Ferrets

Ferrets are one of our few species of carnivore on the unit. Ferrets are domesticated from European polecats or steppe polecats. Experts believe that this may have occurred more than 2,500 years ago. Ferrets are related to ermines, minks and weasels. The name ferret is derived from the Latin furonem, which means thief.

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The domesticated ferret can be born with a wide range of fur colours, including dark-eyed white, sable, black sable, silver, albino, cinnamon and chocolate. Out of all the colours that ferrets come in the most common colour that is bred today is sable. 

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Ferrets tend to sleep for large parts of the day and are most active during dawn and dusk. However we can easily wake our ferrets for their walks with students, as they really enjoy this free time to run around.

Ferrets as well as being kept for pets are also used for working, this is called ferreting.

Ferreting is the use ferrets to drive rabbits, rats and other vermin from their underground burrows. In the case of rabbits ferrets are released into the rabbits burrow to flush them out into nets or traps.