As our ferret companions journey from birth to old age, they experience changes similar in some ways to the changes experienced by aging people. Those changes include hair loss, hair thinning, tooth decay, and changes to appetite, mobility, physical structure, personality and temperament. The changes discussed in this article apply to healthy ferrets, not ferrets affected by disease.
Physical Structure
Ferret babies (kits) are born weighing 10 to 12 grams with eyes and ears closed, and are normally pink in body color. They start showing “peach fuzz” fur on Day 1 or 2 and have their baby hair at about 4 or 5 weeks of age. They are totally dependent upon their mother for survival. By 4 weeks of age, their weight is around 200 grams, or 8 ounces, and they start to blindly investigate their surroundings. By week 5 or 6, they open their eyes and ears and start to explore everything they see. By 8 months of age, the ferret kit reaches its adult structure.
For the full article, pick up the 2011 issue of Ferrets USA or click here to buy the issue.