Ferret Information
If you are thinking of keeping ferrets as pets the following pages should give you a beginner's guide to their needs and personalities as well as dispelling some of the myths surrounding these animals.
The opinions expressed here are based on experience. As with all things on the internet, the reader must make up their own mind on the validity of information. If you think your ferret is ill, you should consult a suitably qualified veterinary practitioner immediately.
If you have any questions which aren't covered here then please e-mail us on info@hefa.org.uk or pop along to one of the events listed on the events page.
Ferrets are members of the mustelid family of mammals, domesticated from the European Polecat. Their latin name is Mustela Putorius Furo and their wild cousins include weasels, mink, stoats, otters, badgers and pine martens.
Some people still think that ferrets are wild animals but they would not survive long in the wild having lost many of their natural instincts. It's likely that they have been domestic in this country for over 2000 years having been imported by the Romans as a form of pest control.
The use of ferrets to catch rabbits is still popular today with many farmers choosing to use ferrets, instead of noxious gasses which cause more harm to the environment. In recent years ferrets have also been used as a means of laying underground cables (you never know, your internet connection may be thanks to a ferret).
Ferrets have now found increasing popularity as household pets with many new owners finding that owning ferrets is more fun than they ever imagined.
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