ABSTRACT
The domestic ferret, Mustela putorius furo (also known as Mustela furo) was derived from the European polecat, Mustela putorius. There is some debate whether there may also be Asiatic, Siberian or Ethiopian polecat in the lineage. Genome work so far points to just the European polecat. Its Latin name is descriptive, translating as ‘smelly little thief’. The domestic ferret is also known as the tch ferret. It is considered to have been domesticated around 2000 years ago. It was introduced into the United States (USA) in the late 19th century. It is the only domesticated member of the Mustelidae. Domestication has led to very few signicant changes in appearance or anatomy from the polecat, with coat colour, patterns, length and eye colour being the most signicant source of human-inuenced variation. Ferrets are all one blood type. An intact female ferret is termed a ‘jill’, while an ovariectomised female is a ‘sprite’. An intact male ferret is termed a ‘hob’, while an orchiectomised male is a ‘gib’.
