Have you ever known someone who just always has a sunny disposition, no matter what? Someone who just stumbles and bumbles around life's obstacles with such happy-go-lucky enthusiasm that you are sure there's something wrong them? At the same time you are amused and slightly envious of them?
That is just a taste of what life around a ferret is like. Holding one is like holding a furry snake and watching one is far more entertaining than any T.V. show or comedy movie. They will steal your cell phone, T.V. remote, DVD's, or anything else they can get their furry little jaws around. They will also steal your heart, guaranteed.
PHYSICAL
From Wikipedia: The ferret is a domestic mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo.
That simply means they are related to skunks, weasels, badgers and otters. They closely resemble both weasels and otters, though smaller, and with different color variations. They come in white, brown, black and grey, with many combinations of those colors. Unlike their cousins mentioned above, ferrets are not wild animals, having been domesticated for 2500 years.
Ferrets have a scent gland, similar to a skunk, with which they release an odor when they are excited. In the U.S a ferret must be spayed or neutered and have this scent gland removed, in order to be sold legally. They still have a slight musky odor to their skin, which some find pleasant, while others abhor.
Ferrets have an elongated head, somewhat pointed nose and mouthful of sharp teeth. Because they are carnivores, they have sharp canines, capable of sinking into flesh if necessary. Excited ferrets will gnash their teeth, but despite the terrifying appearance, they are harmless. With the possible exception of terribly abused ferret, this baring of teeth is just a show!
Appearance and scent is a subjective thing. Some people think they are cute and cuddly, and smell somewhat like honey, while others view them as large, smelly rodents. (They are not rodents.)
BEHAVIOR
As mentioned above, an excited ferret will bare its sharp teeth. This might look scary, but it is usually accompanied by what is known as the "Weasel War Dance" which is so comical, it negates any ferocity implied by the teeth. They arch up their backs and hop around, oblivious to anything around them. In a room with obstacles, they will bounce off of one thing after another, their excitement escalating until they are at battle with whole room and their owners are rolling with laughter.
In the ferret's scientific name, the last word, furo, translates from Latin as "thief". A ferret will steal anything and everything it can get a hold of. This includes items in purses, backpacks, drawers, shelves, cupboards, and shoes. To a ferret, size doesn't matter. Big or small, if they can get a piece of it in their mouth, they will attempt to drag it away.
Ferrets claim hiding places, such as under furniture or behind refrigerators. Anything they can steal will get stashed away in their hiding place.
Ferret owners spend a lot of time finding their stolen items, unless they are very careful to completely "ferret-proof" the area in which they allow a ferret to run.
Ferrets need to run. Though they sleep most of the time, they need a couple of hours a day to run around. A ferret kept caged for too long will get sick, and could die. While they are running, they are hysterical to watch.
They will play with you, for awhile, but they have such short attention spans, they will soon find something more interesting to do. Then, if you aren't paying attention, a ferret may come up and nip at a toe, and then dance away. The nip is not painful, and it is rare for a ferret to bite hard enough to break skin.
They can be trained to do simple tricks, with a great deal of patience, but never trained to the extent that a dog can be. They are clever, but only in the pursuit of something they really want, and then may get themselves into trouble. A clever ferret can sometimes open a cage door, climb on top of the cage, but then be stuck up there. They can be cuddly, but, like any animal (or person, for that matter) it varies from one ferret to the next.
FERRETS AND CHILDREN
A ferret is an excellent pet for kids, though more training is required for the child than for the ferret.
Children, especially very young ones, may become overexcited by the rambunctious nature of the ferret, so they should always be carefully supervised.
NEEDS
A ferret's needs are simple:
Food - simple pellets and an occasional treat, and plenty of water.
A nice, comfy bed, preferably a hammock, to sleep in.
A safe, clean cage with a litter pan -to keep them out of trouble when they aren't
supervised.
And most important-
A loving owner, with lots of patience and a great sense of humor.