Ferret Facts
Narcoleptic Ferrets And Other Ferret Facts
Putting together a number of interesting or informative ferret facts isn't all that difficult. The domesticated ferret makes a lovable and highly interesting pet. The wild, Black-footed ferret is less often seen, in fact is rarely seen, being an endangered species. These two species of ferret are similar in some ways, and very different in others, just as domestic dogs and wolves have their similarities and differences.
Just where does narcoleptic enter into the picture? Narcolepsy is a rather rare condition that some humans have and is characterized by a largely involuntary need to suddenly go to sleep. Narcolepsy is not generally known to exist in household pets, which doesn't mean it does not exist, but is seldom noticed. The domesticated ferret however has been reported to exhibit narcoleptic behavior in some instances. The disorder is probably rare, but seems a little more common in ferrets than in other creatures.
There are no documented ferret facts to give us much of a clue as to where the ferrets we enjoy so much as pets originally came from. They have been domesticated at least since the time of the Roman Empire, if not long before that. It is believed the original wild ferret is of European origin, though no proof of this exists. The Black-footed ferret on the other hand, is native to North America, the only species of ferret native to the New World. Black-footed ferrets have generally not been domesticated, although a number have been captured and placed in captivity in an attempt to save the species.
A Food Problem - The Black-footed ferret is a specialist, at least when it comes to eating, and that is one of the reasons for its decline and endangered status. While the domestic ferret, though a carnivore, will eat a variety of foods, everything from meat to commercial ferret food, the Black-footed ferret will seldom eat anything except prairie dogs. It may eat a squirrel which ventures too near, but almost always is found only where prairie dog colonies are located. As these colonies have been wiped out over the past century or two, the food supply for the Black-footed ferret has slowly began to disappear, and the ferret with it.
Ferrets are members of a rather large group of animals known as mustelids. Members of this family share the characteristic of being musk producing, and the family consists of skunks or polecats, weasels, fishers, and mink. The wolverine and the badger are also members of this family, as is the sea otter. Sea otters are significantly larger than ferrets but the two seem to share a love of play to a degree not usually found in other animals. Ferrets combine a love of play with intense curiosity, and a compulsion to hide things, which make them lovable pets and at the same time, a handful at times to deal with.
A Business Of Ferrets - One pet ferret will keep a person fairly busy, though entertained at the same time. Two or more pet ferrets can make one exceptionally busy. In fact, a group of ferrets is known as a business of ferrets, an apt name.
Diseases - Applying the tag of a narcoleptic to a domestic ferret may be overdoing things a bit. As a disorder it is a rather rare one, and apparently not too serious. The two most serious diseases a ferret can contract are canine distemper and rabies, both of which are usually fatal to the animal. Ferrets are also susceptible to the human influenza virus, with similar effects. A ferret with the flu is normally not in any particular danger, but there are of course exceptions. There seems to be an ongoing argument as to whether feline distemper represents a danger to the ferret.
Nip, Nip - Ferrets bite, or rather they nip, and need to be trained at an early age not to do so. An adult ferret could give a nasty bite, but they are generally quite mellow in temperament and enjoy the company of humans. A bite would likely be a love bite or play bite, but would still hurt, so it's essential to rid the young ferrets of that habit.
As A Pet - If you want a ferret as a pet, it will have a life span of around 8 years if kept in good health. Those will be 8 busy years, so don't get a ferret with the idea of keeping it in a cage most of the time. A ferret needs 3 or 4 hours free from confinement most every day, and will expect you to share in its games. It will sneak into tiny places, play hide and seek, and hide your car keys at every opportunity. Fortunately it will tend to hide them in the same place each time, so once you've found them the first time, you'll know where to look subsequent times. If you've been looking for a sea change in your lifestyle, try getting a pet ferret. Just read up on your ferret facts first.