Ferrets Of All Colors

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     So, you are going to adopt a ferret - Congratulations! You have chosen a fine pet. You probably know whether you want a boy or a girl, but have you chosen the color that you prefer? Ferrets come in a wide variety of colors.

First, let's take a look at the possible colors. The choices are albino, black sable, black, champagne, dark-eyed white, sable, cinnamon, and chocolate. There are also color concentrations of roans, solids, standards, and point. Once you've made those selections, there are also various possible markings, including blaze, mitt, and panda. Ferrets have guard hairs and an undercoat, and the color of their eyes and nose will be dependant on the color of their fur.

So, what does it all mean? If your ferret is albino, it means that he lacks color. The hairs will be white, and there will be no color pattern. A true albino ferret will have red eyes, in most cases, and the nose will absolutely be pink. If the ferret is black, his guard hairs (the top hairs) will be black, but the undercoat (hairs below the top layer) will be white or golden. The eyes will be black, and the nose will be black or speckled, with predominately black speckles.

A cinnamon ferret is not as common as a champagne ferret, although there are many similarities. Both will have a white or cream undercoat, and both will have light burgundy eyes with a pink or beige nose. That is where the similarities end, however, A cinnamon ferret has a more reddish tone to his fur, and when held up next to a champagne ferret, the difference is quite noticeable.

Ideally, the color of the ferret is referring to the color of the guard hairs. The color concentration refers to the colors in the patterns of his fur, such as the undercoat colors. If the ferret has a standard color concentration, this means that 90 to 100 percent of his fur is the color of the guard hairs. A roan is only 50 to 60 percent guard hair coloring. A point is colored much like a Siamese cat. A solid means that the guard hairs and undercoat hairs are the same color.

The markings are also important. If the ferret is a blaze, this means that there is a white blaze of hair that comes over the forehead and down the back of the neck. A panda, on the other hand, will have a head that is almost completely white, but may also have rings around his eyes, like a panda, in the same color as the guard hairs. A mitt will have a 'mask' that uses colors that compliment the guard hairs, but will appear to have white mitts on all four feet.

It is important that you know and understand your ferrets coloring, color concentration, and markings. This information will be needed if your ferret is ever lost, or if you breed your ferret. Your veterinary will also want this information for your ferret's medical records.