Download top and best high-quality free Ferret PNG Transparent Images backgrounds available in various sizes. To view the full PNG size resolution click on any of the below image thumbnail.

License Info: Creative Commons 4.0 BY-NC

The ferret is a small domestic mustelid animal. It is considered to be a descendent of the European polecat, a mammal belonging to the same genus as the weasel, Mustela. It is the only domesticated species in the Mustelidae family. Their fur is usually brown, black, white, or a combination of these colors. They average 51 cm (20 in) in length, including a 13 cm (5.1 in) tail, weigh between 0.7 and 2.0 kg (1.5 and 4.4 lb), and live for 7 to 10 years in the wild. Male ferrets are much bigger than female ferrets, making them sexually dimorphic predators.

Like most other domestic animals, the history of the ferret’s domestication is unknown, however it is probable that they have been domesticated for at least 2,500 years. In certain regions of the world, they are still used to hunt rabbits, but they are increasingly being kept as pets.

Because ferrets are so closely related to polecats, they may easily hybridize with them, resulting in feral colonies of polecat”ferret hybrids that have harmed native wildlife, particularly in New Zealand. As a result, the keeping of ferrets has been restricted in New Zealand and other areas of the world.

Other mustelids, such as the black-footed ferret, an endangered North American species, are also known as ferrets.

Ferrets sleep for 14″18 hours a day and are most active at dawn and dusk, making them crepuscular animals. If they are kept in a cage, they should be let out at least once a day to exercise and fulfill their curiosity; they require at least an hour and a safe location to play. Unlike their polecat predecessors, who were lonely creatures, most ferrets prefer to live in groups. They are territorial, like to burrow, and sleep in a confined space.

Ferrets, like many other mustelids, have smell glands near their anus, from which the secretions are utilized in scent marking. Individuals, as well as the sex of unfamiliar individuals, may be recognized by ferrets via anal gland secretions. Ferrets may also utilize urine marking to indicate sex and identify individual ferrets.

Ferrets, like skunks, can produce anal gland secretions when startled or scared, although the odor is weaker and dissipates quickly. In the United States, most pet ferrets are sold descented (anal glands removed). De-scenting is regarded a needless mutilation in many other areas of the world, notably the United Kingdom and other European nations.

When they are excited, they may engage in a behavior known as the “weasel war dance,” which involves frantic sideways hops, jumps, and bumping against surrounding objects. It is not aggressive, despite its widespread moniker, but rather a pleasant call to play. It is frequently accompanied by a distinct soft clucking sound known as “dooking.” Ferrets hiss when they’re afraid, and they squeak gently when they’re angry.

Download Ferret PNG images transparent gallery.