Ferret

Mustela furo · The ferret is a small, domesticated member of the weasel family, kept as a pet and hunting helper, especially in North America and Europe.

Also called Domestic ferret, Feral ferret.

Ferret
Photo: Gilowyn, CC BY-SA 3.0
Ferret
Photo: Alfredo Gutiérrez, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ferret
Photo: Luciano Bernardi, CC BY-SA 3.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassMammalia
OrderCarnivora
FamilyMustelidae
GenusMustela
SpeciesMustela furo

Where it lives

Worldwide with people (domesticated); feral in New Zealand.

Fun facts

  • Ferrets spend 14–18 hours a day asleep, and they are most active around dawn and dusk.
  • When excited, ferrets do the "weasel war dance": frenzied sideways hops and leaps that are actually a joyful invitation to play.
  • Happy ferrets often make a soft clucking noise known as "dooking".
  • Ferrets can release smelly secretions when scared, like skunks do, but the smell is much weaker and fades quickly.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).