Today’s domestic ferrets often live lives of leisure, hanging out with their fellow ferret friends and their owners, and enjoying super long naps. However, life was not always so blissful for the domestic ferret. When people first domesticated the ferret, they did not have a companion in mind. Rather, they put their ferrets to work.

Ferrets are carnivorous animals. In the wild, they are naturally inclined to chase after small mammals for a meal. Seeing the wild ferrets in the wild gave humans the idea to domesticate ferrets in order to train them as hunters. Since the ferrets already showed an enthusiasm for chasing and killing rodents and pests, the people assumed that the ferret was the ideal assistant to hunters. Additionally, ferrets are extremely quick, which meant they were able to keep up with their prey. Their size and ability to slip through cracks made ferrets very skilled at following rabbits and other rodents into their burrows.

Hunting with ferrets became known as “ferreting.” As humans’ relationship with ferrets developed, they were also put to use around grain storages, to keep mice and rats out of the grain. Additionally, ferrets were taken to different areas to control rabbit plagues.

Unfortunately, introducing ferrets to islands like New Zealand caused great destruction to the natural environment. Many birds perished under the introduction of a predator. Today, ferrets are illegal on the island of New Zealand, as well as Iceland.

Ferrets were also illegal in much of the United States. They remain illegal in the state of Hawaii, as well as the state of California. However, they gained popularity throughout much of the rest of the country as pets in the 1980’s. Today, they are occasionally used by electricians to run wiring through walls and tiny spaces. Additionally, they are used for hunting in certain parts of the world. Most commonly though, ferrets today live the good life as beloved pets and companions.