I am curious with all this discussion, how would one tell if an individual animal was a cross between the domestic ferret and either polecats or mink? Aside from the behaviour, would you expect to see differences in size, body structure, coloration etc.? I grew up in Michigan and never once saw or heard of a hunting ferret there. Here I see 'hunting' ferrets advertized in the more rural areas of Victoria (Australia) quite often and have heard that they are sometimes crossed out with polecats. I have no direct knowledge of such breedings though, so no idea true it is. I've often wondered though, if our second ferret Cino didn't have a bit of polecat somewhere in his background. He's definitely different than our first ferret or other ferrets I've had or known, though of course we love him either way! Amanda Orbitani woozels Ana and Cino [log in to unmask] http://www.geocities.com/cabrissi/index.html [Posted in FML issue 4679]