| The first known written reference to the ferret | | | | rabbit burrows. They are, in effective, sent out in |
| and its domesticated status pops up around 400 | | | | search of the game. And just like today's canines |
| BC (Yep, that is before the birth of Christ!). It | | | | -- the pointers and other sporting dogs -- the |
| was written by the satirical Greek writer known | | | | ferrets wore bells on their collars. In this way their |
| as Aristophanes. Later, the Greek naturalist and | | | | keepers were better able to keep track of them. |
| philosopher Aristotle (yes, the one we have all | | | | Now, do not misunderstand the role of the ferret |
| heard of!) mentions this little dude again. | | | | in all of this. He was not sent out to actually |
| As history progressed, it seems so did the | | | | perform the hunting aspect of this sport. No, his |
| ferrets ability to meet the needs of humans. | | | | role was just to rouse the rabbit and other small |
| Take for example Caesar Augustus of the | | | | game out of its burrow. |
| Roman Empire. Around 60 BC he received a | | | | You may not want to hear this, but ferrets have |
| request to sail several ferrets to the Balearic | | | | been on the wrong side of the law -- but not by |
| Islands. | | | | their choice, mind you. No, many poachers used |
| Their mission: Control the rabbit population. | | | | ferrets to help them illegally catch game. It is |
| But he is a relative newcomer to the shores of | | | | rather embarrassing to say, but the poacher |
| North America. He landed here about the same | | | | would hide the ferret in his pants, and then take |
| time the Pilgrims and other settlers did (although | | | | the furry animal out at night on his hunt. In fact, if |
| we may never know exactly how!) | | | | you want to get technical about it, you could say |
| Indeed, why do you think they came in so handy | | | | that poachers were actually the first large-scale |
| in the American Revolution? Well, just like in the | | | | owners of these guys. |
| age of the Roman Empire they were placed on | | | | And let's just say some topics are better left |
| the war ships and were put in charge of the | | | | briefly developed... |
| "rodent patrol." This may be difficult to believe but | | | | Even today, depending on what city or state you |
| these guys were so valuable as shipmates that | | | | live in a ferret could be classified as a classic |
| one ship was actually named after the animal. | | | | "outlaw." Confusion reigns over the actual lineage |
| This, though, was some 60 years after the | | | | of these adorable little creatures. |
| revolution. The ship was simply named The Ferret. | | | | Are they wild animals that people insist on |
| A schooner, it was one of the chief ships that | | | | keeping? Or are they actually domesticated |
| chased and captured pirates. | | | | descendants of wild animals? As advanced as |
| These guys even have as sport named after | | | | science and biology is sometimes... it makes you |
| them. Yes, it is true! It is called the sport of | | | | wonder why we can't trace the ferret's heritage |
| ferreting (go figure!). And it is simply hunting small | | | | clearly back. No matter. The fact remains that in |
| game using --- you guessed it, ferrets. This sport | | | | many states as well as more than a few cities, |
| in all probability developed right along with the | | | | owning a ferret as a pet is illegal. Yep. It certainly |
| domestication of the animal itself. | | | | is. |
| The ferret keeper releases several ferrets near | | | | |