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Home > Resources > Ask The Experts > Small Pet Advice

The Ancestry Of The Domestic Ferret

by James Glover
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Where do ferrets originate from? (Merriah Walsh - Wisconsin)

A great deal of mystery surrounds the origins of the domestic ferret. Archeological remains of the ferret have been dated to 1500 BC, and most people place the origin around the same time as the domestic cat (which was probably during dynastic Egypt).

The ferret was probably bred from the European Polecat (Mustela putorius), and some use the scientific name Mustela putorius furo. It is also possible that ferrets have the Steppe polecat (Mustela eversmanni) in their ancestry.

More Pet Ferret Questions & Answers

Disclaimer: This service is meant to provide advice only and is not meant to replace an appointment with a registered veterinarian. Users should always seek a second opinion. Unfortunately we are only able to answer several questions per week so not everyone gets a published answer. And, unfortunately we can't answer by email.

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