I guess it depends on whom you talk to and whose statistics you're
going by. The AVMA keeps track of the stats on pet ownership based on
market statistics which they publish every six years in "U.S. Pet
Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook". The last edition was in 2007.

Typically, ferrets are lumped in the small mammal category which
includes rabbits, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs and other rodents
(rats, mice, chinchillas). When you look at it from that perspective,
then yes, small mammals are the third most popular pet....in the fur
bearing mammal category. If you remove all mammals from the Order
Rodentia, that leaves the rabbits and ferrets....and there are 5x more
rabbits than ferrets. Not surprising since rabbits breed like, well,
rabbits...and most ferrets are sterilized within weeks of birth.

The last estimated ferret population in the US was about 1.06 million
in 2007, which was an increase of 69,000 from the 2001 stats. We'll
have to wait until next year to see the newest increase (yes, I'm
betting on an increase).

Either way...ferrets will always be #1 in my heart. :)

Bonnie Tormohlen
Managing Director
Northern Arizona Ferret Alliance & Rescue, Inc

[Posted in FML 7342]