Common Species Names - Ferrets

Lay people and professionals use terms to describe in one word the status of an animal. The term may relate to the sexual status of an animal (intact or sexually functional, or altered or sexually nonfunctional) or the age status of an animal. Terms have also been derived to denote the process of giving birth and the grouping of animals.

ferrets (fehr-retz)

hob: intact (not sexually altered) male ferret

jill: intact female ferret

gib (gihb): neutered male ferret

sprite (sprīt): spayed female ferret

kit: young ferret

kindling: giving birth to ferrets