Ferret Fun Facts!

Ferret Business, Minks, Weasels, Kits, Hobs, Jills

• Ferrets, Minks and Weasels belong to the same family
• Ferrets are not rodents
• Ferrets sleep an average of 18-20 hours a day
• Ferrets are the third most popular pet in the U.S.
• The name ferret comes from the Latin "furonem" which means "thief"
• A ferret develops their full personality in about 8 to 10 weeks
• Baby ferrets open their eyes around 34 days of age
• All kits are born pink and gain their color at 3 weeks of age
• A jill can have 1 to 15 kits in a litter
• Caesar used ferrets for hunting and Aristotle wrote about them
• Stealing and hiding objects is part of their natural nesting instinct
• Ferrets are often referred to as nature's clowns
• A ferrets breeding season is from December to August
• Male ferrets are called "Hobs"
• Neutered male ferrets are called "Gibs" - Clooney is a Gib
• Vasectomised males are "Hoblets"
• Female ferrets are called "Jills"
• Spayed females are "Sprites" - Maddie is a Sprite
• Ferrets less than one year old are called "Kits" - Maddie is also a Kit - she is 6 months old
• A family group of ferrets is a "Business"