>How do you tell the difference between a male and a female?  And can
>you tell if they are fixed?
 
To tell a male from a female ferret is easy.  Have a look underneath.
Now please excuse the graphic language, but in an adult ferret, if the,
um, pee hole is a few inches in front of the poopy hole, then it's a
boy.  If the two holes are really close together, it's a girl.  If it's
a young girl recently spayed, the spay incision may look like a boy's
pee hole so don't be fooled (then it'll seem like there's 3 holes!).
 
As for telling if they're fixed, other than the 3 hole test above, I
don't think short of exploratory surgery that even a vet can tell if
they're fixed when they're not in season (someone please correct me if
I'm wrong).  It's easier when they are in season because the female will
have a swollen vulva (though this can also be caused by adrenal disease)
and the male will be more aggressive and about 10 times smellier (I speak
from experience on that last one; MAN, was Sammy stinky!).  Since it's
spring, any whole adult ferrets are likely to be in season soon.
 
Please note a female ferret left in season for a prolonged period can
develop potentially life-threatening aplastic anemia.  Easiest solution
is spaying them before it happens.
 
Hope this helps.
 
--
John Rosloot, Caregiver to Pandora and Tommy
With loving memories of my Big Buster Boy
my dear departed Buddy,
my precious little Cassie-angel,
and my Silly Snuggly Sammy
http://www2.cs.uregina.ca/~rosloot/ferrets
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[Posted in FML issue 5233]