Marie, whoever you talked to was misinformed.  European ferrets are NOT more
aggressive than our American ferrets.  Remember also our American ferrets
are descended from European ferrets.  I have European ferrets as to several
breeders in this area.  German and English right now.  There is little
difference in outward appearance.  The European Polecat and hybrids have a
slightly different head shape than a pure ferret.  Which leads into Fitch.
One of the theories on the origin of the ferret is an African polecat
thought to no longer exist in the wild.  These were cross bred with the
European Polecat.  The Polecats supplied the dark sable color while the
African ferret provided the albino coloring.  This is not fully accepted by
the way.  But the Two colorings were called English for the albino and fitch
for the sable.  In a slightly different era Fitch-ferret refered to the
Polecat/Ferret cross breeds.  But it is by no means customary to refer to
European ferrets in general as Fitch.
 
There are two generally accepted ferret body shapes.  The thinner longer
look usually associated with older pet store early alters is the whippet
shape and the bulky stocky shape associated most with whole or late alter
hobs is a bulldog shape.  A bulldog head is a more rounded head without the
pronounced snout of the typical ferret.  I personally worry that the bulldog
head is asking for the same troubles with the Englsih bulldog and the
Persian and domestic shorthair cats.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1412]