Ferret (photo): A playful fidget and a true friend. Ferret ordinary (forest) Where does the ferret live in a hole

Titles:black polecat, dark polecat, forest polecat (European polecat).

area: Europe (Russia, England, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, England) and Northwest Africa.

Description Description: The black ferret is a squat predator with a flexible, long and agile body. The muzzle is blunt. The ears are small, rounded, with white edges. The head is oval in shape, imperceptibly turning into long neck. The eyes are small, the iris is brown.
The paws are short and strong. Each paw has five toes with strong claws. The fingers are partially webbed. The skull is elongated, flattened, slightly laterally compressed. Larger than the common weasel. The tail accounts for about 1/4 of the entire body length, the fur on it is not too thick (compared to other mustelids). The undercoat is short, light, the fur is shiny, sparse, long (up to 5-6 cm long on the back).
Males are larger and more massive than females.
Dental formula: I 3/3 C 1/1 P 3/3 M 1/2. There are 34 teeth in total. The upper fangs are long and narrow.
The female has 3-5 pairs of nipples.

Color: the main background of the body is black-brown; the underside of the body, paws and tail are black; lips, upper forehead, chin and edges of the ears are white. There is a dark mask on the very muzzle. The belly and sides are lighter, a pale underfur is visible on the sides. Winter fur color from light to dark.
Sometimes very light-colored individuals come across.

The size: body length 30-48 cm, tail 8-17 cm, hind paw in male 5.3-6.8 cm, in female 5.1-5.8 cm, ear height in male 2.2-2.9 cm , in the female 2.1-2.4 cm, the tail of the male is 12.5-16.5 cm, in the female 12.5-14.5 cm.

The weight: depends on the time of year - in autumn, males weigh 800-1700 g, females - up to 530-915 g.

Lifespan: in nature 5-6 years, in captivity up to 11 years.

Habitat: diverse habitats - deciduous, mixed and pine forests, groves, agricultural land, banks of reservoirs, ravines, fields and edges, shrub and tussock swamps, dunes, clearings, settlements (attics, sheds, haylofts, manure heaps, cattle yards). Prefers damp lowlands. It does not go deep into forest thickets, preferring open areas.

Enemies: large predators- wolves, lynx, foxes, birds of prey (hawks, owls).

Food: the black ferret preys on small animals - rodents (mice, voles, water rats, shrews, rabbits, muskrats, ground squirrels, hamsters, hares), amphibians (frogs, toads) and reptiles (snakes, lizards), hedgehogs, birds (pheasant, hazel grouse, partridge) and their eggs, fish, insects and invertebrates (snails). Does not disdain and carrion.
The composition of the diet depends on the season. Makes stocks in the autumn-winter period.

Behavior: black ferret leads ground twilight and sedentary life. For the most part, daily activity depends on the weather, for example, in extreme cold or a snowstorm, ferrets may not leave their shelter for several days.
It does not climb trees, but in case of danger it can hide from the enemy in a hollow located close to the ground.
He rarely digs holes himself, but prefers to use strangers (badgers, foxes), or uses natural secretive places (deadwood, haystacks, hollow trees, among stones). He has little attachment to the hole, and if he is disturbed, he leaves it forever.
In winter, it is less active than in summer and hunts more during the daytime. Chases rodents under the snow or catches them in burrows.
When defending, like the skunk, it uses a smelly secret from the anal glands.
Smell, hearing and touch are well developed, vision is not very good. Can climb trees and swim.
In spring, the molt begins in April and ends in May. The second (autumn molt) begins in early August and ends in November.

social structure: the forest ferret, except for the breeding season, leads a solitary lifestyle.
An individual site occupies 1-5 km2. The male actively guards his territory from other males.

reproduction: sperm is produced in males from December to July (depending on the range). In spring, males begin to actively move in search of a female. Sexual activity in the forest ferret is highly dependent on the photoperiod.
Females are in heat from March to August. In an estrus female, the vulva swells and turns pink, and the estrus itself lasts 3-5 days. The female can bring up to three litters per year (the average interval between births is 140 days). One male can mate with several females. The penis of the male is hooked.
Male ferrets fight among themselves because of females: they bite each other, squeal loudly and roll around in a ball. During mating, the male bites the female on the scruff of the neck and holds her, which stimulates ovulation. Mating lasts up to an hour.
For childbirth, the female builds a spherical nest lined with grass, wool, down and rodent skins.

Season/breeding period: Spring.

Puberty: 10-12 months

Pregnancy: lasts 40-43 days.

Offspring: in a litter 4-8 hairless puppies (average 7.5) with eyes closed and ears. The litter is always dominated by males. Newborns weigh 9.5-12 g, body length 5.5-7.0 cm, tail 1.4-1.5 cm. The female rarely leaves newborn cubs. At a week old, puppies grow a thin, silky coat of a whitish color.
Eyes open at 30-35 days. At 3-4 weeks of age, the coat color turns brown. At 7-8 weeks, milk teeth begin to erupt in ferrets, and at 11-13 weeks, permanent teeth begin to erupt.
Young ferrets of the same age vary greatly in size.
Lactation lasts up to 1-2.5 months, but from the age of two weeks the mother begins to feed the puppies with solid food. At the age of 1.5-2 months, the horyats already go hunting with their mother.
At the age of 2-3 months, young polecats are already completely independent, but until the end of winter, the brood keeps together.

Benefit / harm to humans: the black ferret is a valuable fur-bearing animal, currently it is not hunted. It is a carrier of rabies and scriabingilosis.
Albino form of furo ( Mustela putorius furo) has been domesticated since ancient times and kept as a pet. In Germany, hunters hunt wild rabbits with furo.
Used by some companies to help guide wires through pipes and narrow passages. In the Middle Ages, he exterminated rats on ships.
Destroys in in large numbers harmful rodents.
Living near human habitation, it can attack poultry houses.

Population/conservation status: while the forest polecat is numerous throughout its range, but every year its number continues to decline.
The main threat to the species is death under the wheels of vehicles, rodenticide poisoning, human persecution and loss of habitats.

Copyright holder: portal Zooclub
When reprinting this article, an active link to the source is MANDATORY, otherwise, the use of the article will be considered a violation of the "Law on Copyright and Related Rights".

Ferrets are small predators, similar to affection. They are found in North America, in almost all European countries, in southeast 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 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 bad smell. 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 forest, steppe and forest-steppe zones. They avoid too open spaces do not live in dense taiga. They often settle near human habitation. Ferret in wild nature 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 case is going on violently, special marriage ritual no. The male attacks the female and forcibly holds her by the withers with his teeth. Often, after the mating season, females have a shabby withers with bite marks. 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 with 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.

inhabits steppe polecat in Austria, the Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine, Poland, and is also found in some regions of the European part of Russia. On the 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 it eats poultry eggs. 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 they are favorite places hunting. 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 - an endangered 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 coloured;
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:

Chocolate self reminds in color milk chocolate, 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 white stripe stands out on the head.
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 carnivore, it eats only the meat of animals that are proportionate to it, therefore it is possible to feed ferrets chicken meat, turkey, rabbit, quail. 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 it, because better flowers put in an 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 in ferrets is 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.

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:

Blackfoot or american ferret(Mustela nigripes) is included in the Red Book North America like a disappearing 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. AT last years The situation with this species of ferrets is improving: captive-bred ferrets are released into their natural habitat, now the number of black-footed ferrets has already exceeded 600 individuals. The black-footed ferret is approximately 45 cm long, with a bushy 15 cm tail, and 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:

The forest 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. Within the territory of 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, as well as 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 the roofs of 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.

The black ferret, as it is commonly called, or, more scientifically, the common ferret, is a small animal that belongs to the mustelid genus. It is quite famous among pet lovers. Despite the fact that it is only a forest animal, it is often started at home, because it takes root well and lives next to people for many years without any problems.

The fact that he is able to build relationships with people is undoubtedly good. But for our part, it would be useful for us to know what is this animal, where is his usual habitat, what does he eat, is he a predator or herbivore, what are his habits in the wild, and many others.

wild ferret

In winter, frost and hunger push wild ferrets to move closer to human habitation. Perhaps it is this fact that explains the beginning of the relationship between a ferret and a person.

Habitat

So let's start with the question, where do black ferrets live?

The population of these animals is distributed mainly on the European continent. Also, it covers all of Western Europe. Black ferrets are found on the lands of Ireland and Great Britain.

In our country, the range of these representatives of the marten family stretches from the western borders and ends near the Urals. They live, one might say, almost everywhere, only the territories of the Caucasus, at the mouths of the Volga, in the Far North and in the northern part of Karelia and the Far North, we will not meet these animals.

The species of black ferrets is also called the forest .Forest ferrets choose such areas for their residence, where there is:

small woodlands,
groves,
fields,
meadows.

In these areas, you can meet such an animal on the edges and clearings, the vegetation of which is not too dense. The ferret also prefers to live near water bodies:

swamps,
lakes,
in the floodplains.

Despite the fact that now the forest ferret is home pet, for people who live in countryside, the attitude towards this animal is sometimes very negative. And the reason for this is the custom of wild ferrets quite often, especially in the winter, cold months, to attack chicken coops and other dwellings with poultry and eat chickens, chickens, ducks, geese and their offspring.

The forest ferret is also valuable fur animal. In older years, a ferret skin product was considered very valuable and prestigious due to its valuable qualities. AT modern world hunting for them is prohibited. since the population has decreased significantly, and the beast is listed in the Red Book.

What does a ferret look like

The size of the animal is not very large, in appearance it practically does not differ from other representatives of its family. But at the same time, describing appearance this animal, we should dwell in more detail on some characteristic features.

forest ferret

It is not for nothing that the species of forest black ferrets bears its second name, which indicates the area in which this species most often lives. the range of these animals small forest areas.

The forest ferret moves in long low jumps, swims pretty well. As a rule, he does not climb trees, although in those moments when he is in mortal danger, he is able to climb into the hollows of trees, which are located not high from the ground.

Food

If you are a lover of this animal and want to have it as a pet, then the question of whether it is a predator or not is fundamental. Everything you need to know about ferret nutrition.

The ferret is, without a doubt, a predator. In this regard, the answer to the question of what ferrets eat in the wild will be conducive: this is due to the needs of its species. What is included in the diet of a ferret?

A ferret's diet usually includes:

Small rodents (the hero of our article with enviable agility catches mice and rats, digs voles and moles from the ground.
If the forest ferret belongs to any large species or he himself is distinguished by an outstanding physique for his species, then gaping hares or young muskrats can go to his food.
With pleasure, the hero of our article also eats frogs and lizards. He is able to cope even with not very large snakes alone. The jacket will not care if it is harmless or poisonous.
The ferret is able to successfully catch even birds. It destroys nests if they are located on the ground or in bushes. The forest ferret also destroys chicks or feasts on eggs.
The ferret loves to dig in the ground in order to get tasty worms, he also eats with pleasure various insects: butterflies, caterpillars, grasshoppers, etc.
Fish is sometimes included in his diet, but it occupies an insignificant place in the diet of this animal, since it requires a lot of time and labor.
The ferret rarely eats berries, fruits and grass, only if necessary to replenish the balance of vitamins and minerals. The popularity of this type of food is due to the fact that his stomach is not designed to digest plant foods.

Compensate for the lack of fiber and other necessary useful substances ferret can through eating stomach contents of herbivores caught by him.

With the arrival of spring until the end of the winter months, the polecat has no difficulty in finding food for itself. Before the approach of winter, he begins to eat heavily in order to create more fat for himself. When the cold comes, food becomes much more difficult to obtain. But our animal is a predator, which means that it is also a born hunter. He does not lose heart, but begins to rummage through the snow. Then not only small rodents become its prey, but also large birds - and hazel grouse, black grouse, buried for the night in the snow. When there is no food at all, the animal will not pass by both the fallen and the waste of human food.

Behavioral Features

Ferret is a loner, he communicates with females only in mating season.

Each individual of the representatives of this species has its own hunting territories, it “grazes” them, that is, it lives on them permanently. Their hunting territory is usually quite extensive, for males it takes up to two and a half thousand hectares. In females, feeding territories are usually smaller, it happens that part of them intersects with the territories of males, and sometimes partially enters them. making a tour of their possessions, ferrets leave marks on it so that the rest know that the place is occupied and guarded.

In an inconspicuous place, the ferret digs a mink for itself with a short hole and a pocket where it rests. Mink has the character of a permanent place of residence. But if someone scared him in his home or otherwise compromised him, then the ferret leaves his former home and looks for another place.

Sometimes for permanent residence he chooses a dump of dry branches or a hollow under old stumps. When the forest is full of food, a well-fed and contented animal sleeps during the day, and begins to show activity at dusk and at night. If food becomes scarce on its territory, then it goes hunting for long distances. In unfavorable bad weather, the animal may not leave the hole for days.

ferret behavior

Distinctive feature wild ferret is - courage with a touch of aggressiveness. When meeting with an enemy even superior in strength and size, our hero fearlessly rushes into battle. Also, the ferret is ruthless to its victims: if it gets into the chicken coop, it will bite only one bird, but it will strangle all the rest. He repeats the same behavior in nature: attacking a bird's nest, he will surely kill all its inhabitants, although he himself will eat very little.

Enemies of the forest polecat

Forest ferrets, as we have already explained, are not at all too large animals, therefore in the wild they also have enemies who may well harm or kill them.

The main enemies write the wolves first. Despite the fact that ferrets run very fast, it is nevertheless difficult for him to escape from a large animal in an open area where there is nowhere to hide.

Foxes also attack our hero, especially in winter time the year when it is extremely small, there are either no mice, or you can’t get enough of them, and the hares are too quick and you don’t always get a chance to catch them.

Among the big birds there are also those who want to catch the animal: at night - these are owls and eagle owls, and during the day - falcons and golden eagles.

Lynxes are another type of animal who likes to snack on ferrets. deadly teeth of this wild cat, her resourcefulness, cunning and dexterity do not leave hope for the life of this animal.

If ferrets occupy territory in steppe zone, then stray dogs will pose a threat to him.

Although, frankly, the most ruthless and terrible enemy for the ferret, capable of bringing the population to complete destruction nevertheless, man. It is thanks to our species that this beast is listed in the Red Book.

The representative of the squad of predators is the white ferret, lives in the flat area. As a sweet pet, he has proven himself to be a playful and very active creature that gets used to people quickly. However, we must not forget that the animal has the habits of a predator. If the animal feels a threat looming over its life, it immediately uses its fangs and an incredibly foul-smelling liquid produced by special glands for self-defense.

Representative of the order of predators - white ferret

As is known, ferret belongs to the mustelid family. The habitat of such nimble and cute animals depends on the type of polecat. On the territory of the Russian Federation, only 2 species are common - the steppe and forest ferret. But in America, Asia and Europe there is a red, white and black animal.

The forest ferret is a fairly active animal that obtains food for itself by hunting the smallest rodents. Adult ferrets are nocturnal. It was this species that was domesticated, as it has a calm disposition.

To find out what a steppe ferret looks like, just look at a photo of a forest dweller of this species, they are very similar. However, it is worth noting that the steppe animal is more aggressive and difficult to tame. The wild creature hunts mainly for gophers and hamsters. The animal is active at night, and during the day it sleeps in a mink, hollow, crevice or small cave.

Ferret care (video)

What can be said about the characteristics of the animal?

By nature, the animal loves to hunt without competitors. That is, ferrets do not gather in groups. Nevertheless, in winter, forest dwellers can still form not too numerous flocks, where the hierarchy is tracked.

The description of a small predator is quite interesting. Regardless of the habitat, such cute and funny animals have almost the same parameters, but the color of the fur of predators can be varied. For example, an animal living in the steppe has a very beautiful beige color. But the forest predator has darker fur. In Europe, you can meet the black-footed ferret.

A popular animal, whose ancestor was the steppe ferret, has a very interesting color, obtained as a result of the long work of experienced breeders. Even baby ferrets have very sharp fangs that certain cases may cause serious injury.

As mentioned above, a pet can be used for the most better protection a liquid that has an unpleasant odor. If white ferrets are kept at home, the glands that produce this fluid must be removed.

Gallery: white ferret (25 photos)

What else can you tell about ferrets?

The ferret is an active, very affectionate and sweet creature. With proper care, he will become the best pet that will amaze you with its neatness and cleanliness. The animal, which lives in a warm and cozy environment, will delight the owners for many years. Females are not as active as males, but they get used to people much faster, learn easily and practically do not show aggression.

It should be remembered that the female in the absence of mating can develop very serious diseases. Regardless of whether the animal is sleeping or awake, it will almost always feel the danger. That is why the owner is obliged to create the most comfortable conditions for living.

What kind of ferret-like animal can catch your attention? But the answer is very simple. Only a ferret can bring brightness and fun into your measured life.

In order for your animal to be always healthy and also feel great, certain feeding features should be taken into account. Since in vivo ferret loves to hunt small rodents, you can offer him mice as the most suitable food. It is absolutely not difficult to imagine what such feeding will look like. However, such nutrition is not always acceptable.

It must be remembered that the predator is always worried about tomorrow. Therefore, he will try to hide the supply of food in the most secluded place. But the owner must prevent this by correctly calculating the portion size for the pet.

It is not recommended to feed the animal with food that contains "fast" carbohydrates. After all, it is this diet that will harm the health of the pet. Several times a week, enter cheese, cottage cheese and eggs into the menu of the animal. The animal spends its energy even in a dream. In this regard, you need to give food to the ferret 2 times a day. The last meal should be about half an hour before bedtime.

Animal behavior

So that the ferret does not show aggression and always feels comfortable in any home, you should properly educate him from childhood. After all, it is during this period that he easily learns the most elementary skills.

It should be remembered that during the mating season, the animals become too restless. The mating process itself lasts about 3 hours and is accompanied by loud screams, fights and quarrels of individuals. And at this time, they do not need to interfere. The number of cubs is at least 10 in a litter.

After the birth, the babies do not see or hear anything, and the female will diligently feed the cubs. Therefore, the owner must make the most acceptable diet for her.

For babies who are 3 weeks old, complementary foods can be introduced. The menu of animals should include boiled meat, whole grain cereals, vegetables, cottage cheese. Be sure to give babies supplements and vitamins.

How do ferrets treat people and behave at home?

A very interesting characteristic of the behavior of the ferret in relation to people. To begin with, the pet owner must remember that the ferret is a very smart and incredibly cunning animal. Therefore, in order to accustom him to the toilet and other skills, you should take a leadership position.

In the process of education, it is better to use the "carrot and stick" method, which is based on the use of rewards and punishments. The animal must understand that certain actions can lead to very unpleasant punishments, and others - caress.

Very often, ferrets begin to mark their territory. This instinctive feature is shown only by males. In addition, it must be remembered that the ferret digs the ground not only in natural conditions. Even in the house, following his instincts, he may begin to dig into flower pots daily.

Remember that each animal is characterized by a certain character. Therefore, having studied the features of the temper and manners of your beloved pet, you can raise a good friend.

Attention, only TODAY!