The Angora Ferret
History - Angora ferrets are a long-haired ferret of European origin. They are a genetic mutation of the standard ferret that was discovered in a Swedish breeding facility. The ferrets that showed up in this facility weren't the angora ferrets we know today; they were animals who had longer hair on their hind legs and rear part of their bodies instead of the all-over longer coat that the modern angora enjoys. This Swedish breeder then sold their long-haired stock to a Norwegian breeder/fur farm who, after some time and multiple generations, developed the ferrets who served as the foundation of the angoras we now know and love.
Breed - The Angora ferret has a few important characteristics that are different from standard ferrets. The hair of the full angora ferret can grow to be quite long 2-4 inches. This hair does not have an undercoat. Angoras tend to be slightly larger and have the same musky odor as standard ferrets. A most characteristic feature of an angora ferret is the cleft nose. It is a fold on one or both nostrils of full angoras. Angora care is the same as standard ferrets. They also make wonderful, fun-loving pets that are no more active, nippy or prone to health problems than standard ferrets (although each ferret has it's own individual personality). Some online websites give angoras a better overall health rating than the standard US ferret sold in pet stores, while others decry their differences as being undesirable genetic mutations. As with any animal, lineage is important. The only proven genetic fault with angora ferrets is that the jills typically do not produce enough milk to raise their kits to maturity. They are just as attentive and devoted to their babies as standard ferret moms are, they just can't feed their young without help. This is one of the reasons why breeding angoras is challenging. The best option is to foster the angora jill's kits with either a semi-angora or standard mom.
Top Notch Ferrets - All of our ferrets are part of the family. We value our standard moms and babies every bit as much as our angoras. No standard or semi-angora kits are ever destroyed in favor of full angoras. We use semi-angora females to effectively rear the babies. We strive for healthy babies with awesome temperaments.
History - Angora ferrets are a long-haired ferret of European origin. They are a genetic mutation of the standard ferret that was discovered in a Swedish breeding facility. The ferrets that showed up in this facility weren't the angora ferrets we know today; they were animals who had longer hair on their hind legs and rear part of their bodies instead of the all-over longer coat that the modern angora enjoys. This Swedish breeder then sold their long-haired stock to a Norwegian breeder/fur farm who, after some time and multiple generations, developed the ferrets who served as the foundation of the angoras we now know and love.
Breed - The Angora ferret has a few important characteristics that are different from standard ferrets. The hair of the full angora ferret can grow to be quite long 2-4 inches. This hair does not have an undercoat. Angoras tend to be slightly larger and have the same musky odor as standard ferrets. A most characteristic feature of an angora ferret is the cleft nose. It is a fold on one or both nostrils of full angoras. Angora care is the same as standard ferrets. They also make wonderful, fun-loving pets that are no more active, nippy or prone to health problems than standard ferrets (although each ferret has it's own individual personality). Some online websites give angoras a better overall health rating than the standard US ferret sold in pet stores, while others decry their differences as being undesirable genetic mutations. As with any animal, lineage is important. The only proven genetic fault with angora ferrets is that the jills typically do not produce enough milk to raise their kits to maturity. They are just as attentive and devoted to their babies as standard ferret moms are, they just can't feed their young without help. This is one of the reasons why breeding angoras is challenging. The best option is to foster the angora jill's kits with either a semi-angora or standard mom.
Top Notch Ferrets - All of our ferrets are part of the family. We value our standard moms and babies every bit as much as our angoras. No standard or semi-angora kits are ever destroyed in favor of full angoras. We use semi-angora females to effectively rear the babies. We strive for healthy babies with awesome temperaments.
