Ferret (Domestic)
scientific name
Mustela putorius furo
size/weight/height
Total
Length (head to tail tip): ~18"
Tail: 6"
Weight:
(Male) 3-5lb. -
(Female) 1.5-3lb.
adaptations/coloration
Color:
guard hairs are blackish-brown, can also be beige or blond • lighter
under coat • distinctive dark mask • darker, feet & tail
Anal Glands: large • used to mark territory
Flexibility: able to squeeze through small openings & holes because
of elongated tubular bodies with a long neck and trunk and body shape,
short legs and flexible spine allows them to turn their body 180 degrees.
behavior
nocturnal
Defense: overpowers or outruns prey (refers to wild ancestors)
Personality: playful, curious & intelligent
reproduction/lifespan
Gestation:
42 days
Offspring: usually 4 - 6
Lifespan: 6-8 years
diet
obligate
carnivore
Wild ancestors: small mammals (especially rabbits), birds, reptiles,
eggs, frogs & insects
Zoo: Ferret Chow
habitat/range
Wild Ancestors:
woods & hilly thickets • native in Europe • Asia
& North Africa
• black-footed ferret only found in US
status
domestic
ferret are common • a relative of the domestic ferret, the black-footed
ferret,
is endangered
other
domesticated
as early as 4th century BC • sometimes confused with the endangered
black-footed ferret of North America
Europe: trained to hunt & drive away farmers pests
Illegal to release in US as it is with any domestic animal
Oregon
zoo exhibit
Education Programs
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