Ferrets, with their infinite youthful exuberance and smiling faces, make wonderful pets. As many have learned, no two ferrets are exactly the same. Just like humans, each ferret will have his or her own unique personality. Some will be like to be cuddled more than others. One may enjoy completely different games than another. Some may be more solitary than social. There's really no way of telling just what type of ferret you are getting until you bring him home and blend him in with your family.



Even with all the differences between ferrets, there are also some basic similarities when it comes to ferret behavior. Here are some of the behaviors that most ferrets share in common:

?Bottle Brush Tail ? Just like a cat, your ferret's tail may poof out when he is scared or excited. How do you know the difference? If your ferret is hissing and backing away from you while his tail is puffed up, he is likely scared and needs to be left alone. If your ferret has just been let out of his cage after a long period and his tail becomes puffy, he is likely about to let off some serious steam by running through the house!

?Backing into a corner ? Ferrets will back into corners for one of two reasons. One is that he is frightened. You will know this by his body language and vocalization. A frightened ferret puffs up his tail and hisses. If you see your ferret backing into a corner without the display of fear, pick him up and place him quickly in the nearest litter box, for he is about to relieve himself on the floor.

?Chasing ? Ferrets can send their new owners into a frenzy of panic with their play behaviors if the owner is not experienced. The sight of your ferret jumping and lurching at you can be startling, but really all the little guy wants is to play chase! Ferrets will chase each other, the cat, or you. They don't really care who plays chase with them, as long as they get to engage in the game often. Remember, ferrets

?Digging ? Digging is a strong natural instinct that ferrets rarely ignore. They may dig in their food bowl, their litter box, or your favorite potted plant. Because of this digging tendency, it is recommended that potted plants be either moved outside or into a room where your ferret will not be allowed to go. Some ferret owners actually give their pets a place to indulge this ferret behavior by mixing sand with potting soil in a box and putting it out for play time. If you do this just make sure you place the box in a place that is easy to clean!

?Sneezing ? Ferrets are low to the ground and sniff everything in their path. For that reason, they are in close proximity to dust which causes sneezing. When you hear sneezes coming from your ferret, there is no reason to worry. Just make sure to check for a runny nose or lethargy along with the sneezing. If this happens, your ferret could have a cold and need to see the vet.

These are just a few of the ferret behaviors you will get to know over the course of your time as a ferret owner. You can be sure your particular pet will sooner or later display his own set of unique behaviors as well.