What is Ferret?
[[Image:Domestic ferret.jpg|thumb|200px|A domestic ferret.]] [[Image:Fretts 301004 selbstfotografiert, GNU-FDL.jpg|thumb|200px|Several ferrets with different colors.]] [[Image:Ferrets at play.jpg|thumb|250px|Ferrets at play]] '''Ferrets''' (''Mustela putorius furo'') are [[Domestication|domestic]] animals. They are the domestic form of the European [[polecat]]. They are in the [[weasel]] [[genus]] of the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Mustelidae]]. Ferrets have an average length of 20&nbsp;inches (51&nbsp;cm) including a 5-inch (13&nbsp;cm) tail, weigh about {{nowrap|{{convert|1.5|–|4|lb|sigfig=1}}}}. They live for about 7–10 years.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060721081758/http://www.bradleyhills.com/ferrets/surgery/health/ Bradley Hills Animal Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland, USA, on lifespan of Ferrets]. Bradleyhills.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-28.</ref> Males are larger than females. They are sociable animals, and are usually kept in groups of two or more. With their long thin body, ferrets look like a large weasel. They may have different colours and markings on their fur. A lot of ferrets in one place will sometimes have a strange smell. This is caused by natural oils produced by the ferrets. == Behavior == As naturally [[crepuscular]] animals, ferrets tend to sleep during the day. This deters many people from getting them although most ferret owners say their ferrets change their sleeping schedules to that of their owners. == Ferrets and humans == Domesticated ferrets are used for [[hunting]], or can be kept as [[pet]]s. Hunting with ferrets is called ferreting. Because of their thin body, they can go down into holes and hunt [[rodent]]s and [[rabbit]]s. Ferrets have been kept as pets since the [[Middle Ages]]. == Health == Ferrets suffer from several health problems. Some of the most common health problems are [[cancer]]s affecting the [[adrenal gland]]s, [[pancreas]], and [[lymphatic system]]. [[Viral]] diseases include [[canine distemper]] and [[influenza]]. Health problems can happen in unspayed