The ferret is a domesticated for of the European Polecat.
My friend had a pet ferret one time. They are messy and have an odor.
Ferret
The ferret ("Mustela putorius furo") is the domesticated form of the European polecat, a mammal belonging to the same genus as the weasel, "Mustela", in the family Mustelidae. Their fur is typically brown, black, white, or mixed. They have an average length of , including a tail, weigh about , and have a natural lifespan of 7 to 10 years. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators, with males being substantially larger than females.
The history of the ferret's
1911.
Today, some mustelids are threatened for other reasons. Sea otters are vulnerable to oil spills and the indirect effects of overfishing; the black-footed ferret, a relative of the European polecat, suffers from the loss of American prairie; and wolverine populations are slowly declining because of habitat destruction and persecution. The rare European mink "Mustela lutreola" is one of the most endangered mustelid species.
One mustelid, the ferret, has been domesticated and is a fairly common pet.
Systematics.
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