Ferret Terminology

A
ADV
Aleutian Disease Virus - a viral condition of ferret which results in a fatal
degeneration of the nervous system or other organs.
Albino
An all white ferret with red eyes. Particularly in males, the fur may show patches
of yellow in areas of active skin glands (ears, tail base, etc).
Ankle Biter
A ferret wanting something (such as a treat or to be picked up) who asked nicely
the first time but didn’t quite get what they wanted.
Alter
A ferret who has been spayed or neutered. The castrated male is called a gib and
the spayed female a sprite.
 

B
Bib
White fur on the chin and throat of a ferret. Many also display white mitts (or
“socks”) on the feet.
Blaze
A ferret with a white stripe extending down the forehead. Some of these ferrets
may be affected by Waardenburg's syndrome and may be deaf.
Bottlebrush
Piloerection of the tail. An excited or angry ferret will poof all the tail hair so it
looks like a bottlebrush.
Bulldog
The body style of ferret that is heavily-built, with a short thick neck, a blunt broad
face, and a wide chest.
Business
A grouping of multiple ferrets living together.
 

 
C
Carpet Surfing
When a ferret stretches its front legs back and pushes itself forward with its back
legs, rubbing its tummy on the fuzzy carpet.
Chomp
A friendly, but often painful, nip which is often preceeded by licking (as in lick-
lick-chomp). Sometimes an invitation to play.
Cinnamon
A ferret with orange-colored guard hairs.
Couch Sharking
An ambush game where ferrets hide under the couch and wait for unsuspecting
human victims to sit down, at which time the ferrets playfully attack the ankles.
 

D
Dance of Joy
A happy or excited ferret will bounce with stiff legs, arched back, open mouth and
swinging head. It is common for ferrets to bounce off edges while doing this
dance. Often accompanied by dooking and bottlebrush tails. (Also known as
Weasel War Dance)
Dash and Stash
When ferrets find a special treasure, they grab it and run off to add it to their
hidey-hole.
DFS (dead ferret syndrome)
A ferret so deeply asleep that it is hard to wake him/her up. Often mistaken by
owners as a truly dead ferret to the point they will start CPR! Ferrets can be
picked up and moved without ever awakening.
DEW
Dark Eyed White - indicating a white ferret with deep red eyes.
Dook or Dooking
The chuckle or chortle sound a ferret makes when excited, exploring, playing or
dancing.
Duck Soup
Liquefied ferret food supplement usually hand fed to sick ferrets. There are
various recipes, all with high protein meats (usually turkey or chicken, not duck)
and added vitamins. This does not include the dry powder made by Marshall
Farms called “Duk Soup”.
 
 

E
ECE
Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis, a contagious virus that results in diarrhea,
dehydration and malnutrition. Also known as green slime disease.
 

F
Ferret
Also known as carpet shark, fert, furball, fur-kid, fuzzball, fuzzbutt, fuzzy, weasel
and many others.
Ferretry
A place that houses businesses of ferret or breeds them.
Ferreting
Hunting with trained ferrets, usually for rabbits or rats.
Ferret Fishing
An interactive human sport where humans tie a ferret toy to the end of a pole,
string or line and reel in the ferrets.
Ferret Juggling
The act of having to carry, hold, or control multiple ferrets.
Ferret Math
A situation (not unlike eating just one more potato chip) that arises wherein the
number of ferrets in your household keeps increasing - you just can't help it!
Ferret Proofing
A never-ending process of trying to keep your ferrets safe from the multitude of
household dangers.
Ferrent
The parent of a ferret (Ferret + Parent = Ferrent).
FLO
Ferret Liberation Organization or underground ferret group whose ferret agents
devise mischief and methods of befuddling their humans.
 

 
G
Gib
A male ferret who has been neutered.
Gravity
A word not in your ferret's vocabulary.
 

H
Hidey Hole
The special hiding place of beloved stolen ferret items.
Hit Rate
A term used to indicate how well a ferret uses a designated potty area. Ferrets
with over an 80% hit rate are considered wonderful!
Hiss
The noise a ferret makes when he is annoyed.
Hob
An unneutered male ferret.
 

J
Jill (or Doe)
A female ferret who is unspayed.

K
Kit
A baby ferret.
 

M
Mask
The “raccoon” pattern displayed by some ferrets – particularly the sable ferret.
Mitts
White feet or toes on some ferrets (often accompanied by white knee spots and a
bib).
 

N
Nip and Run
When a ferret races up to you, nips you on the shin and dashes off as an
enticement for you to play. Also known as a drive-by. Hilarious to the ferret,
not so funny to the human.
NONOBADFERRET
A pointless cry of a human in the process of watching FLO agents in action.
 

P
Panda
A ferret with a mostly white face.
Portal Ambush
When a business of ferrets gather around the base of a door that a human wishes
to open. This forces the human to practice ferret juggling skills.
 

S
Sable
The foundation color of ferret - brown guard hairs over a cream colored
undercoat, dark mask and somewhat darker points.
Scream
The noise made by a ferret when terrified.
Scruffing
 Holding a ferret by the loose skin on the back of the neck, as a mother would
carry her kits. This often induces a yawn.
Shiver
The shaking motion a ferret makes when just waking up or when excited about
something. Does not usually denote fear and most often is used as a way to
regulate body temperature.
Silver
A ferret with a salt and pepper coloration.
Snorkeling
Some ferrets play in water by immersing their entire head and blowing bubbles.
Speed Bump
When a ferret suddenly lies flat on the floor (usually accompanied by a deep
sigh). This may occur in the middle of playing which will usually resume after a
short session of speedbumping. Also called flat ferret, ferret flop or pancaking.
Usually not a symptom of illness.
Sprite
A female ferret who has been spayed.
Squink
The arch in the back seen in a healthy, active ferret.
 

T
Tangle of Ferrets
A group of ferrets pile sleeping.
Toe Biter
A ferret who fixates on nipping toes.
Tuck and Scoot
A way for ferrets to transport or play with objects (typically round). The ferret
grabs the object with their front paws, hugs it, pushes it down under the belly and
then scoots backwards.
 

W
Waardenburg's syndrome
A genetic defect found in ferrets that results in a white steak of fur on the
forehead and sometimes results in deafness.
Whippet
The body style of ferret that is lean, lanky and fine-boned, with a tendency toward
a pointier nose.
Whole
A whole ferret has not been altered and can be bred.
 

Z
Zipper
Center “line” on the ventral abdomen, often more darkly colored than the
surrounding fur.