I plan on owning Ferrets one day, truly interesting creatures. 
They really are.  I was reading the other day that they have been domesticated for at least 2500 years?
It's strange, I wonder what they would have served for hunters?
It seems they were used for hunting rabbits in some places...and then went from there to becoming domesticated
That's incredible, I could never hunt rabbits, I'm sure it's challenging though.
Some people actually still use them for hunting rabbits!  How strange is that?  For the most part, they are kept as pets though.
I have one actually, they are prey animals, so it's very hard to tell when they're sick, so it's important to always look after them.
parts of the world have imposed restrictions on the keeping of ferrets.
Several other mustelids also have the word "ferret" in their common names, including the black-footed ferret, an endangered species.
Etymology.
The name "ferret" is derived from the Latin "furittus", meaning "little thief", a likely reference to the common ferret penchant for secreting away small items. The Greek word "ictis" occurs in a play written by Aristophanes, "The Acharnians", in 425 BC
foundation of human agriculture.
- Caracals are sometimes used as hunting animals in some parts of the Middle East, although they are normally kept as pets.
- Cheetahs that have been tamed but not domesticated have been used by humans for chasing down prey.
- Ferrets prey on creatures living in burrows, such as rabbits.
- In falconry, birds of prey are used as hunters in the air.
- Aquatic birds, such as cormorants in China, can be used to catch fish.
Roles