Mia Bennett - Ferrets

Ferrets were once used for hunting small animals, suc h as rabbits and rodents . T oday , ferrets sometimes help people by pulling wire through underground tunnels or cleaning pipes. FOOD A gro up of ferr ets i s called a business! PET FOR THOUGHT

Wil d black-footed ferrets live in North America. They have blac k fur around their eyes and on their feet. They mostly eat prairie dogs. W ild ferrets tend to sleep much of the day and spend their nights hunting. They creep into prairie dog burrows to hunt. FOOD In the 1880s, hundre ds of ferr ets were releas ed, or let go, into the wild in New Zealand.

T hey re now a danger to native wi ldlife ther e. PET FOR THOUGHT

They may have been domesticated for their ability to hunt rodents. They can easily follow rodents into underground burrows. Ferrets come in many colors. Albino ferrets are white with pink eyes. Many ferrets have a mix of brown and cream-colored fur . Others have fur that is blac k or gray .

FOOD Some people think ferr ets ar e relat ed t o ro dents, such as ra ts, but they ar en t! PET FOR THOUGHT

Ferrets tend to sleep a lot, but they have a lot of energy when awake. They live best in warm places between 50 and 80 Fahrenheit (10 and 26.7 Celsius). FOOD Ferre ts are great escape artists. Their cage should have a good lock. T he openings between the cage bars should be small. PET FOR THOUGHT

Some cages have stairs, slopes , and landings.

They burn off the food they eat very quic kly. Y o u can give your ferret snacks suc h as cooked eggs or meat. Ferrets should not eat fruits, vegeta bles, dairy, or sugar. FOOD A ferr et s sharp te eth are one c lue that it s a meat eat er . PET FOR THOUGHT