FERRETS
By: Sophy
PETS
• Ferrets can be kept as pets
Although gorgeous, there are a few things worth considering before
getting ferrets as pets.
They are unlike any other pet.
• They need a lot of care and they thrive on attention.
• Ferrets never stop moving
There's a myth that ferrets are a danger to children.
That’s NOT true, in fact children are a danger to ferrets because they
tend to play rougher. Ferrets should not be around small children.
There’s also a myth that if you are allergic to cats, you'll be allergic to
ferrets. That’s also NOT true. Ferrets are actually hypoallergenic, they
don’t produce any pet dander.
• Ferrets are very good pets for people that have any type of pet
allergy.
• They do not need to be in cages
PETS CONTINUED
Ferrets smell bad.
Unless you get your ferret de-scented.
Ferrets have scent glands just like
skunks do.
When they get frightened or
threatened the scent glands release.
The scent glands are on the back near
the tail.
Ferrets also have scent glands under
their eyes which cannot be removed.
As long as you bathe your ferret once
a month they wont stink.
Ferrets like to bite.
They don’t do it to be mean.
Ferrets’ jaws are strong enough
to break every bone in your
hand but they will probably
never do this. They just do it to
play around.
They also communicate by
biting .
They can be trained not to bite.
BABY FERRETS
• At birth baby ferrets
weigh from five to
fifteen grams
• Domestic ferrets: the
number of young in one
litter is one to fifteen
but the average is six to
eight kits.
• Baby ferrets are
weaned from six to
eight weeks. It is best
to leave them as long as
possible with the
mother
LIFESTYLE & HABITAT
• A healthy ferret lifespan is 7 years, but thankfully vets and ferret owners
have noticed that the life span has been increasing 9-10 years.
• Ferrets are house pets. They are not wild animals; they belong inside.
• A healthy diet is very important for ferrets.
There many ferret food brands in pet stores. As long as the main product is
meat, the brand should be healthy for them.
On their own time ferrets don't do much.
It depends if you have them in a cage or not.
• Ferrets usually run around the house or
they like to find a cozy spot to curl up
and fall asleep.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF
FERRETS
Sable
Black Ferret
Whitefooted Sable
The red-eyed
white
There are two types of white
ferrets.
• Albino ferret or red-eyed
white
• Black eyed white
The black-eyed
white
DIFFERENT FERRET TYPES
CONTINUED
Butterscotch
Silver-Mitt
Silver
Chocolate
Champagne
Cinnamon
WILD OR NOT?
CAN FERRETS BE TRAINED?
• Ferrets are not wild animals.
In fact ferrets can no longer survive in the wild
because most of them have been domesticated
with the exception of the black footed ferret.
If a pet ferret was set free it
would only survive for a couple of days.
• Ferrets can be trained.
- not to bite
- to use a litter box
- do tricks
They are trained more easily
than cats.
SCIENCE FERRETS
• A ferret is a small carnivorous mammal, belonging to the weasel family.
• Ferrets are warm blooded.
• The ferret skeletal system is made
up of roughly 200 bones.
• These bones are similar to most other
mammals including humans.
• Ferrets mostly use their smell
sense, and whiskers.
• Ferrets also don’t see well.
• They can only see the colors
blue and red.
PREDATOR, PREY, &
DANGERS
What scares ferrets? (domestic ferret)
• being in an unknown environment
• around someone unknown to them
• loud noises
• when something unexpected happens
Predators?
• Domestic ferrets possible predators
would be hawks, owls, or any larger
carnivorous mammals would hunt them
given the opportunity.
Who is their prey? (wild Black Footed Ferret)
• squirrels
• mice
• prairie dogs are essential to their
survival, making up the majority of
the ferret diet
• Ferrets are not rodents. Ferrets
actually eat rodents.
(ferrets were originally brought to the U.S to
eat rats and mice)
Who is their predator?
• Wild Ferrets are eaten by numerous
birds as well as carnivorous
mammals.
FUN FACTS
• Ferrets have been domesticated for thousands of years; in fact, on the
walls of some Egyptian tombs there are pictures of ferret-like
creatures on leashes.
• A newborn ferret is so small that it can fit into a teaspoon!
• All ferret kits have white fur at birth.
• Ferrets can sleep so soundly
that they cannot be woken up
even when picked up and jostled.
• A small ferret may be able to
squeeze through a hole just
over an inch in diameter.
CUTE PICTURES
WORKS CITED
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=flUxY7BsiY&feature=endscreen
• http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=770
• http://www.adopt-a-ferret-101.com/how-long-do-ferrets-live.html
• http://www.ferretcareinterview.com/secrets/what-do-ferrets-eat.html
• http://www.ferretcareinterview.com/secrets/what-do-ferrets-eat.html
• http://www.ferret.org/
• http://www.ferretcentral.org
• http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/black-footedferret
• http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeSpecies/SpeciesOfConcern/Mammals/P
ages/BlackfootedFerret.aspx
• http://www.blackfootedferret.org/animal-profile