• Alpha Ferret – The leader of the group.
  • Ankle Biter – Attention seeking, wanting a cuddle or a ride on your shoulder.
  • Belly Button – At least I thought it was, until I discovered it was a male ferret!!
  • Bib – White fur under the chin and on the throat.
  • Blown Coat – Shedding their fur, at times in vast quantity!!
  • Business – Group of ferrets.
  • Bottom Wiping – After going to the loo they drag their bottom on the floor, saves on toilet roll!!
  • Carpet Shark – Laying flat out on the floor just watching the world go by. Sometimes even pulling themselves along like a commando on night manoeuvres!!
  • Court – A large enclosed area where a group of ferrets live and play.
  • DEW – Dark Eyed White. White ferret with black or very deep red eyes.
  • Dooking – Ferret laughter. They do it when they are happy, excited, playing and exploring new places.
  • Eggs – Fed occasionally as a treat, raw or gently scrambled.
  • Ferreting – Working your ferrets. Which usually means hunting for rabbits.
  • Ferret Math – You start with two and before long you are on your way to eight, nine or in my case, at present, thirty-two. Long live Ferret Math!!
  • Ferret Proofing – Everything in your house must be safe and secure for your ferrets.
  • Farting Ferrets – Usually done when they are frightened or angry to warn off whoever has upset them. It is a strong smell that lasts a few moments then dissipates, thankfully!!
  • Green Faeces – Means the food is moving through the system too fast.
  • Hob – Male ferret.
  • Interested - in absolutely everything. Ferrets are just plain nosey!!
  • Jill – Female ferret.
  • Kit – Baby ferret.
  • Loo Brush – Out puffs all the hair on the ferret’s tail, looking like a loo cleaning brush. They do this when they angry, frightened or even when they are happy.
  • Mitts – White feet and toes.
  • Nipping – Kits do it because they don’t know any better! Adults do it as an invitation to play.
  • Oil – Ferrets have natural oil in their coats. Bathing is not necessary, nor advisable!
  • Panting – A ferret will do this when they are dehydrated.
  • Quick – Like us ferrets have a “quick” in their nails, so be careful when clipping!
  • Rainbow Bridge – The place your ferret waits happily, peacefully and free of any pain until you cross the bridge to join them.
  • Rat’s Tail – Hair loss and blackheads on tail. The tail is cold to the touch like a rat’s. This is caused by excess hormone secretion during coat change period.
  • Scruffing – Holding a ferret by the loose skin behind the head on the upper neck area, just like the Jill does with her kits.
  • Shivering – A ferret does this when it first awakes. They are regulating/increasing their body temperature which lowers when they are asleep.
  • Snorkelling – Give a ferret a baby bath full of water and down the head goes fully submerged, with the odd bubble from the nose popping to the surface, as they look around with their eyes fully open.
  • Stash – The ferret’s favourite hiding place for all their treasures.
  • Teeth – Not just used for nipping their human parent!!
  • Ultimate Pet – Ferrets are the best!
  • Vitalin – My ferrets think it’s the best dry food available.
  • War Dance – Bounce, bounce. Dook, dook. Mouth open, head back, face laughing, bumping into everything, usually heading backwards and looking like a loony!!
  • X – Ferrets need and love lots of kisses.
  • Yawning – Ferrets do this when they first wake up and when they are being scruffed.
  • Zipper – The dark line that runs down the middle of their tummies.

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