The typical representative of the mustelid family is the ferret. They perfectly complement the fauna of the European part of our Motherland, living on forest edges, in the steppes and near large reservoirs. IN Lately they are often brought up in houses, because a domestic ferret is a playful and active companion for any member of the family. However, it is the wild individuals of the ferret family that are of no less interest - predators, aggressive and courageous, who definitely will not let themselves be offended.

Appearance

The wild polecat is mostly brownish-black in color, with darker tail, paws, and muzzle. White wool goes on the forehead, chin and ears. Also, lighter hair appears on the sides and on the belly of the beast. Sometimes you can find other variations of what a ferret looks like - with completely red hair or albinos - these are called furo.

Shiny fur is not thick, but long - on the back it can reach up to 5-6 cm. Fur becomes more fluffy after a period of molting - late autumn, and before that it is not so easily soiled and lighter.

The shape of the head is oval, flattened on the sides. The head has a smooth line of transition to the neck, flexible and long. Ears are low and with a wide base sticking out on the head. The eyes are small but shiny, most often brown eyes are found in polecats.

Ferrets have a very slender build. In length, the animals grow from 30 to 50 cm. The paws are short (the hind ones are only 6-8 cm on average), but very strong and ideally developed for frequent digging of the earth. The limbs have five fingers with very sharp claws, so if you manage to catch a ferret, then he will definitely be able to fend for himself.

Varieties

steppe

The largest of all ferret species. They grow up to 56 cm, and their weight can exceed 2 kg. They are also called light because of the specific undercoat that shows through under the sparse brown hair. On the limbs and tail, the color is dark, while the muzzle is painted with a mask.

It is not difficult to say how many years the steppe ferret lives - their age rarely exceeds 10-12 years.

Forest

The color of the forest ferret is not distinguished by a bright contrast in the color of the body and legs - the black-brown color of the body is complemented by the black color of the limbs and tail. In size, they are inferior to their steppe counterparts - 38-48 cm in length, and weight from 500 g to 1.5 kg.

Approximately 14 years - that's how long forest ferrets live, which is much more than the life expectancy of their domesticated relatives.

Blackfoot (American)

The smallest individuals in the classification - their length rarely reaches 40 cm. Their coat is white at the base, and the tips are dark. Altogether, this gives a picture of a beautiful yellow-brown color. A specific mask flaunts on the muzzle.

The species is listed in the Red Book, and the life expectancy of black-footed ferrets does not exceed 6-9 years.

habitats

The distribution of populations of animals received in the following geographical areas:

  1. Steppe ferrets in Eastern Europe (Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Ukraine), Central Asia, in Russia (from Ural mountains to the Far East) and in the eastern regions of China.
  2. The forest ferret can be found almost everywhere in Eurasia, especially to the west of the Ural Mountains.
  3. The central part of North America, namely to the east of the Rocky Mountains, is the place where black-footed ferrets live.

Habits and lifestyle

The wild ferret is a predatory animal, which is expressed in its distinctive features - aggressiveness and courage. They will not be afraid of confrontation with a larger opponent. Fearlessly take the fight for them - in the order of things.

In addition, ferrets are also characterized by ruthlessness towards the victim - attacking a bird's nest, the beast will satisfy its hunger, and then kill each inhabitant. And all this is said about a ferret - an animal that can be called very cute from the outside.

Ferrets do not form packs, but keep contact with their closest relatives. At the same time, this relationship is dominated by one alpha male, which is more pronounced both in normal times and during mating. But each of the individuals has its own territory for living, which they mark by making a regular round.

The activity of the animal falls on the dark time of the day. During the day, the animal sleeps, having first dug a mink for itself. The mink can be permanent - with a small hole and a camera, or temporary - if the movement at dawn caught the animal away from home. In this case, these small predators do not shy away from using other people's holes - hare or badger. And when the weather is bad, a ferret can spend several days in a mink without getting out.

Nutrition

Ferrets are exclusively nocturnal animals. Only a very strong hunger can make you stop daytime sleep and go hunting during daylight hours.

The following representatives of the animal world become prey, namely what ferrets eat in nature:

  • what the ferret eats first of all is small rodents: rats, hamsters, mice, ground squirrels, moles and ground squirrels, hares and rabbits;
  • lizards or small amphibious reptiles;
  • they easily ruin found clutches of eggs, and sometimes attack birds.

Animals do not eat plant foods due to the peculiarities of digestion. However, nutrients from, say, fruits, a ferret can get by eating small herbivores. It is also worth noting that in dire situations, if it is impossible to find anything that ferrets usually eat, they are able to eat the carcasses of already dead animals.

reproduction

The mating period varies depending on the type of ferret: steppe ferrets start rutting from the end of February, and forest ferrets start from April. Moreover, the rutting period may be delayed until the end of the calendar summer.

Ferrets become mature enough to continue the genus at 10-12 months of their life. It is not customary for ferrets to arrange mating games, and the mating itself looks quite cruel: the male in every possible way suppresses the resistance of the female, bites her scruff and withers.

The females bear offspring for almost a month and a half, while in the litter they have 4-12 cubs. Newborn ferrets are very helpless and are born blind, but development occurs quickly - after two months of life, the mother begins to feed them with meat.

Enemies

IN winter time main danger for the ferret, wolves and foxes represent. Also an unpleasant encounter with wild cats threatens to become, birds of prey(eagles, golden eagles or night owls), as well as large snakes.

Among the creatures dangerous for ferrets, one can also mention a person. Its influence, namely the destruction of nature reserves, the construction of roads and housing in the wild, can be the reason for the disruption of the ferret ecosystem and the destruction of their habitats.

Ferret domestication

These animals are amenable to domestication - they are very playful, they quickly get used to the owner (especially females). They can be accustomed to the tray without any problems, but if the animal likes another place to relieve itself, then another container will need to be added there.

It should be borne in mind that, due to natural influence, they will not get along with birds, small rodents or reptiles. However, with cats or non-hunting dogs, they are able not only to coexist, but also to be friends.

Curiosity is another important quality these animals. So, it is worth preparing for the fact that the animal will regularly and carefully study all possible nooks and crannies in the house, climb into trash cans (and sometimes fall asleep there), and also dig up the ground in flower pots.

There is another point that you can pay attention to - their life expectancy. How long do ferrets live at home, mainly depends on proper care and content, but on average it is 5-9 years.

Video

Interesting facts about ferrets you will find in our video.

It is a typical predator. Zoologists include minks, ermines, and weasels to this genus (Ferrets). Ferrets are smart, agile and cautious animals.

In case of need, they perfectly defend themselves: these predators begin to behave aggressively, bite hard and, of course, use their foul-smelling liquid. This technique often throws dogs off the trail. Cases have been recorded when ferrets attacked people, in particular small children.

Where do ferrets live?

These predators inhabit all of Europe and Asia, live in mountains, forests, fields, plains. Often ferrets can be found near human habitation. Russian polecat is represented by two types: there is a steppe (light) and forest (black). We will talk about them a little later.

Appearance

The ferret is a relatively small furry animal. The length of the body of the male can reach 50 centimeters, and the female - 40 centimeters. At the same time, the tail accounts for up to 20 centimeters. The famous fur of these animals has black-brown tones, from the sides it is painted in chestnut color. Above the small and black eyes, these animals have yellow-white spots, and the muzzle has the same color.

What do ferrets eat?

As mentioned above, the ferret is a typical predator. He will never voluntarily begin to eat plant foods. These rogues with great pleasure eat rats and mice, as well as poisonous vipers. It is curious that snake bites do not harm these animals in any way. In order to eat a hearty and nice meal, the ferret must hunt, showing outstanding cunning, endurance and dexterity.

But the qualities and skills described above do not always work with a bang. Sometimes hunting does not bring any fruit. It is curious that the animal is not particularly worried about this: the ferret calmly eats snails, grasshoppers, steals tasty ones, dives into reservoirs for fish. Only in exceptional cases do these creatures switch to eating berries and grass.

Thunderstorm chicken coops!

The ferret (a photo of this predator is presented in the article) is a real thunderstorm for chicken coops and the entire poultry industry! The ermine does not lag behind him, and even weasel. No wonder about the raids of these animals on countryside there are already legends. In addition, these predators from the Kunya family not only ruin chicken coops by eating eggs, but also take five or even more chickens with them in one night.

Lifestyle

In nature, an adult ferret prefers to lead a solitary lifestyle. These animals are difficult to see in a pack, because their manners and character will never allow them to get along together in the same territory. Zoologists describe pugnacious ferrets as interesting phenomenon wildlife: two males, without dividing the territory among themselves, begin to attack each other, jump, bite, squeal in pain, scratch and somersault (see photo below).

Pregnancy in ferrets

Pregnancy in females occurs up to three times in one year. In one litter, usually up to 12 ferrets are obtained. Cubs are born completely defenseless and blind. The female feeds them with milk for two weeks. At the end of this period, the cubs begin to feed vegetable feed and then regular food.

How does the Russian forest ferret live?

The black polecat, or forest polecat, is a typical inhabitant of Eurasia. This animal was domesticated by man in Russia. This form has its own name - a ferret, or albino ferret. If we talk about the genetics of this animal, then this species crosses beautifully and freely, giving various color variations.

Forest ferrets are widespread in the west of Europe, but even there their habitat is gradually shrinking. A huge population of these animals is found in Great Britain, in most of Russia (with the exception of the Caucasus), in North Karelia and the Lower Volga region. Scientists involved in the study of these animals believe that recently they could also settle in the forests of Finland. In addition, the forest polecat inhabits territories in northwestern Africa.

Lifestyle of forest ferrets

These rogues, like all their relatives, lead a sedentary and solitary lifestyle. They are tied to certain place habitat and try to live there as much time as possible. Due to the fact that this species of trochee prefers to settle in small forests and individual groves, they were nicknamed "edge dwellers". In addition, the forest edge is a typical hunting ground for the black ferret.

These predators most often use natural shelters as shelters: they live under fallen trees, stacks of firewood, rotten stumps, etc. Often, a black polecat can settle next to a badger or a fox. In villages and collective farms, these creatures live in sheds, cellars, and sometimes under the roofs of local baths. These animals almost never dig their own burrows. The forest ferret is an excellent swimmer and can compete even with the mink itself!

They search for their prey mainly in evening time. During the day, it is very difficult to force them to leave their shelter. The only exception can be a strong feeling of hunger. The size of the predator does not allow it to catch mouse-like rodents underground, so the black ferret is forced to watch for them or grab them right on the run!

A little about the steppe ferrets

Another representative of this family is the steppe polecat, or white polecat. Representatives of this species are the largest ferrets on our planet. They differ from their relatives in high, but sparse fur. Because of this, a thick, but light underfur is visible through their coat.

The steppe ferrets are widespread in the west of Yugoslavia and the Czech Republic, in the semi-deserts of Russia (from Transbaikalia to the Middle Amur). You can meet them in Central and Central Asia up to the Far East. Zoologists say that over the past few decades, the range of this species of trochee has expanded to the west and slightly to the north. tries to avoid forests and settlements.

What do steppe ferrets eat?

Like all mustelids, the steppe polecat is a typical predator. He hunts for hamsters, ground squirrels, small rodents. He enjoys eating snakes and birds. IN summer period steppe hori can hunt invertebrates: beetles, dragonflies, worms, spiders. Those steppe creatures that live near water bodies have gotten used to catching aquatic animals, for example, river voles.

Like all other ferrets, these creatures cause considerable harm to poultry farming. It is worth noting that such a reputation often spoils the life of the animals themselves, because sometimes they are accused of what they did not do at all. This is because the steppe ferrets can be substituted by their own relatives - weasels and martens. Outside of settlements, these creatures are of great benefit, exterminating rodents.

Ferret and man

The friendship of a man and a ferret is not an invented legend, but the real truth. Animals taken from the burrow while still young are fairly easy to tame. This was taken advantage of by some hunters who came up with practical use them in the hunt: they use them in the pursuit of rabbits instead of dogs.

However, the ferret, whose photo is repeatedly present in our article, is a predator, and therefore a person in dealing with him needs to be extremely careful and accurate. It must be remembered that a violent temper will never leave these animals. Average duration the life of these creatures in nature is 3-4 years, at home - up to 7 years.

Ferrets living in wild nature called forest. The forest ferret is the most predatory of the representatives of its order. The habitat of these animals is European part and North of Russia. The animal can be found in the forest thicket or on the edges. Ferrets also live in places near water. If the winter is cold, the animal can seasonally settle closer to human habitats.

The wild ferret is a small but dangerous predator

Where does the animal live

The black ferret does not go far into the forest, but prefers the edges and clearings, fields and areas with not very dense vegetation. Forest, says that most often the animal lives in the forest part of the country. The animal has a habit of becoming attached to one place, so it leads sedentary life. The preferred place to live is in natural hiding places.

Ferrets live and sleep in burrows. Most often, a ferret pulls out a mink on its own. If for some reason this cannot be done, the animal occupies the hole of a hare or a fox.

The animal carefully approaches the preparation of the "bedroom". In the minks of ferrets, you can also find leaves of trees and grass. Most of the day, if the ferret's diet is rich in meat and there is enough food, the animal sleeps. If there is little food, then the animal travels long distances in search of food. These animals are solitary, in packs they can be found only during the mating season.

The ferret leads a solitary lifestyle

diet

Animals eat:

  • Small rodents. Voles, hamsters, rats, gerbils, muskrats, mice, ground squirrels, ground squirrels, moles, water rats, rabbits, hares.
  • Reptiles. The forest ferret is not averse to eating lizards and amphibians.
  • Birds. The diet of the animal includes small birds, bird eggs and chicks. The forest ferret is always happy to lay eggs of birds that nest on the ground.
  • Invertebrates. The black ferret will gladly eat worms and any insects.
  • The minimum part in the diet of the animal is occupied by fruits and fish. If an animal needs fruits, then it can get nutrients from them by eating small herbivorous animals. The stomach of the animal is not able to digest the dietary fiber of plants; it can obtain nutrients by eating the contents of the stomachs of herbivores.

The animal goes hunting only at night, during the day it sleeps. But if the animal is tormented by severe hunger, then only this factor can make him hunt during the day. If it is not possible to find other food, the animal can eat carrion.

During the day, the ferret goes hunting only as a last resort.

Ferret Enemies

The animal has a lot natural enemies who dwell around his place of residence. Those who can harm the animal or eat it include:

  1. Wolves and foxes. In winter, foxes are not averse to eating not only small mice and rabbits, but also a ferret, because there is little food.
  2. Birds. Night owls and owls, eagles or golden eagles.
  3. Wild cats.
  4. Large snakes.

Among those who can harm the animal, a special place is occupied by a person. The construction of houses in the wilderness and the destruction of nature reserves, their sale for the construction of roads, leads to the fact that a person destroys the habitat of the beast.

Hunting the animals that the forest ferret feeds on leads to its forced relocation or starvation.

Foxes prey on ferrets, especially in winter

black ferret

The black forest ferret is found in some forests of Russia, England, and is less common in North West Africa.

The black forest ferret has short and strong paws, and is stocky. Each paw has five toes with long and sharp claws. In the wild, the black ferret is very mobile, and anatomically, its body is designed in such a way that the animal can penetrate narrow holes. One fourth of the animal's body is occupied by its tail. It is less fluffy compared to other members of the mustelid order. The eyes are small, the iris is brown.

The color of the animal can be either lighter than usual, or much darker.

Most often, people dislike the black ferret because the animal raids household. If there is not enough natural food in the wild, the beast may begin to steal poultry and rabbits.

Wild ferrets have a variety of colors

In the wild, the animal is fast, agile and angry. But the ferret is not as fast a representative of the genus as weasel or ermine. An adult is quite capable of catching up with a fleeing animal, but it is not recommended to do this because when a threat approaches, the animal uses a defensive reaction. Defending itself, the animal sprays a strongly odorous liquid into the snout of the enemy, consisting of the secretion of the anal glands.

In the wild, the animal lives from two to five years, depending on the availability and quantity of food. When domesticated, the beast can live up to fifteen years, with proper care.

The black fur with white tan of this animal is quite beautiful and valuable. But due to small numbers animals are not mined for fur. Distinctive feature animal is a mask on the muzzle.

A domesticated type of ferret, specially bred and decorative, is called a ferret. Most often, these hybridizations of the forest and steppe ferret. Among decorative individuals, there may be cases of the appearance of albinos - white ferrets.

Orcs, along with minks, weasels and ermines, belong to the Mustela genus of the Mustela family. There are three types of ferrets: steppe, black-footed, forest.

The steppe or light ferret (Mustela eversmanni) is the largest of the ferrets. Body length up to 56 cm, tail - up to 18 cm, body weight up to 2 kg. Steppe ferrets are distinguished by high, but sparse hairline, due to which thick light underfur is clearly visible through the coat. Also characteristic is the dark color of the paws, tail (or its end), a peculiar coloring of the muzzle, resembling a mask. Moves by jumping, can swim. Distributed in Central Central Asia, Kazakhstan, in the south of Siberia, and in places in of Eastern Europe, in Central Europe. In the last century, the range of the steppe ferret has noticeably expanded to the west and partly to the north. Inhabits open habitats - flat and upland steppes, fallow lands, pastures, slopes of ravines and gullies, semi-deserts. Lesov and settlements avoids. The steppe polecat keeps mostly alone. May form large aggregations. In groups, the existence of relations of dominance - subordination is possible. The steppe ferret hunts for ground squirrels, hamsters, pikas, mouse-like rodents, less often for birds, snakes and frogs, in summer time and for invertebrates. Ferrets living near rivers and lakes also prey on water voles. The steppe ferret makes food reserves that it does not always use.

Steppe ferret:

The black-footed or American ferret (Mustela nigripes) is included in the Red Book of North America as an endangered species. By 1937, the black-footed ferret was completely exterminated in Canada, and in the United States, by 1996, black-footed ferrets lived only in captivity. IN last years the situation with this species of ferrets is improving: ferrets bred in captivity are released into their natural environment habitat, now the number of black-footed ferrets has already exceeded 600 individuals. black-footed ferret approximately 45 cm long, with a bushy 15 cm tail, weighs over 1 kg. Their fur, which is white at the base, becomes darker at the ends of the hairline and gives the overall yellowish-brown color to the animal. The legs and end of the tail are black, and the black-footed ferret also has a mask characteristic of many ferrets. black face". This color scheme helps ferrets to be invisible in their habitat. The main food of black-footed ferrets in nature are ground squirrels. One family of black-footed ferrets eats about 250 ground squirrels a year and cannot survive without access to large colonies of these rodents. The black-footed ferret, like the steppe ferret, not only hunts gophers, but also uses gopher burrows as shelters.

Black-footed ferret:

Forest or ferret(Mustela putorius) is the only species of ferret that has a domesticated ferret (Mustela putorius furo). The body length of the forest ferret is up to 46 cm, the tail length is up to 17 cm, the body weight is up to 1.5 kg. The color of an adult ferret is black-brown, the belly, legs, chest, throat, and tail are almost black (there are color variations, pure red and white). The head has a contrasting pattern resembling a mask. Distributed in forest, forest-steppe and some steppe regions of most of Europe, in northwestern Africa. In the territory former USSR lives in the European part to the Northern Urals, Volga and Kuban. At one time, the forest ferret, together with caresses, was transported to New Zealand to control mice and rats. Having taken root very well, these predators began to threaten the indigenous fauna of New Zealand.

The forest polecat inhabits small forest islands, isolated groves interspersed with meadows, cultivated fields and human settlements. The forest ferret is a good swimmer. The basis of nutrition in the black ferret is voles and mice; in summer, the black ferret often catches frogs, toads, young water rats, and also snakes, wild birds, large insects(locust, etc.), penetrates hare holes in search of young hares.

As permanent shelters, natural shelters are most often used - heaps of deadwood, laying firewood, rotten stumps, haystacks. Sometimes ferrets settle in badger or fox holes, in villages and villages they find refuge in sheds, cellars and even under roofs. rural baths. The forest ferret almost never digs its own burrows.

The domesticated form of the forest ferret is called the ferret or furo (Mustela putorius furo). The ferret was bred in Europe about 2 thousand years ago to fight rats (ferrets are smaller and more agile than cats and can crawl through very narrow holes after rodents). There are different colors of the domestic ferret: sable,
pastel, mother-of-pearl, gold and albino. Albinos white fur and red eyes. The painting by Leonardo da Vinci "Lady with an Ermine" does not depict an ermine at all, but a domestic albino ferret. Sable ferrets are very similar to forest ferrets.

Domestic ferrets:

In captivity, ferrets live 5-9 years.

You can often find information that domestic ferrets are practically omnivorous, because. they eat meat, fish, eggs, mice, rats, birds and amphibians. However, not all types of meat are suitable for ferrets. The fact is that ferrets are obligate or strict predators. This means that their diet should consist of meat of comparable species. Therefore, ferrets should not eat beef, pork, venison, lamb, etc. But ferrets can eat chicken, duck, rabbit, turkey meat. From agricultural meat, they can only "baby" - lamb, veal, and even then - better in the form of offal. From fish, ferrets can only trout, cod, mackerel, horse mackerel, haddock and flounder. The rest of the species can cause anemia, beriberi, poisoning and helminthic invasions. Also, the ferret can be given fat-free and calcined cottage cheese.

Baby ferrets are very playful. Already in early age ferrets develop a following reflex - ferrets run after any moving object. In nature, this is usually their mother. In captivity, the animals can run, lined up in a chain, behind the legs of a walking person, behind a moving clockwork toy, a rolling ball, etc.

Playing ferrets chase each other with fluffy tails, jump, grab each other with their teeth by the scruff of the neck and fight off their brothers with all four paws. At the same time, they squeal softly with their raspy voices.

Ferret puppies at play:

A seven-week-old baby ferret:

Ferrets love to dig, so at home it is advisable to provide them with enough material for working with their paws. It could be a box of paper cuts, but if your ferret is prone to paper eating, it might be best to find some other paw material for your ferret, as If a ferret eats paper, it can lead to intestinal blockage.

Adult animals sleep about 15 hours a day.

When a ferret is excited or frightened, it often adopts a characteristic posture - the tail becomes large and fluffy.

Domestic ferrets respond to the name, walk on a leash, learn various tricks.

In addition to their main purpose - fighting rats, domestic ferrets were used in the Middle Ages to hunt rabbits. Now ferrets are used as assistants for laying electrical and telephone wires through long pipes.

Ferrets are small weasel-like predators. They are found in North America, in almost all European countries, V South-East Asia. In Russia, they can be found on the territory of the European part, in some steppe regions, in the Far East. Three species of these animals are known, one of them, the forest ferret, is domesticated. The description of domestic ferrets (furo or ferrets) is found even in ancient authors, from which it follows that they were tamed thousands of years ago.

Now animals are also often brought up as pets for themselves and children, brought up, come up with names for ferrets. Animals breed well in captivity, so breeding them is not a problem.

What family does the ferret belong to? It belongs to the mustelids, a genus of weasels and ferrets. Like all representatives of this family, he has an elongated and very flexible body. The legs are short, disproportionate to the body, so the animal looks squat. The body of ferrets is very dodgy and compact - they can crawl through any small gap. Body length - from 30 to 50 cm, depending on the species. Weight - from 600 g to 2 kg.

The head of the ferrets is oval, elongated, the muzzle is slightly blunt at the tip of the nose. There are 28-30 teeth in the mouth, fangs are well developed. The head sits on a long and mobile neck. The tail of the ferret is long from 13 to 18 cm, fluffy hair grows on it. The legs are strong and muscular. The animals jump perfectly, climb trees, swim well. The claws on the paws are well developed, thanks to which the ferrets dig holes and cling to branches.

Fur animals are of medium length. It consists of undercoat and guard hairs. For most, the base of the hair is slightly lighter than the tips. After the autumn molt, the fur begins to shine very beautifully. Colors may vary depending on the species. All ferrets, except white ones, have black markings on their faces that resemble a mask. In the tail area, ferrets have glands that secrete a secret with a very strong and unpleasant odor. With its help, animals scare away enemies and attract their fellows. In more detail, you can see how the ferrets look in the photo.

Habitat and lifestyle

We told you what a ferret looks like, but where does this animal live? The animals inhabit the forest, steppe and forest-steppe zones. They avoid too open places, do not live in dense taiga. They often settle near human habitation. The ferret in the wild is strongly attached to its habitat. He uses burrows as cover, which he rarely digs himself. Prefers to occupy the old ones left after badgers or foxes, sometimes climbs into the hollows of old trees.

The ferret is a typical animal with nocturnal activity. Animals go hunting after sunset. The victim is waiting in the shelter and attacked using the surprise effect. Ferrets eat voles, rats, hamsters, and moles. A rodent caught in the clutches of a predator has little chance of escaping.

These animals are very skilled hunters. in winter and in early spring When food is scarce, ferrets may eat insects, bugs, lizards, sleepy fish near ice-covered waters. Sometimes they eat quail eggs or eggs from other birds.

Animals rarely hunt domestic animals. Wild animals prefer to stay away from people, they come close to housing only when there is little food in the forest or in the steppe. Animals harm poultry houses, eat rabbits, so farmers often set traps for ferrets. Wild representatives of mustelids rarely touch adult birds: the animal is too small, even a sleeping rooster or chicken is beyond its strength. For the winter, the ferret can store food on its territory.

Reproduction and mating of ferrets last from the end of February until the last summer month. The age of puberty is 10-12 months. The mating takes place rapidly, there is no special marriage ritual. The male attacks the female and forcibly holds her by the withers with his teeth. Often after mating season in females, a shabby withers with bite marks is revealed. Obviously, they are happy to quickly get rid of annoying males, therefore they do not form persistent pairs.

Ferrets carry offspring for 1.5 months. Cubs in a litter can be from 4 to 18 pieces. Newborn animals weigh 5-10 g. Only the female wild ferret takes care of them. Approximately 2-2.5 months she feeds them breast milk. From 4 weeks begins to give meat.

The upbringing of offspring lasts six months. Growing ferrets hunt with their mother, learning all the skills they need in the wild. In the wild, ferrets live up to 5 years.

Types of ferrets

How many types of ferrets are there? In nature, there are three varieties and several of their subspecies:

  • Steppe ferret (light or white ferret).
  • Common forest or black ferret.
  • American or black-footed ferret.

A subspecies of the steppe ferret is the Amur ferret, which lives in northern China and Russia, near the Amur River. Forest is also known as the African polecat, fetka or furo. These are domesticated species, photographs of which can often be found on the net.

steppe ferret

The steppe ferret can be called the largest, its body length is 52-56 cm, and its weight is 2 kg. The tail of this ferret reaches a length of about 18 cm. The outer hair is thin, brown. A light undercoat is visible from under it, because the fur becomes beige, almost White color. The tip of the tail and legs are dark; a black or brown mask is clearly visible on the muzzle.

The steppe ferret lives in Austria, the Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine, Poland, and is also found in some regions of the European part of Russia. On far east, northeast China lives the Amur variety, sometimes called the Siberian ferret. In the photo, he almost does not differ from his relative, except perhaps a little larger, the difference between the main color and the color of the limbs is more pronounced.

The steppe ferret eats gophers, hamsters, mice and other rodents. Much less often it feeds on birds and eggs, insects, lizards, and fish. In a hungry period, it approaches human habitation, can eat waste, attack small domestic animals (rabbits, ducklings, chickens). Sometimes eats eggs poultry. These ferrets are very prolific, in one litter there can be 7-18 babies. Each cub weighs about 5-7 g.

forest ferret

The forest animal or black ferret is smaller than its steppe counterpart. The body length reaches 36-48 cm, weight - from 400 g to 1.5 kg. Tail length - 15-17 cm, in females - 8.5-17 cm. Females are 1.5 times smaller than males. The color of the fur is black-brown, almost black on the dewlap, tail, paws and throat. The contrast between the color of the paws and the tip of the tail is not pronounced. The muzzle is decorated with a dark mask. In the population there is an absolutely white and red ferret.

The black forest ferret lives in Europe and throughout the European part of Russia. Ferrets equip burrows on the edges of the forest, glades, in not too dense groves. Here are their favorite hunting grounds. No wonder this ferret was called the "edge predator". Ferrets feed on mice, voles, and sometimes snakes, lizards, fish, and frogs. Ruin hare holes, eating cubs. They destroy bird nests with chicks and eggs. They can get close to the house, appear in the country and hunt for pets. To catch the animal, they set a trap, the bait in it is a piece of meat.

This species has been tamed, the domesticated form of the forest ferret is called the ferret. The size of her body is about 50 cm, weight - from 700 g to 2 kg, tail length - about 13 cm. Colors are very different. Albino domestic ferrets are called furo.

Sometimes ferret breeders mate with wild ferrets. A hybrid of this species with a mink is called honorik. It is larger than the average ferret, and its physical characteristics and descriptions bear the features of both parents.

american ferret

animal american ferret- disappearing animal. A few decades ago, in Mexico and the United States, he lived only in captivity. Now it is successfully adapted and settled in natural habitats: there are already about 600 individuals in the wild. Hunting this ferret is strictly prohibited. It is the smallest among all species, its body dimensions are 31-41 cm, weight is 650-1000 g, the length of the fluffy tail is 11-15 cm.

Fur in ferrets is made up of hair that is light at the base and dark at the tips, which is why it takes on a brown tint. The tip of the tail and legs are black, contrasting with the rest of the color. The natural habitat of the species is the prairies east of the Rocky Mountains in the USA, some areas of Mexico. Main power supply - prairie dogs, the population of ferrets directly depends on their number. Additional food - voles, ground squirrels, mice.

Types of coloring of domestic ferrets

Domestic ferrets, or fetok, are characterized by very diverse colors. Thanks to many years of selection, very beautiful views furs of these animals. International system classifies the colors of fetok according to this principle:

  • Color type (white albinos, black, various shades of brown).
  • Drawing (Siamese, roan, solid, standard).
  • White spots (flash with a spot on the head, panda, mittens).

According to the types of colors, fetok are combined into groups. Separately, albino animals with absolutely white hair, a pink nose and red eyes are considered.

pastel group

Such ferrets are characterized by a light tone of wool, from beige to brown. The pigment is distributed unevenly throughout the hair, which creates the effect of beautiful toning. Standing apart in this group are brown ferrets, the fur of which has pronounced orange and yellow hues. Here are some pastel ferrets:

  • light;
  • standard;
  • dark;
  • cinnamon.

Mother of pearl group

The hair of animals from this group is colored unevenly. The base is light, almost white. The tips are always dark, their color varies from gray to black. There are such colors in the group:

  • standard mother-of-pearl;
  • dark pearlescent.

Sable group

The sable group of ferrets is the most numerous. This color is as close to wild as possible. Shades vary from light yellow to almost black. Allocate in a group:

  • standard sable;
  • dark sable;
  • black sable.

golden ferrets

The golden ferret is a real Russian ferret, since it was bred in Russia. The fur of these animals is very beautiful. The undercoat has shades from yellow to bright orange. The outer hair is light at the base and dark at the tips, which is why the fur shimmers beautifully with different shades of gold. Only one type is distinguished in the group: gold.

black group

The black color is provided by a very dark and dense guard hair. The undercoat may be lighter, but it is slightly translucent. The eyes and nose of these ferrets are black. The muzzle of a ferret happens without a specific mask. There are the following dark color options:

  • black;
  • black self;
  • black solid (solid).

Pestel selfies

This group of ferrets has a fairly light coat, but, unlike ordinary pastel ferrets, their hair is completely colored, because the fur is closer to a solid color, does not shimmer. There are the following types of colors:

  • The chocolate self resembles milk chocolate in color, the nose of the animals is brown.
  • Chocolate Solid is a lighter shade, with a brown undercoat.
  • Champagne self - outer hair is from beige to chocolate, light undercoat, pink nose.
  • Cinnamon-self - the shade of the outer hair is brown with red tints, the undercoat is light, the nose is white.
  • Dew - white ferrets with dark eyes.

Types of marks

Decorative ferrets can have colors with different markings. Depending on the tone, location, size, there are:

  • Marked - integumentary hair on the whole body is colored by 40%, the remaining 60% is white.
  • Silver - mother-of-pearl group ferrets with unevenly colored hair.
  • Roan - the awn is colored unevenly, the percentage of the pigmented part is greater than in the previous two.
  • Panda - the head and neck are noticeably lighter than the rest of the body.
  • Blaze - a solid line stands out on the head white stripe.
  • Mitt - the tips of the legs and tail are white.
  • Point - a pronounced contrast between the colors of the fur on the body, paws and tail tips.
  • Badger - a white stripe on the head with uneven contours or intermittent.
  • Milk Mouse - there is a clear white spot around the muzzle and eye.
  • Pinto panda - the pattern is the same as that of the usual "panda", but the main fur is lighter.
  • Harlequin - ferrets whose color is asymmetrical or difficult to classify.

The colors of animals may change slightly: after the molt passes, they become lighter. The baby ferret is also born with lighter fur, the pattern may not be quite pronounced. Each color has its pros and cons, you need to select it according to your own taste.

The content of the ferret has its own characteristics. This animal is a predator, besides it is nocturnal. During the day, ferrets sleep, but in the evening they are very active. These habits are characteristic of animals in the wild, but at home they have largely retained their wild disposition. For small ferrets, it is best to buy an aviary or a spacious cage. It should have bedding, a crawling tube, a ring, feeders and a drinker. They also need to be let out to walk around the apartment, since they cannot stay in an enclosed space for a long time. From time to time, the ferret needs to be taken outside with a leash and a collar. For long walks, you may need to carry.

What can you give a ferret to eat? This animal is an obligate predator, it eats only the meat of animals commensurate with it, therefore it is possible to feed ferrets with chicken meat, turkey, rabbit meat, quails. You can not give beef, pork, lamb. A couple of times a week they give eggs, every other day - low-fat cottage cheese. The ferret has a habit of hiding food, he can drag it under the bed, cabinet or other secluded place.

Raising a ferret is not difficult: it is a very smart animal, almost like a puppy. It is easy to accustom the animal to the toilet, training allows you to learn simple commands, they even come up with nicknames for ferrets, as they respond to their name. True, these animals have one bad habit: they like to dig in the ground. It is difficult to wean an animal from her, therefore it is better to put flowers in inaccessible place so as not to constantly collect the earth from the floor with your hands. Some owners are worried about night walks around the apartment, but you can get used to them.

Longevity and disease

Everyone who wants to get a ferret at home is afraid that he smells bad, even stinks. To get rid of the smell, you need to bathe the ferret once a week. They also ask whether it is worth having a girl or a boy at home. The female ferret is very active, she will not give anyone peace. The boy is more calm, but he must be castrated.

Manual ferrets live at home for 8-10 years, some do not die at the age of 12 years. The following diseases are characteristic of this species:

  • plague;
  • rabies;
  • viral or Aleutian plasmacytosis;
  • flu;
  • flea attack;
  • rickets;
  • allergy to shampoo, food, etc.;
  • pathology of the adrenal glands;
  • catarrhal and bacterial enteritis;
  • stones in the kidneys;
  • insuloma;
  • lymphoma;
  • inflammation of the glands near the anus.

If the ferret does not eat well, sneezes, coughs, itches, she has a fever or she is sick and vomits, it is imperative to show the animal to the veterinarian. The specialist will be able to determine the cause of the problem, prescribe the appropriate drugs to treat the animal.

The most dangerous disease ferrets - rabies. If an infected ferret bites the owner, it threatens him with mortal danger. A sick animal will have to be euthanized. This is why all pets need to be vaccinated.

How to properly contain a ferret, you can find out by looking at photos and videos of boomz.