Easy Guide On Ferret Colors And Patterns With Pictures

Ferret Colors

If you are a getting a ferret for the first time, you’d be curious what are the different ferret colors. The most common out of the ferret colors is sable. The least common ferret color is cinnamon.

Ferret Colors And Ferret Breeds

Domesticated pet ferrets are not the same as as Eurpoean polecats or North American black footed ferrets. Although, some of the ferrets are called Angora, European or Standard, there is only one ferret breed.

Ferrets can vary in size, color and even patterns. Furthermore, the various ferret colors and patterns go by different names. Those names have been established by the AFA – the American Ferret Association.

There are terms used to describe and indentify ferrets. Those terms are the following

  • Self-explanatory mitts (feet/mittens)
  • Bibs (under the chin)
  • Masks (facial markings)

Ferret Colors

Ferret Colors

Overall, there are 7 ferret colors and 7 patterns. You might come across the different ferret colors being called “ferret breeds”. The ferret colors include:

  • Albino
  • Black
  • Black Sable
  • Champagne
  • Chocolate
  • Cinnamon
  • Dark-Eyes
  • Sable

Albino

Albino ferret color consist of white coat and pink/red eyes.

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Black Ferrets

Black Ferret clolor is beautiful. The coat is pure black, and undercoat is either white or light golden colour. The eyes are black or very dark brown. The nose is usually black.

Black Sable

Black Sable ferret color is very dark brown and can appear black. Undercoat is white or cream. Eyes and nose match and are also black.

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Champagne Ferrets

Champagne ferret color consists of light to medium tan colour. His undercoat is white or creamy and his eyes are light. The nose is usually pink

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Chocolate Ferrets

Chocolate is a ferret color variation of the sable ferret. Usually milk-chocolate brown with a golden or white undercoat. Eyes can be brown or dark red. The nose is usually pink but it can also be beige.

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Cinnamon Ferrets

Cinnamon ferret color is red to brownish guard hair. The tail and legs are reddish brown and the nose is usually pink. The eyes can be light to medium burgundy.

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Dark-eyed White Ferrets

Dark-eyed white is similar to albino ferret breed because of the white or creamy coat and pink coloured nose. The main difference is the eye colour which is dark burgundy. This type of pattern is prone to deafness, also known as Waardensburg Syndrome.

Waardensburg Syndrome is a condition in ferrets that links the white fur on the head to deafness. Deaf ferrets can make excellent pets as long as you train them and don’t startle them.

Sable Ferrets

Sable is the most common pattern in ferrets. The guard hairs are dark brown and are evenly spread out. The undercoat on the neck, belly and back is white or cream colour.

Eyes are brown or almost black and the nose is light brown colour. The nose can have a brown T outline.

Read more if ferrets make good pets here Are Ferrets Good Pets

Ferret Patterns

Ferret Colors

Besides the ferret colors, you should know the different ferret patterns.

Overall, there are 7 ferret patterns.

  • Standard
  • Stripped
  • Roan
  • Point
  • Mutt
  • Blaze
  • Solid
  • Panda

Standard Pattern

The Standard pattern is similar to the solid pattern. The patterns consist of the ferret being in one solid color. However, the color is lighter and with obvious points.

Stripped Pattern

The Striped pattern is also known as patterned. Although, this pattern is not considered a geniune AFA pattern, it appears as almost white. However, 10% of the ferret’s guard hairs are dark.

Normally, the ferret that has that patterns appears as white or cream in coor with a stripe of brown on the back.

Roan Pattern

The Roan pattern cosnists of one half of the ferret’s coat being white and the other half – solid color.

It’s good to know that all ferret colors can have a Roan pattern except Albino ferrets that are all white.

Point Pattern

The Point pattern, also known as Siamese, appears as a distinct difference in color saturation of the color on the ferret’s leg, tail, shoulders, face and feet.

This pattern can be best descibed as a regular Siamese cat coat coloring. It can appear in any ferret, except all white ferrets.

Mutt Pattern

Mutt pattern contains of a variety of colors – spots and other patterns. This pattern can appear on any ferret that has a multiple pattern coat.

Blaze Pattern

A blaze pattern can consist of any color. However, it can’t be white.

This pattern appears as a streak of solid color that starts on the back of the ferret’s head and runs down the neck.

More features of the Blaze pattern include:

  • Dark red or brown eyes
  • Nose is pinkish
  • White tips to the tail, feet, and knees

There are other variations of this pattern. The features include:

  • White bib
  • Spotted bellies
  • White guard furs

Solid Pattern

Solid pattern is when the ferret is covered in one solid color. Any ferret color can be considered solid except white ferrets.

Panda Pattern

Panda pattern is a beautful ferret coloring. The pattern appears as it sounds – like a panda.

Similar to pandas, the ferret that has this pattern would have coat that is contrasting in color.

Usually, the darker colors appear around the hip area, shoulders and mitts. Furthermore, the dark colors would also appear on the tail and feet. In some cases, the ferret would have dark circles around the eyes, just like panda bears.

Final Thoughts

Ferrets are beautful animals with great personalities. Getting a ferret as a pet can be a great experience. However, there is the quesiton of what are the available ferret colors?

The good news is that ferrets come in variety of colors and patterns. Moreoever, there are 7 ferret colors that include the following:

  • Albino
  • Black
  • Black Sable
  • Champagne
  • Chocolate
  • Cinnamon
  • Dark-EyesSable

In addition to the color variations, there are 7 ferret patterns:

  • Standard
  • Stripped
  • Roan
  • Point
  • Mutt
  • Blaze
  • Solid
  • Panda

Choosing a ferret as a pet would provide you with endless entertainment. Ferrets are loyal and loving if you care for them the right way.

Learn more about how to look after ferrets here How To Raise And Care For A Ferret


References

https://www.ferret.org/pdfs/Ferret_Colors_and_Patterns.pdf

unusualpetsguide

My name is Iliyana and I'm a passionate animal lover and pet owner. As there is significantly less information online about unusual and exotic pets, I decided to found this website and recruit expert writers to help pet owners.

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