Wild Ferret
Facts About the Wild Ferret
Is there a difference between the wild ferret and the domesticated ferret? Can wild ferrets be tamed and used for pets? Why do people keep ferrets as pets in the first place?
A ferret is a close relative of the weasel, mink, and polecat. They are also distantly related to badgers, otters, and skunks. Their Latin name is Mustela furo, with furo being Latin for “thief.” Despite popular belief, a ferret is not a rodent. In fact, they actually like to eat mice.
There are both wild ferrets and domesticated ferrets. The ferrets that you can find for sale in pet stores are domestic ferrets. The domestic ferret is similar in color and chromosomes to the European polecat.
Wild ferrets prefer desert climates, hence the reason they have been re-introduced into states like Wyoming and Arizona. Their diet consists mainly of wild prairie dogs. Although the wild ferret might look as cute and cuddly as the domesticated ferrets that you see for sale in pet stores, they are not meant to be handled. It is important to remember that they are, in fact, wild animals and might attack if they feel threatened.
Domesticated ferrets, on the other hand, are not wild ferrets. In fact, they have probably been domesticated for a few thousand years. If they are turned into the wild they will more than likely not last for very long because they don’t know how to take care of themselves on their own. Sometimes, they die from starvation, exposure, and dehydration.
Although ferrets have been domesticated for thousands of years, however, some people still regard them as wild animals. A common misconception is that they carry rabies, although scientific studies have proven that the chances of ferrets carrying rabies are actually quite small.
People enjoy having ferrets for pets because they are playful, like to cuddle, are intelligent, and are fairly easy to care for. A domesticated ferret can offer companionship the same way that domesticated cats and dogs can. They can survive on dog food or cat food, as long as it contains the proper nutrients and minerals. It is also easy for them to adapt to your schedule and they sleep around 6 hours per day. They can usually be litter box trained and are meant to be kept indoors where it is warm.
Domesticated ferrets are sometimes confused with the wild ferret called the North American Black-Footed Ferret. These are cousins of the domestic ferret and are also endangered species. In fact, at present time they mostly live in zoos.
Today, most of the wild ferrets of the North American Black-Footed variety live in Wyoming where they have been re-introduced back into the wild. They have also been recently re-introduced into Arizona as well. Disease has kept the population from growing heavily, although it is estimated that around 200 of them exist in the wild.
A female ferret can weigh anywhere from 1.5 pounds to 2.5 pounds, while males can weigh up to 5 pounds. They have a range of colors including albino white, silvermit, sable, black, and cinnamon.
In general, a wild ferret can live around 7 years and reach maturity in about 6 months. One year of a ferret’s life equals 12 years of a human’s life.
Ferrets like to steal by either dragging something away by using their paws or by using their teeth. They also like to hide their bounty once they have stolen it. They are actually quite intelligent animals, even though they have relatively small brains. They have the ability to problem-solve as well as open and close things that might appear difficult at first.