Ferret (Mustela furo)


I have owned ferrets for over ten years now and I am better for the experience. They are wonderful animals, full of energy and joy!

Photo of my ferrets
Otter and Possum.

Possum and Otter
(1992-2000)

Here are Possum and Otter, my first two ferrets. I got both Otter and Possum when they were kits, only about five or six weeks old. Otter came first, in the spring of 1992. Then in the fall I brought home Possum to give her some ferret company. For the first couple weeks, Otter sulked about there being a new kit in the house. Then one day she grabbed Possum by the scruff of the neck and dragged him around (don't worry, it didn't hurt). After that they became best friends. Otter was a female sable ferret, and she was the boss. Possum was a male silver mitt ferret, and he was a funny guy. They were wonderful ferrets and will always be in my heart.



Photo of my ferrets
Silkie and Moose.

Silkie and Moose
(photo taken soon after their arrival in 1998)

Silkie and Moose were the next ferrets to join the family. I adopted them as adults (about three or four years of age) in November 1998 when a coworker told me that someone had turned in a pair of ferrets to a local pet store. I was afraid that the pet store might split them up, and didn't want that to happen since losing their home was traumatic enough! So I adopted them. They didn't always get along with Otter and Possum, so I kept busy keeping everyone happy.

Silkie was a female silver mitt ferret. She also went by the name "Selkie" because she was named after the seal people of Celtic folklore and I had seen both spellings in folktales and songs. Silkie passed away mid-2001. She was a tough little sock-stealing girl.

Moose was a male dark-eyed white ferret. Sometimes we would call him "Moofus Doofus" because he could be pretty goofy. Moose would look at you and you felt like he was asking a question. Maybe he was wondering about philosophy, maybe he was just asking for a treat, either way he seemed to be waiting patiently for your answer. Moose left us in the spring of 2003.


Photo of my
ferrets Duncan, Jasmine, and Oz.

Duncan, Jasmine, and Oz (in the tube) at play!

In July 2001, I adopted three adult ferret from a ferret shelter. We knew that Oz (a male blaze) was one year old, but could only guess that Duncan (a male silver) and Jasmine (a female dark-eyed white) were around five years old because their histories weren't completely known. Even though they were a very playful and fun group, it took about four months for them to win Moose over. After that initial period of squabbling, they all became good friends.

We lost Jasmine early in 2003, a short time before Moose passed away. Even though she only spent a few years with us, she thrived during that time. She got lots of playtime with us her owners and with her ferret friends, so she was more active in our home than she had been previously. As with all our ferrets, she was very much loved.

Duncan left us a month after Moose, in spring 2003. He was probably as old as Jasmine and Moose, but he never acted like an 8-year-old. In fact, he zoomed around as much as youngster Oz! Duncan was a powerhouse. He loved to get out of the cage, and would be waiting at the cage door for you to let him out every morning (and protested being put away many nights)! He hopped and laughed when he played, and his movements were full of joy.

For more pictures of the ferrets, go Here!


My ferrets and I think that more people should understand that ferrets make good pets. In some places, like California, ferrets are illegal! Silkie and Moose joined my business of ferrets because their previous owner was moving someplace where ferrets aren't allowed. While I am happy to have gotten to care for all of my beloved fuzzies, it is sad that some of them have had to change homes depending upon rules that don't apply to other companion animals.

There are many good organizations working for the rights of ferret-owners and the welfare of ferrets. If you would like to find a ferret shelter near you or if you would like to make a donation to support ferret shelters, please visit Support Our Shelters.

Ferret owners know how special these furry critters are. People all over the world love ferrets! There's a really neat page by Urban (who lives in Sweden) about wonderful ferrets. If you still aren't sure what a ferret is, then try Ferret Central.




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