Linkus and Chianna (aka FERRETS!)

1. Linkus and Chianna (aka FERRETS!)

2. Quick History • Domestic ferret belongs to same family as weasels, mink and polecats • Have been in U.S. for over 300 years • Used in 1800’s for rodent control • Most no longer able to survive in wild because of domestication • Only black-footed ferrets are wild and found in Arizona in small numbers • On endangered species list!

3. Major colors • Common Sable • White (can have red eyes) • Silver Mitt

4. Cinnamon

5. Characteristics • Long, slender, muscular body • Short legs • Five toes • Change coats COMPLETELY twice a year (shedding) • Oval-shaped heads (males have broader heads and are less pointed)

6. Males AKA hobs • Females AKA jills • Males usually larger • THE SMELL!! • Odor comes from anal glands • Can be surgically removed (aka descenting) • Still will have some smell • Cannot purchase a male or female that has not been spayed/neutered! • Only breeders can

7. Eyesight is not good • Primarily nocturnal so they didn’t need it • Highly developed sense of hearing, smell and touch • Life span 8-11 years • Have 40 teeth!! • Hobs are 16-20 inches long and 4-7lbs • Jills are 12-14 inches long and 1.5-3lbs • Normal temperature is 101.8 degrees!

8. Housing Need to include litter box, sleeping area, and play area • Make sure all latches on doors are good • Ferrets try to escape a lot! They are good at it!! • Need cage which is very open so they can observe what is going on around them • They are naturally curious • Can be kept outside all year • Need protection from rain and sun • Cannot tolerate temperatures above 95 degrees

9. Food • Need high-quality dry cat or dry kitten food because of the high protein • High quality ferret food is now available! Better for them, but more expensive • Older ferrets may need vegetable oil added to help digestion and to maintain a healthy coat. (1/2 teaspoon per day)

10. Meat scraps, fruits, red licorice, and ice cream CAN be used as treats • Too much will make them very sick! • Never give bones as treats

11. Handling • Grasp around the body at front shoulders • Place other hand near rear • Very agile animals! • Will usually go limp while being picked up • Can scruff them (will cause them to be still-does not hurt them)

12. Training • Can be litter box trained! • Prefer to relieve themselves in the same area all of the time • Can learn to sit and beg for treats, sit on shoulders, sit in hood of sweatshirt, etc.

13. Diseases • Canine distemper! • Highly contagious • Usually fatal to ferrets • Need vaccination • Botulism • Caused by bacteria • Symptoms: difficulty breathing, paralysis

14. Ear mites • Common problem • Need to clean ears frequently • Mites • Causes hair loss and skin lesions

15. Reproduction • Females come into heat first time around 10 months old • Ovulation occurs AFTER mating • Average gestation period is 6 weeks • Very protective of young! • Do not handle young until 2 weeks old • Young born with eyes and ears closed, are pink and have white fuzz on them

16. Average litter is 6-8 • Female ferret will remain in heat if not bred again • This can cause aplastic anemia and can kill her • Symptoms: listlessness, depression, pale white gums, dehydration and fever • Need to breed, spay or use hormones to bring out of heat

17. Bathing Ferrets (do not have to write this!) • Step 1: • Run some luke warm water into a basin. With the water still running, thoroughly wet your ferret's fur.

18. Step 2: • Pour some shampoo onto the fur and rub it into a rich lather. Don't forget the head - fleas love to congregate here. Make sure you use a good quality shampoo, one that is formulate especially for ferrets or for kittens.

19. Step 3: • Dampen a Q-tip and insert it straight down into your ferret's ear, as demonstrated. Gently rotate and remove. If it is dirty, repeat with a fresh Q-tip until the ear is clean.

20. Step 4: • Rinse your ferret under luke warm water, and gently squeeze the excess water from the fur. Pour on a conditioner or rinse and distribute evenly through the fur.

21. Step 5: • Rinse your ferret thoroughly under luke warm water, not forgetting the head and under the chin and arms. Ensure that all traces of shampoo and conditioner are removed from the fur, because it could cause irritations if not washed away properly.

22. Step 6: • Towel dry your fuzzy with a soft towel. When you set your ferret down, watch out for a mad run accompanied by ruffling fur and shaking tails.

23. Interesting Ferret Facts! (write them) • An unspayed female ferret is called a jill while a spayed female is a sprite. An intact male is a hob and a neutered male is called a gib. • Ferrets have been domesticated for thousands of years; in fact, on the walls of some Egyptian tombs there are pictures of ferret-like creatures on leashes. • Ferrets have no inherent fear of humans. • A newborn ferret is so small that it can fit into a teaspoon! • All ferret kits have white fur at birth. • After kithood (6-8 weeks of age) ferrets make very few sounds.

24. The average ferret lives to be 6 or 7 years old. • Ferrets like to crawl into small dark spaces to sleep. • Ferrets are members of the mink family. • Ferrets can sleep so soundly that they cannot be woken up even when picked up and jostled. • A small ferret may be able to squeeze through a hole just over an inch in diameter.