Short-tailed weasel. This image was donated to the Creative Commons, courtesy of Wikipedia and the original image owner. Click on photo to go to the webpage.
This is NOT a ferret. It is a short-tailed weasel. They are not a rabies vector, but still don’t touch its incredible cuteness. They aren’t really afraid of you but they will bite. I’ve had one of these turned in as a “baby ferret”. Since I’m basically an idiot, I thought small equaled baby. Yes I was bitten. No, I did not die of rabies. We took it to the Wildlife Rehab Center in Verona where it was determined to be healthy (at least it didn’t get sick from biting me) and released.
Long-tailed weasel. From the National Park System website. Click on image to go to website.
This is a long-tailed weasel. Both of these weasels are smaller and thinner than ferrets. The long-tailed weasel is a little bigger than the short-tailed weasel. Still not a ferret.
Mink. Photo of mink linked from BBC Nature. Click on photo to visit page.
This is a mink. They are similar to ferrets, but generally have a longer nose and no mask.
Mink. This is linked from AnimalPictures123.org. Click on link to go to website.
This is also a mink. This might be hard to tell apart, but mink seem to have smaller ears. Mink are usually more muscular, their fur is all one length (ferrets have undercoats and guard hair) and they are *fast*.
Sable ferret
This is a sable ferret. Note the difference in the fur, placement of eyes and ears, and difference in the bridge of the nose.
Albino ferret
This is an albino ferret. She has a slightly more narrow skull.
Chocolate ferret with mask
Chocolate ferret without mask
Dark-eyed white ferret
Marked white ferret
About Barb Carlson
I have owned ferrets since 1987 and have been running the shelter officially since 2002 (although I was doing it unofficially for a number of years before that). I'm also involved with the Three Rivers Ferret Council, and have given two talks on how to care for sick and post-surgical ferrets.
