nPostednon April 2, 2016
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nWhennyou find out someone has a pet, you might assume it’s a dog or cat.nOf course, it could be a bird or a fish…a hamster or rat…a rosynboa or hermit crab or turtle or guinea pig or iguana.
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nButnit might be a ferret!
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nAccordingnto the American Ferret Association, domesticated ferrets are as affectionate as a puppy but also asnindependent as a kitten.
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Above, weasel.
Below, polecat. |
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nDidnyou notice that ferrets look a bit like mink or weasels? Of course,nthose are some pretty close relations in the animal world, and thenmongoose is another close relative. But ferrets are actually thendomesticated versions of the European polecat. Actually, ferrets cannbreed with wild polecats, and the resulting wild hybrid has beennknown to do damage to natural ecosystems. That is the major reasonnthat ferrets as pets are illegal in many places in the world. Anothernreason given for making ferrets illegal is that they can be carriersnof rabies.
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Ferretsnare supposed to be fairly popular as pets in some places, but where Inlive, California, it’s illegal to have a pet ferret. Some othernplaces where ferrets are illegal are: Queensland, Australia; NewnZealand; California and Hawaii; Washington, D.C., and New York City.
Ferretsnare supposed to be fairly popular as pets in some places, but where Inlive, California, it’s illegal to have a pet ferret. Some othernplaces where ferrets are illegal are: Queensland, Australia; NewnZealand; California and Hawaii; Washington, D.C., and New York City.
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Ferrets can be adorable. But, like cats and dogs, they are carnivores — which means they come equipped with some fairly sharp teeth! |
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nHerenare some cool things about ferrets:
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nFerretn racing is a fun activity, with a race course made of pipes and wiren mesh.
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nWhenn they are excited, ferrets do something called a “weasel warn dance.” This involves dooking (making clucking noises), hoppingn around sideways, and even bumping into things as the ferrets urgen you to play with them. (No war or violence ensues, despite then name!)
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nFerrets aren’t reallyn nocturnal nor diurnal, but instead are crepuscular. That means thatn they aren’t very active at night (so they aren’t nocturnal), theyn tend to sleep during the day (so they aren’t diurnal), but they aren active during the hours around sunrise and then again during then hours around sunset. They’re creatures of twilight!
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nFerrets come in several colors:
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nAlsonon this date:
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nArtistn/ scientist Maria Sibylla Merian’s birthday
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nArtistn/ scientist Maria Sibylla Merian’s birthday
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nPeanutnButter and Jelly Day
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nTaternDay
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nSizdehnBedar – Persian Nature Day
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nInternationalnChildren’s Book Day
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nBirthdaynof children’s author Hans Christian Andersen
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nPlannahead:
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Checknout my Pinterest boards for:
Checknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nApriln holidays
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nMayn holidays
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nMayn birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in May
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