2. Domesticated Ferrets Domestic ferret – Mustela putorius furo – Domesticated from the European polecat – Kept in North America for about 300 years Population over 7 million Bred for pets and research for over 50 years – "Wild animal" stigma – Illegal as pets in California, Hawaii, Washington D.C. and NYC European Polecat

3. History Mustela is a Latin derivation of the term mus for mouse Animals in the Mustela genus include weasels and other “mouse catchers” Putorius is from the Latin putor, which means a stench referring to the musky odor of the ferret Furo comes from the Latin furonem meaning “thief” “mouse-catching, smelly, thief

4. History Have been used for thousands of years by different civilizations to hunt rodents and rabbits England (1200’s) a ferreter was listed as part of the royal court Carried on ships for rodent control – Introduced to America in 18 th century via ships – Used on farms for rodent control

5. History Besides hunting ferrets have been used for – Fur production Europe and U.S. – Transporters ferret’s anatomy and willingness to run through dark tunnels made them ideal in transporting cables through long pipes (Oilmen in the North Sea, telephone companies, camera crews and people working on airline jets have used ferrets for this purpose. Ferrets have been used by Virgin Media for over a year to help lay cables for its broadband service (telegraph, 2010)

6. Anatomical Features No blood types Long body for rapid, convoluted movement in narrow spaces Lifespan: 7-10 years Weight:.5 – 5.5 lbs (females are smaller) Come in many colors Molt each spring and fall

7. Ferret Colors

8. Routine Vet Care Should see vet annually Vaccinations: vaccine series when young and yearly for canine distemper; yearly for rabies Usually spayed or neutered Usually de-scented Yearly fecal test

9. Anatomical Features Claws require frequent trimming Musky smell – Anal glands with scent expressed in response to threat – Sebaceous glands in skin – Bathe weekly Few sweat glands – Incapable of tolerating temperatures above 80ºF

10. Reproduction Males = hobs Females = jills Young = kits Males reach puberty in 8 to 9 months Females in 4 to 12 months Females seasonally polyestrous Breeding season is March through August

11. Reproduction Gestation = 42 days If pregnancy does not occur, pseudopregnancy of 40 to 43 days follows Litters consist of 1 to 18 kits (usually 8 to 10) 3 to 4 litters per year Fertility lasts 2 to 5 years

12. Reproduction Breeding – Place cages in quiet area Should contain nest box with bedding – Mating Behavior Male drags jill while biting her neck – Gestation beyond 42 days may result in dystocia May require Cesarean section – Parturition lasts 2 to 3 hours

13. Behavior Inquisitive and fearless Can be nippy and aggressive Able to hide in small spaces and “disappear”; escape artists Love to play and chew on things Can be trained to walk on a leash Interspecies bonding

14. Research Biomedical Research – Virology (especially human influenza) – Toxicology – Pharmacology – Reproductive physiology – Endocrinology

15. Husbandry Respond to gentle handling Ferrets may be housed in cages and/or allowed to roam the house – Tend to chew and perhaps ingest various materials – Can be trapped in narrow spaces such as recliner chairs Do NOT use cedar or pine shavings as bedding Change bedding and litter daily – Can be trained to use litter pan

16. Husbandry Sexually mature, intact, same-sex ferrets should be housed separately Minimum size of a cage for 1 or 2 ferrets is 3ft wide x 2ft deep x 2ft high – Provide litter pan, nest, hammock, enrichment

17. Husbandry Strict carnivores – Will eat several times a day – Should be fed ad libitum – Large quantities of vegetables can cause blockage – Feed should contain 30% to 40% meat protein and 15% to 30% fat – May prefer poultry over beef and fish – Food should be cooked to reduce bacterial contamination

18. Common Diseases Aleutian Disease – Parvovirus specific to mustelids – Manifests as a chronic wasting disease (can be asymptomatic) – Transmitted via: saliva, blood, feces, urine – No cure; supportive care – Ferrets can be tested to see if they are carriers

19. Common Diseases Canine Distemper – Caused by the Morbillivirus – 99.9% fatal in ferrets Clinical Signs: – smelly eye discharge – rashes/brown crust on face – lethargic – high fever – anorexia – drooling – hardened/ thick paw pads and swollen feet – muscular tremors and seizures – vomiting and diarrhea Vaccinate to prevent

20. Common Diseases Adrenal Disease – Caused by a combination of factors Spay/neuter at young age (5-6 weeks) – May cause body to overcompensate for the lack of normal sex hormones Extended photoperiod – Too little melatonin results in overstimulation of the adrenal glands; need 12 hours of darkness Tumor – Can remove with surgery Clinical Signs: – Hair loss/Thinning hair – Loss of appetite – Lethargy – Papery thin or translucent looking skin – Excessive scratching and itchiness – Sexual aggression and mating behavior in neutered males - with other ferrets, inanimate objects, etc. – Weakness in back legs – Increased thirst, increased urination – Weight loss due to a decrease in muscle mass, but with a pot bellied appearance

21. Adrenal Disease

22. Common Diseases Addison’s Disease – occurs when a ferret has a severe deficiency or total lack of the hormones made in the adrenal cortex – usually occurs when both adrenal glands are removed due to disease No signs until in Addisonian Crisis – Lethargy – Lack of appetite – Weakness – Difficulty walking or total inability to walk – Seizures – Coma – Death Treatment: prednisone and supportive care

23. Common Diseases Intestinal Foreign Bodies – All foam, plastic, and rubber objects must be kept out of their reach – Causes obstructions that could be fatal – Surgical removal of objects Cardiac Disease – Develop as early as 3 years old – congestive heart failure due to cardiomyopathy (weakened/irregular cardiac muscle) or heartworms

24. Rabbits Domestic or European rabbit – Oryctolagus cuniculus – Lagomorph (order) – Domesticated some 1,400 years ago – Herbivores – Lifespan 5-10 years – Crepuscular – Various weights, coats, colors, and breeds New Zealand whites common for meat, research, pelt

25. History Believed that medieval monks began the domestication of rabbits – Newly born rabbits, were not considered to be meat – Over time started selecting for different fur colors Victorians also bred for different fur colors

26. Anatomical Features Changed little over millions of years Large ears for hearing and temperature regulation 2-15lbs Lightweight bones Wide field of vision Open-rooted teeth – Worn down by contact with opposing teeth, abrasion on food

27. Reproduction Induced ovulators Doe may produce 7 to 25 litters with 7 to 8 young per litter Mating occurs within minutes – Pseudopregnancies may occur

28. Reproduction Bucks are sexually mature at 4 to 5 months, mature at 6 to 10 months Does receptive for 7 to 10 days, then non-receptive Gestation is 29-34 days Nest box should be provided Young delivered at night, hairless and blind

29. Behavior Social Trainable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= qM9YWm6T_hc Gentle pets – Can inflict severe scratches with rear feet – May bite if finger resembles food – Male rabbits may castrate one another May thump one rear foot if fearful or aroused – May spray urine on nearby persons

30. Research One of the most commonly used research animals – toxicity testing for cosmetic, personal, and household products – Draize eye and skin irritancy tests

31. Husbandry Housing – Can be house trained and have run of the house – Can be caged individually – Require feeder and waterer – Comfortable at ambient temperatures between 40ºF to 85ºF Can tolerate colder temperatures if acclimatized and enclosed Do NOT tolerate heat well Heat stress is common – Keep clean and well ventilated

32. Husbandry Minimum Cage Size (for doe and 1 litter) Small Breeds 2-4 lbs - 30 X 30 X 12 high Medium Breeds 5-7 lbs - 30 X 36 X 12-14 high Large Breeds 8+ - 30 x 40- 48 x 14-16 high

33. Husbandry Nutrition – Fiber essential for intestinal motility – Digest about 70% of plant protein Ingest vitamin- and protein-rich cecotrophs directly from anus – Adult rabbits should eat 3 to 6 ounces daily Lactating rabbits should be fed ad libitum – May have small quantities of "treat" foods Seem to prefer oat and strawberry flavors

34. Common Diseases Bacterial Disease – Pasteurellosis Pasteurella multocida Multisystem symptoms Treated by adminstration of antimicrobials – Clostridial enterotoxemia Can kill rabbits with few preceding clinical signs Few treatments are effective Prevented with quality stock and good husbandry – Tyzzer’s DIsease

35. Common Diseases Parasitic diseases – External Parasites Fleas, lice, mites, and ticks Ear mites are a common problem Other – Ulcerative pododermatitis or "sore hocks” – Incisor malocclusion – Gastric hairballs