Some Ferret Lingo terms and antics that are often used among ferret owners and what they mean.
| TERM | MEANING |
|---|---|
| Albino | Solid white ferret with red eyes |
| Alpha Ferret | The dominant ferret of the house, leader of the pack |
| Ankle/leg Biter | Wanting attention, a treat or to be picked up |
| Belly Button | Well not quite, let’s just say you have a male ferret |
| Bib | White fur on chin and throat |
| Blaze | White stripe between the ears going down to the nose. These ferrets can be deaf. |
| Blown/blowing coat | Another way of saying shedding, but happens rather quickly in large amounts (normal) |
| Bottle Brush | Their tail puffs out from excitement, anger or fear..almost like static cling |
| Business | Group of multi ferrets |
| Butt Wipe | Ferret type of toilet paper. After going to the bathroom, they drag their rear on the floor |
| Chomp | Checking out teeth strength..the acting of biting. The usual course is lick-lick-CHOMP |
| Carpet Shark | laying very close to the floor stretched out, usually just observing. Can also crawl from this position. AKA flat ferret |
| DEW | White ferret with dark (black or deep red) eyes- Dark White Ferret |
| Dooking | Chuckling sounds are made when excited, exploring, playing, or war dancing. Resembles a rooster sound |
| Duck Soup | Liquefied high-protein food is usually given to ill ferrets |
| FFZ | Ferret Free Zone – Ferrets are illegal, Also known as NFFZ – Non-Ferret Friendly Zone |
| Ferreting | Better known as working ferrets. Trained ferrets used for hunting, usually rabbits. Illegal in the US |
| Ferret Math | The art of going from one ferret to two, to three to four to….. |
| Ferret Proofing | Keeping the house as safe as possible for ferrets. Restricting access to areas that can cause them harm |
| Hob | Whole male ferret able to breed. V-Hob – Hob able to breed but fully sterile. Gib – neutered male unable to breed |
| Jill | Whole female ferret able to go into heat and produce kits. Sprite is a spayed female, unable to go into heat or get pregnant |
| Kit | Baby ferret |
| Mitts | White feet or toes |
| Nip & Run | Easier than the chomp action..Invitation to play |
| Panda | Ferret with a predominantly white face, overgrown blaze. These ferrets carry a very high incidence of deafness |
| Poof | Non-descended ferret secretes their anal sacks usually in fear releasing a strong pungent odor that lasts a few minutes. Best used to clear a house of all unwanted guests in a matter of seconds |
| Rainbow Bridge | A place where your fully healed ferret plays around waiting for you to cross over the bridge together for eternity |
| Scruffing | Pinching by the nape of the neck, just like a mother would do, relaxing and calming the ferret. This will usually result in the ferret yawning away |
| Shiver | Seen when a ferret first wakes up. Way of regulating and increasing their body temperature which drops during sleep time |
| Snorkeling | Immersing entire head in water, often blowing bubbles. Often they forget their scuba gear |
| Stash | Hiding place ferrets store all their treasures usually out of human reach. Missing keys, remote controls, etc can usually be found there. Who needs kids?? |
| Thief | Their wonderful gift of stealing whatever they believe is theirs, without being noticed, to add to their stash |
| War Dance | An excited ferret bouncing and thrashing themselves around with stiff legs, arched back, open mouth, swinging head, often flinging into walls and furniture. Usually dooking and bottle brush tail goes on at the same time. Ferret on speed |
| Rat Tail | The appearance of blackheads on the tail with hair loss and is usually an end result. Usually excess hormone secretion around coat changes. |
| Waardenburg’s Syndrome | Genetic defect found in white ferrets, blazes, and pandas resulting in deafness |
| Zipper | Not yours, theirs. The dark line that runs down their stomach is in the middle. |
