Ferret Genesis
Unfortunately the very beginnings of the domestication of the ferret appear to have been lost to history.  We do not know exactly when or where the modern day ferret began to be domesticated.  It was once believed that ferrets had been domesticated in ancient Egypt as far back as 3000 BC.  Hieroglyphs had been found in crypts and temples that depicted animals bearing a striking resemblance to a ferret.  This theory has since been discredited as it is more likely that these hieroglyphs depicted mongooses rather than ferrets.  This does not mean to suggest that ferrets may not have been domesticated so long ago, there is simply no evidence to support such a theory.  The earliest evidence of the ferret we do have is from around the year 450 BC, when the Greek playwright Aristophanes mentioned them in one of his plays, they were also mentioned by the famous greek philosopher and playwright Aristotle around 350 BC.

The Expansion of the Ferret
Ferrets became more popular and spread throughout Europe during the conquests of the roman empire.  Roman armies used ferrets to hunt rabbit by sending a ferret into a warren.  Upon smelling a ferret a rabbit would instinctively flee the perceived danger exiting through one of the other holes in their den, when they did roman soldiers would be waiting with nets, clubs or dogs (or a combination of all three). This type of hunting, called "ferreting" is still in use in some areas of the world today where rabbit populations are high and are treated as pests. 

During the late twelfth to thirteenth century ferrets became somewhat of a status symbol in Britain.  In order to own a ferret during this time British law mandated that one have an annual income of at least forty shillings, this kept the lower classes from owning ferrets and using them to illegally hunt rabbits.  Eventually ferrets also saw their establishment as companion animals. Ferrets have appeared in many famous paintings throughout history.  The most famous of these is probably "Lady Ermine" by Leonardo Da Vinci which was commissioned and painted around 1490. In 1585 Nicholas Hilliard painted Queen Elizabeth the First with a white ermine (ferret) placed strategically on her arm.

Ferrets were also valued for their use in controlling rodent populations as people looked for an effective way to control pests.  They were frequently brought aboard ships where they were highly effective because of their ability to get into very small spaces where rodents frequently hide.  It was not uncommon for farmers to keep ferrets on a farm to protect stores of grain in barns, silos or granaries against rodent infestation.  Eventually, however, the ferrets' popularity as a rodent control measure would wane as cats began to see their popularity increase as people began to associate cats less and less with witchcraft and devil worship. 

Ferrets Migrate to America
They didn't come on the Nina, the Pinta or the Santa Maria but ferrets did eventually make their way to the U.S.  They probably were introduced sometime in the 1800's on board ships that used them as rodent control.  Once introduced however they were used for hunting as well as extermination.  More recently ferrets have been used as transporters for cabling or wiring (even the aerospace giant Boeing used ferrets to help with the cabling for their airplanes!).  The process of transporting included attaching a harness that carried a wire/cable to a ferret and sending it through a tube or conduit and seeing the ferret through to the other side.  This process was largely effective except that occasionally the ferret would suddenly decide it was time to take a nap in the middle of stringing a cable.

Today in the United States and throughout the world ferrets are chiefly owned as companions to people.  Their spunky personalities and inquisitive nature have endeared the ferret to many.  Clubs and organizations exist in many countries and it seems unlikely that this fascination with these fuzzy little creatures will end any time soon.

Click here for further examples of ferrets in art history.

A more detailed history of ferrets can be found here.

Care to comment on this article?
Do you have something you'd like to add to this article? We're always looking for good tips to help other pet owners. Please include your name and the city and state where you live (or country if outside the US) for any comments you would like to have appear on our site. You can email us at info@zapgraphix.