Trinity Clark
Editor-In-Chief
I am formally introducing myself back into the world of Columns with this edition of Why Your Pet Is Cooler Than You! Ferrets, often called the pet of the 90s, are becoming increasingly popular on social media for their cute appearances, but I think it is about time to recognize these little guys for their other amazing traits.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, Ferrets were most likely domesticated 2,500 years ago from European polecats to help hunters chase prey out of holes and protect farmers’ grain from rodents. Ferrets, far from being sweet little weasels, were put into these roles because of their impressive ability to eat just about any mammal smaller than them. Their teeth are incredibly sharp and a study by Dr. Dessem, from the University of Maryland’s Dental School, and Dr. Druzinky titled “Jaw-muscle activity in ferrets'' stated their jaws had the ability to exert about 11 pounds of force. This is strong enough to cut through the skin of all their prey, which is pretty important considering they are obligate carnivores.
Ferrets may not look all that intimidating, with them being only about a foot and a half long and weighing at 2-4lbs., but these criminals are actually illegal in California and Hawaii, as well as in New York City and Washington D.C. They are many reasons cited for this, but the main one is that when released, ferrets tend to colonize and take over native wildlife as stated by the Ethos Veterinary Health blog. This is not a common occurrence, but ferrets also have voracious appetites and when not properly handled, are known to go feral. From this, I think we can gather that every high school student here at Ironwood would stand no chance against a hungry ferret.
If you have seen the videos of ferrets being held and wiggled to dance in a way that looks like they are about to break in half, you may have wondered just how it is that ferrets are so flexible. According to vetstream.com, ferrets have a long spine and many ribs made up of light bones. Basically, the structure of a ferret’s back, as well as the impressively strong muscles there, allows them to wiggle through even the tightest of tunnels to get their prey. Ferrets are also known to be quick. Some of the prey they hunt include rabbits and mice, which they are able to keep up with and find even when underground.
This next tidbit may not sound as cool if you are not a medical science nerd or a future forensic investigator, but ferrets do not have blood types. Dr. Natalie Antinoff did a study “Anemia in ferrets: Clinical case challenges” that stated ferrets can be crossed to match for blood transfusions, however, it has been shown that they only have one blood type. This can be incredibly useful for their care and certainly something that doctors would love if it were true for humans.
Having a ferret as a pet can be such a wonderful experience, especially for those who enjoy a pet that constantly has energy. Just to preface, it is important to realize that ferrets are a high-maintenance pet. Often, they are social and need to have a partner. If not trained, they can nip and dig into just about anything so know that they will need supervision. It is also incredibly important to spay and neuter your ferret as a female that stays in heat while never getting pregnant can end up passing away. Finally, their diets must be high in protein and low in fats, so watch what they eat carefully!
Image Credit: Europeana on Unsplash
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