Ferret Profile

Latin Name: Mustela putorius furo
Female: Jill
Male: Hob
Young: Kittens
Life span: 5-11 years (domesticated)
Litter Size: 5 13 kittens
Birth weight: about .5 oz
Eyes open: From four weeks
Gestation period: 38-44 days
Average weight: Male: 1.75 lbs to 5 lbs
Female: 1.5 lbs to 2.5 lbs
Sexual maturity: Male: 5-9 months
Female: spring after birth
Weaning age: 6-8 weeks
Diet: Carnivorous
Vaccinations: Canine Distemper

Ferrets are related to mink and weasels and are from the family called Mustelids. In 3000 BC ferrets were first domesticated by the Ancient Egyptians but it wasnt until the 1980s that ferrets became popular as pets. They were introduced in the 10th Century to Europe as working ferrets where they assisted in hunting and pest control. In the US, there were at one time many colonies of the black footed ferret. Today, due to hunting, trapping and the introduction of diseases, there are only two colonies of wild ferrets left .

Nowadays ferrets have become popular pets. It is estimated that there is a population of over 1.5 million world-wide.

Domesticated ferrets have the Latin name Mustela putorius furo that means bad smelling weasel.