Time marches on and now that it’s the last day of the month, we need to bid the ferret a fond farewell as our Animal of the Month for March. We hope that you enjoyed following us on “X” (a.k.a. Twitter and Threads as we posted about these curious creatures throughout the month. But here is a summary of our posts just in case you missed any. Did you know?:

• The domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) that we are all familiar with don’t actually exist in the wild.
• The European polecat (Mustela putorius) is the ferret’s only ancestor. Ferrets were domesticated from the European polecat more than 2,000 years ago.
• Ferrets were domesticated to be hunters in order to control rodent and rabbit populations.
• The most common domestic ferret kept in captivity is the sable ferret, also known as the fitch ferret.
• Sable ferrets have beige fur on their slender cylindrical bodies. They have short legs with black fur on their front legs. They also have black fur on all four feet, necks and tails.
• The fur on the sable ferret’s face is white or cream-coloured with black markings.
• Female ferrets usually grow to between 33 and 35.5 cm (13-14 inches) in length while males are typically larger at 38-40.6 cm (15-16 inches) long. Their long tails are between 7.6-10 cms (3-4 inches) in length.
• But sable ferrets are not the only type of ferret kept in captivity as years of selective breeding has created a variety of different coat colours and patterns.
• In addition to the sable ferret, the American Ferret Association officially recognizes seven other ferret colours – albino, black, black sable, champagne, chocolate, cinnamon and dark-eyed white.
• Fur patterns add another layer to a ferret’s physical appearance and the American Ferret Association recognizes nine basic patterns – standard, striped/patterned, solid, roan, point, panda, mutt, mitt and blaze.
• Ferrets have triangular or cone-shaped heads with their ears at the widest part tapering down to their pointed snout.
• Ferrets have forward-facing eyes, but compared to cats or humans for example, their eyes are slightly more to the sides of the heads.
• Because of this more lateral placement of their eyes, ferrets have good peripheral vision, but they also have a blind spot in front of their nose.
• Ferrets have poor eyesight in general and are myopic (nearsighted), which means they have trouble seeing things that are further away from them.
• But ferrets do have the ability to see well in low light conditions. They are crepuscular, which means they are most active at dusk and dawn.
• To make up for the shortfalls in their eyesight, ferrets have excellent hearing and sense of smell. Their sense of touch – courtesy of their sensitive footpads – also helps them navigate the world.
• March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day and while domestic ferrets don’t have anything to do with this special occasion, they do have a problematic connection to Ireland.
• There is a feral ferret population in Ireland, which was first reported in 1986. According to Ireland’s National Biodiversity Data Centre, feral ferrets are now found in 19 out of 32 of Ireland’s counties.
• The feral ferrets are considered to be an invasive species in Ireland and prey on endemic bird species and their eggs.
• Because Ireland is an island, ferrets didn’t have a natural route to reach it. So this feral population was introduced through escaped or deliberately released pets.
• Ferrets are known for being good-natured and affectionate as family pets as long as they’re properly socialized.
• Ferrets are very playful and love to play hide and seek. They are also known for their love of stealing and hiding things around the house.
• While dogs and cats are probably the most familiar therapy animals, many people turn to ferrets for comfort.
• Because of their ability to form close bonds with their human family members, ferrets can be officially recognized as emotional support animals in some places.
• Ferrets are “true” or “obligate” carnivores, meaning they need to eat meat in order to survive. They can’t handle a diet that contains more than 4% fibre.
• Ferrets don’t have a cecum, which is part of the digestive tract and produces bacteria to break down the complex carbohydrates found in fruit and veggies.
• Ferrets are also known to imprint on their food when they are young, usually by the time they are nine-months-old. This means that getting them to eat new foods when they’re older can be challenging.
• With good care, ferrets in captivity can live an average of between 5 to 8 years.
• Some sources suggest that the oldest ferret on record lived to be 14-years-old.
• At the end of March 2024, it was announced that Suki, a ferret who lives in Bovey Castle (a hotel in the UK), would be celebrating her 15th birthday in July 2024.
• The early announcement of Suki’s birthday celebration was made just ahead of National Ferret Day, which is April 2nd. It is unclear if Suki is still alive today.
• Most people have heard of puppy and kitten mills, but there is a ferret mill in Manitoba that made the news in January for all the wrong reasons.
• The ferret mill in Melita, Manitoba, is being investigated by the province after undercover video was taken inside the facility that allegedly showed ferrets being subjected to inhumane conditions.
• In response to this case, the Montreal SPCA is renewing its call for banning the sale of ferrets and other exotic animals in city pet stores.
• There are many ferrets at animal shelters and rescues – such as The Ferret Aid Society — who are looking for loving families to adopt them.
• But before adopting a ferret or any other type of pet into your family, please do your research first so you know what your ferret needs to be healthy and happy.

This is the fourth time that we have featured ferrets as our Animal of the Month. If you are curious like a ferret and would like to see what we posted the last three times, come on over and check out our blog posts from September 2014, July 2017 and March 2021.