets get excited, they hop sideways and backwards, engaging in what is called the weasel war dance. They usually do the dance after capturing a toy or stolen object successfully. While they arch their back and sometimes make hissing noises during the dance, they are only showing excitement, not fear or anger. Watch the video below to see an example of two ferrets dancing away!

Ferret, er, Feliz Navidad

This picture of her ferret exploring the Christmas packages is courtesy of Rachel Leeman.

One website said that ferrets are the 3rd most common uncaged animal in North America (after cats and dogs, of course); another said they are the 3rd most popular pet. Ferrets are usually black, brown, gray, white or mixed though there are all white and yellow ferrets, too.

Ferrets are sociable, playful, curious animals. It’s really fun to watch them at play, especially when they do their sideways hop.

Ferrets sleep about 14 to 18 hours a day and are most active at dawn and dusk.

Not just a pet

Domestic ferrets may have descended from the European polecats. They vary in color from sable, albino, silver, cinnamon, to chocolate. Most people today are familiar with them as pets. They are vary playful animals and will even make friends with other species, such as cats and some dogs.

Ferrets like to explore holes and can typically fit through any hole as small as the size of their head. The Romans used ferrets to hunt rabbits. Ferrets have even been used to run wires and cables through large conduits. Now that's an interesting pet trick!

JJ