FEROCIOUS FERRETS
Edgar K. Marcuse MD
Some 33 infants and young children have been reported in California as having been attacked by pet European ferrets (descendants of the European polecat, Mustela putorius, not to be confused with the endangered black-footed ferret, Mustela nigripes, of the Great Plains). The animals seem attracted to babies, perhaps due to odors resembling those of suckling rabbits. Typically, attacks are made when parents are absent or asleep; the ferret escapes its cage and jumps into the baby's crib. One infant died; others nearly bled to death. One lost her nose, another half of both ears. Up to hundreds of bites were rapidly inflicted on all parts of the face, the result resembling ground beef according to some observers, although all exposed parts of the body are attacked as well. Older children and adults were bitten on the face and extremities, the animal often holding on tenaciously until killed or pried loose.
Bites may be unreported to avoid loss of illegal ferrets. Sometimes ferrets are confused with weasels due to inability to differentiate them. Ferrets are more massive. Weasels and European ferrets differ in length (inches from nose tip to tail tip), weight and color as follows: Weasels—7
to 22 in, 1 to 11 oz, brown above, white or yellow below. May turn white in winter. End of tail black throughout year. Ferret—17 to 22 in, 1 to 6 lb, yellow-buff undercoat overlaid with blackish guard hairs. Blackish mask, limbs and tail (entire length). May be albino.
