Types and color of ferrets

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The ferret is a medium-sized predatory animal belonging to the weasel family. His body is oblong and can reach up to 50 cm in length in females and up to 40 cm in males. The animal has rather short legs. However, they have a lot of strength and endurance hidden in them, thanks to which the ferret moves with ease from tree to tree and digs large minks. The animal is popular for its graceful and fluffy tail, which can grow up to 20 cm in length. Depending on the species, the weight of a ferret ranges from 250 grams to 2 kg. The animal has 25 to 30 teeth.

Habitat

The habitat of wild animals can be found in Russia, the Czech Republic, Central and Central Asia, the USA, Ukraine and Poland.

To control small rodents and rats, some species of ferrets were brought to New Zealand, where they successfully adapted to the new climate.

Lifestyle

Because ferrets have a predominant instinct to dig holes, they live in them. Animals prefer to live according to the owl regime, waking up closer to the night and falling into hibernation only in the morning. In the dark, the hunting season begins. Ferrets are very brave and fearless duringattacks. They are not even afraid to attack with snakes, muskrats and moles, which are somewhat larger.

For a long time and to this day, the predator is kept as a pet due to its sweetest appearance and good-natured character. Previously, the ferret was used by people even during hunting. Thanks to his agility and agility, he easily coped with other small animals in an attack.

What do they eat and what kind of enemies from wild animals do they have

Ferrets are talented hunters, so they choose snakes, frogs, gophers and moles as their food. If they manage to get into the hole of hares, then they will not miss the chance to feast on their offspring. In search of food, ferrets settle near towns and villages. Usually the locals are not happy with this, because the agile and hungry ferrets attack pets. The animal can be useful to a person if he needs to get rid of other small rodents that have settled in a barn or attic. It is enough to launch the ferret to the place where it is necessary to exterminate the pests, and they will all be destroyed.

But no matter how brave this animal is, it has its enemies. The ferret is wary of foxes, wolves, dogs, which can be dangerous to his life. Since ferret hair is very expensive due to its softness and elasticity, even people hunt for them.

Types of ferrets

Zoologists divide ferrets into several types:

1. Steppe or light ferret. In size, it can reach 58 cm in length and weight 2-3 kg. This species has short and sparse hair in the area of the hairline, underfurthick. The main color of the body is in a light color, the limbs and tail are darker in tone, and on the muzzle they have a color in the form of a mask. In warm weather, the ferret preys on birds, mice and ground squirrels. In winter, it becomes more difficult to find food for themselves, so they try to cling to the places where people live in order to be able to eat kitchen waste or carrion. Ferrets of this species are very prolific, they can bring up to 15 cubs per year. Light ferrets live in Russia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Far East and Central Asia.
2. Black or common ferret. This species is much smaller in size than the steppe. The length of his body is up to 45 cm, the weight is small from 300 grams to 1.5 kg. The color of the body of the common ferret is black, white or red, while the tail and legs are dominated by darker tones than the color of the body itself. Ferrets feed on grasshoppers, frogs, bird eggs. Reproduction in them is not as rapid as in the steppe species. They usually bring 5-6 cubs a year. Black ferrets live in Eurasia and Russia. They have long been domesticated pets and breeders call them ferrets.
3. The American ferret is a rather rare species, and therefore their life activity is under the control of the United States and this species is listed as endangered in the Red Book. The body reaches up to 32 cm in length, and the body weight ranges from 600 grams to 1 kg. The base of the coat is painted white, which gradually turns into dark at the tips. The limbs and tail are always black. Their main distinguishing feature from ferrets of other species is the black mask onmuzzle. They live exclusively in the central part of the United States. They choose prairie dogs, mice or ground squirrels for their diet.
4. Honorik - a species obtained artificially by crossing a forest or steppe ferret with a mink. In terms of body size, honoriki are superior to all other species. Outwardly, they are very similar to minks and adopted from them the ability to swim quickly and well, and from their relatives - to dig the ground and hunt. This species is almost never kept as a pet, because the nature of this species is very aggressive.

Varieties of ferret color

The ferret family has the following color classification:

The sable color of the ferret is the most common, because most of the wild representatives have it. Its color ranges from beige to black. The limbs and tail are dominated by dark colors, while the torso has a light tone. A distinctive feature in sable ferrets over other subspecies is the black circles around the eyes. This is clearly seen in the photo below

Champagne ferret. The color of this species resembles a mixture of white and milk chocolate. Their eyes are the color of a ripe pomegranate, and their nose is pink. With this color, ferrets are classified as domestic, called "ferret". What this color looks like can be seen in the photo below

Pastel-colored ferret combines several colors at once. The shade of his coat varies fromlight to dark tones, but the base of the awn is always white. The color of the nose can be pink or brown, the eyes are black or coffee. The pastel-coloured ferret is very common in nature, though rare in breeders. One of the variants of this color can be seen in the photo below

• The white ferret is similar to one of the varieties of its kind - albino, but only in coat color. This species suffers from deafness and is the most expensive among all representatives. Among domesticated ferrets, animals with this color are most often chosen.
• The albino ferret is exceptionally white with red eyes. Albinos are extremely rare in nature. The color of this species of ferrets is shown in the photo below.

• The black ferret is most often kept as a pet. They have a very beautiful black coat that shimmers in the light. The nose is also painted black, the color of the eyes can be any.
• Ferret blaze has collected a great variety of shades. But their main distinguishing feature from other rodents is a solid white stripe that starts from the nose and runs all over the head. White fluff is also located on the chin and on the tips of the paws. In the photo, the color of the ferrets is blaze.

Cinnamon-colored rodents are popular with breeders. The awn has a brown tint, and darkens towards the tail. The eyes can be brown or maroon, the nose is pink. What does a ferret look like with color incinnamon color can be seen in the photo below

The silver ferret has a beige coat with gray overflow. This species is highly valued among breeders, because their fur is very unusual, which can even be seen in the photo

Panda ferret looks incredibly exotic. Outwardly, they look like little pandas. These pets, like white ferrets, have a defect in the organ of hearing. The body color of this species is white, legs and tail are dark

Among the many colors, the most common colors of domestic ferrets are: champagne, white, black, silver, cinnamon and panda. An animal with a pastel color is not in demand among breeders. Not so popular is the sable ferret.

Ferret moulting seasons

Often, those who are thinking about getting a ferret ask the question: "Does a ferret change color in winter and summer?".

Moulting in a ferret usually occurs in two seasons, spring and autumn. In spring, it falls in March. At this time, the ferret sheds its thick and long hair, which it managed to grow during the winter, and remains with a shorter and thinner one. In the fall, the ferret prepares for the cold winter and becomes overgrown with thick and dense hair.

Shortly before the start of the molt, the ferret begins to itch a lot. Scabies can disturb the animal even during sleep. Then he will suddenly wake up and will not fall asleep again until the itch is gone.

The period of such a state in animals is short, usually it takes 1-2 weeks. Many owners get scared whenfind blue spots in their small animals. You should know that in this way a new coat breaks out in rodents in the form of short hairs at the roots of the bulbs.

During the molt, ferrets require special care. It needs to be combed, but a medium-hard brush should be chosen so as not to damage its thin skin and new growing coat. If you introduce the right foods into the diet, in which all the important elements are present, then much less wool will fall out during the molting period. Also at this time it is recommended to give the animal vitamins.

Color change in ferrets in winter and summer is quite common. In winter, the coat becomes lighter, and in summer it darkens a little.

Do captive ferrets need vaccinations?

Vaccinations for domestic ferrets are commonplace. The most popular vaccinations for these animals are rabies and canine distemper. The only thing that is very important to remember is that the body of ferrets tends to react to vaccination with an allergic reaction. In this case, it is necessary to administer an antihistamine to the animal just before the vaccination.

The diet of domesticated ferrets and the features of their maintenance

You can feed your pet minced meat or ready-made special dry food. They also enjoy eating fruits and vegetables. Ferrets drink a lot, so be careful when filling your water bowl.

A ferret kept at home needs not only unlimited freedom, but also personal space. Therefore, the owners often acquirea special cage for the animal, which, by the way, is not recommended to be closed.

Reproduction of ferrets at home

During puberty, the animals emit an unpleasant odor. To avoid it, domesticated ferrets can be castrated or spayed. But like all kinds of living things on earth, ferrets still need to mate. And if the owner decides, then you need to take this matter seriously. Readiness for mating is determined by the following features. Females have a clear color discharge and males should have slightly enlarged testicles.

Bandage both ferrets should be affixed with vaccines and make sure they are in full he alth. Before bringing the female and the male together, they should be introduced in advance and it is better to do this in the territory of the male. The act of copulation in rodents is accompanied by rather loud sounds and lasts up to 2 hours on average. The male grabs the female by the scruff of the neck and tries to perch on her. As a rule, the female resists and in every possible way tries to escape from the paws of the male. It happens that she does not stop talking for a long time and does not let her partner near her. In that case, he has no chance. If the mating was successful, then the female becomes pregnant and bears offspring for about one and a half months. The brood can be up to 10 cubs. The female feeds her baby ferrets with breast milk for about a month, then some meat should be included in their diet.

Curious facts about ferrets:

1. In one of his paintings called "Lady with an Ermine" Leonardo da Vinci depicted a ferret, not an ermine. Since those timesthe fashion for the establishment of ferrets in the house along with cats was born.
2. If a ferret is in a good mood, it will tirelessly wag its tail. However, if he is alert, then this same tail opens up and is followed by a displeased hiss. In this mood, it is better not to touch the ferret, as he may bite or even pounce.
3. The well-known idiom "sleeps like the dead" fits the description of ferrets. Some ferrets can sleep for several days without waking up. It is almost impossible to wake them up, which is why many owners are frightened, although this is normal for their life activity.

Fretka is a friend of man

As you can see, the predatory animal has a lot of colors, and if you wish, you can choose a ferret with any color you like and get a furry friend.

The character and disposition of domestic ferrets is friendly. But due to its curiosity and briskness, the animal will find and examine all the secret places, corners and even the narrowest cracks in the house.

At home, ferrets can live up to 7 years, and in the wild - 3-4 years.