The
ferret (
Mustela putorius furo) is the
domesticated form of the
European polecat, a mammal belonging to the same
genus as the
weasel,
Mustela of the
family Mustelidae. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur. They have an average length of including a tail, weigh about , and have a natural lifespan of 7 to 10 years. Ferrets are sexually
dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females.