Hey! 

So, just a little tidbit I've noticed.....

Meechy is a RCF (real canadian ferret) and Mina is a Marshalls. 

The physical differences are crazy! I know the fact that Meechy is still young has some to do with it, but other than that..Mina has the slim, pointed face, whereas Meechy has a very round face. Mina has the more pear-shaped body (smaller near the head and shoulders, and a big booty and tummy) and Meechy is just stocky throughout! Mina is settling in now, and I've already managed to put some weight on her with a good quality diet (she was eating Marshalls diet before) I will post some pics of her cuteness later today :) Has anyone else noticed differences in the appearances of ferrets from different breeders? 

Thanks! :) 

All of my ferrets are Marshalls (Petco), but some of the differences are male to female as well not necessarily breeder.

I have a stocky boy that looks a lot like Meechy, and I have a smaller slimmer boy as well. My girl also has a slim face and kind of mousey features, and is quite dainty :)


I did notice some breeders have large  males due to when they are fixed.


Heres Rambo, I think he and Meechy could be brothers :)



Rambo is MUCH larger than bear, although supposedly at least 6 months younger than Bear


Heres Bear (stealing my stuff >.>):
He seems to be a little smaller for a male and feels petite. I don't know why this would be, maybe just a smaller litter?




Toki is my girl, she has similar features to what you describe Mina to be. I think I read that these are gender differencess:
She's definitely pear shaped as well, most of her weight is in her bottom end/belly. It has been difficult to keep her in her harness when we go outside since she just rolls it off of herself lol.

Has anyone else noticed differences in the appearances of ferrets from different breeders? 

It all depends on the breeding (genetics)

Prissy is our only RCF and at 7 1/2, she's still as solid as ever.  Most of the marshall's are floppy when you pick them up, but she feels like all muscle.

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

Haha, Seleen, I love Rambo, he looks like a big goofball! And thats totally it unclejoe, Meechy feels like a heavy, thick ball of muscle, and Mina feels so dainty and petite and...floppy to be honest! Haha. That makes sense that breeder as well as gender would make Mina look so different, she deffinitly has the more mousy features. She's comming out of her shell now and us so completely sweet. She tries to play bite like Meechy, but she's so gentle, that I feel a tiny little nudge on my foot and I look down and she's got her mouth on me  Thanks for the info guys, I love learning about stuff like this!

Heres little Mina's pointy face..and her trying to be tough 
also, I was curious, is she considered Silver? She's about 6 mo old, will she turn into a DEW?Don't mind the bathtub pic... my weirdos love to jump in the empty tub and try and go inside the tiny drain hole , lmao

The colors on them really confuse me, I'd love to know what Toki is too since she used to be white and now has like silver hairs down her back.

MINE DO THE TUB TOO. I have a stall shower and they actually get in it with me, It can be kind of weird >.>

Hahaha, they are obssessed with the tub, it's the first thing they run to. Such weirdos  haha awh come on, she just wants to join you in the shower! :'D yeah, im just winging it here, but if ferrets are anything like horses, silver, or grey, or dappled grey, all turn white over time. My friends horse was almost all grey 6 years ago, and nows he's completely white. DEWS are my boyfriends favourite, so he would love it if thats the case!

Wenminster is good with coloring, but I'd say silver.  Or maybe panda.  She could go all white.  Or she may not.  Someone on another forum had a sable go white.  I thought that was unique.  Only case I know of.

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I would call her coloring a silver mitt.  

Since, she does have black marking on top of her head. I would not consider this panda marking  (panda marking -  white head down to should blades - white bib)
As she ages, she will be all white and I am sure top of that head will fade to white.  In time, she will have the panda markings.


She is a cutie!

I hope this helps

Awh i love dews! Thanks Wen :)

Seelen, your baby's are beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!

Private breeders have better blood lines whereas pet store ferrets come from mills and are inbred. Which is why most mill ferrets feel like noodles and good private bred fuzzies are tanks. I've only ever had mill ferrets being a rescuer but have traveled to a breeder and the difference is crazy. Hopefully one day mills will be put out of business. 

Most of ours will walk into the shower if we leave the bathroom door open.  They seem to like the taste of soapy water.
Rambo looks like Yoshi, a wet noodle when you pick him up.  Jaffa is private bread, but he's real relaxed when you pick him up, too.  Abita is all muscle too, no fat on her and not limp.    

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Privately bred ferrets do have their health issues.  There gene pool is much smaller than the distributor of ferrets in pet stores.

They are big and robust due to being late alters.  They are also bred for showing.

Breeders do line breed......in breeding can happen.  Just check out some lineage on line....you will see some common names on different lineages on ferrets.