Ferret Colors and Their Popularity
Ferret colors White, Black, Brown, Yellow – these are the terms that we use to refer to skin color of humans hailing from different parts of the world. In a similar vein, ferrets are of various colors. But unlike humans who have a uniform skin color apart from hair, ferrets do not have a uniform skin color. The guardhairs, undercoat, eyes and nose have different color patterns.
Guardhairs are the hairs covering a major part of the ferret’s body. They are coarse and long. The undercoat consists of hairs that are present underneath the guardhairs. They are short and soft hairs.
By default, most ferrets are albinos i.e. their skin does not have a pigment. The fur is white while the eyes are red and nose is pink. There are black ferrets whose fur, nose and eyes are black. There is a slight golden hue to the undercoat.
Apart from these two colors the other most common ferret colors that are popular with ferret enthusiasts are sable, dark-eyed white (DEW), and silver. The color of ferrets is influenced by the climate in which they live.
The color of a ferret cannot be made out at the time of birth. It takes weeks or sometimes months to identify the exact color pattern. You should be careful when you are buying the ferret from a pet shop or breeder as they might use artificial colorings to make the ferret look attractive.
It sounds unbelievable but there are certain ferrets that change color. The sable colored ferret might be dark brown / chocolate or black. The guardhairs are dark in color and the tail and eyes are of a similar color. The undercoat is light cream colored. In a dark-eyed white ferret the guardhairs are all white and the eyes are dark in color.
In terms of popularity albinos are the most popular and preferred ferrets. This might be attributed to its snowy white color and ease of spotting after hunting. The black sables are the second most popular ferrets. The cinnamon colored ferrets are the third most preferred ferrets. They are rarely found but much loved by many ferret enthusiasts.
The cinnamon colored ferret has brown guardhairs and reddish brown or blonde undercoats. The legs and tails are slightly dark than their body color. Eyes are burgundy colored and the nose is brown or pink colored.
There are various other color combinations and patterns. The nose has a distinct color pattern. There are ferrets that have a splotched, pink, black, brown or t-outlined nose. The head also has markings that may be blaze, panda or mitts.
Depending on the concentration of color, the ferrets may be classified into standard, solid, roans or point (Siamese).
There were originally only four known colors of ferrets – black, albino, white and silver. The other varieties of ferrets evolved over time due to crossbreeding between various types of ferrets. Not withstanding popularity ferret color is a matter of the owner’s individuality, personality and temperament. It is important to select a ferret based on its personality and temperament and to check whether it suits your lifestyle and temperament.
