North Halifax Ferret Rescue closed its doors in July 2006

What does a Judge look for when selecting a winning ferret?

Very little control has been used regarding ferret breeding lines. A jill having her first litter can produce young of several different colours and sizes, as a result there cannot ever be a specific SHOW standard for ferrets and each animal has to be judged according to its' own merits. However there are areas that the animal must conform to, so as to be judged as a prime example of the species. Above all, remember, a well handled and content ferret will not bite without provocation and if yours does then it is not ready to be shown. Be very careful about what colour your ferret is and make sure it is entered into the correct class, i.e. A Sandy Mitt is NOT a coloured ferret, it is a Sandy with mitts at some shows - check with the show secretary beforehand or on the day prior to entering. By preparing your ferret for a show, you will learn lots about their health and how to provide better care. These shows are an essential source of information and promote the welfare of ferrets. If you go to a show and you are not sure, ASK, you'll be surprised at how much help and advice you can get for free.

Click on the titles for picture examples

Teeth

Teeth should be clean and complete, that is, no canine tips broken off (as in the photo), cracked teeth or gum damage which would indicate that the animal has been fighting, malnourished, fretting at the bars of its cage, etc. The upper and lower teeth must meet with the slightest amount of scissor bite. No tartar, plaque or discoloration. The judge may often scruff the ferret to induce a yawn, giving a good view of the back teeth and any plaque or tartar build-up.

Nails

Nails should be trimmed but not so short as to be too close to the quick. The nails should not show signs of having been cut this morning, they should be nicely rounded indicating that you have prepared the ferret for the day in advance and that there is a regular maintenance routine in place. The toes should be straight and clean, the pads pink.

Coat

The coat is the most obvious indication of a ferrets general state of health. The coat should be clean, shiny, without any infestations and no scabs or wounds. The skin under the coat should be light pink (or blue in the case of blue Russian ferrets). There should not be any smell of shampoo or deodorants as they mask the natural ferret musky scent and a sick or wrongly fed ferret can be disguised after it has had a bath and shampoo. The whiskers should be Long and strong, Short, brittle, broken or curled whiskers will lose points and are often a deciding factor between a first and second place.

Eyes

The ferrets eyes should be clean, no signs of infection or infestation (as can happen especially with working ferrets) and shiny bright. Fleas and mites often leave debris around the edge of the eyes. A ferret does not have good eyesight but they should at least react to movement of the judge’s hand around him. The eyes should not be too small or protrude. The eyes should have no sign of cloudiness. Healthy blood is dark red - an albino ferret shows his health by the depth of the red in its eyes. Anaemic albinos have pale pink eyes.

Ears

The ears are often a deciding point when choosing between potential champions. The ears generate a lot of wax and this can cause all sorts of complications. The ears should be clean and have no sign of mite dust and infestation. If there is a little wax deep inside then this has to be taken into account by the judge as unavoidable within reason as you should never delve deep into the ferrets ears to clean them but this is no excuse for dirt or dust, there are many preparations on the market to clean this inner dirt without physical probing.

Body / Shape

The shape of the body can vary greatly between hobs and jills, working ferrets and house-pets, youths and veterans. Essentially a ferret should not be pear shaped or show signs of obesity, neither should they have concave sides by their rear legs. A ferret that has plenty of space to exercise, proper diet and vitamin supplements where the diet lacks, will have an almost straight body line from the front legs to the flanks. While holding the ferret, if you slide your hand down the body, a ripple is often seen from the muscles under the skin and this is always a good sign. Muscle tone is felt rather than seen, the characteristic arch of the back should not be too pronounced, as this will indicate inadequate spaced living quarters. The ferret should not slouch or slide its body along when walking. The ferret must be alert and inquisitive and the spine must run true.