this is according to Webster's New World Dictionaryby Simon and Schuster copyright 1976,1979 this is how they describe the following: Ferret-a weasellike animal, tamed for hunting rabbits, rats,etc domestic-3. tame: said of animals domesticate-1.to accustom to home life 2.to tame for man's use-vi to become domestic tame-1. changed from a wild state, as an animal, for use by man 2.gentle;docile vt tamed,taming 1. to make tame, or domestic 3. to make less intense; soften Now dogs and cats started out the same way. not that I am slamming dogs and cats and think they should be outlawed also I am a happy owner of a cat and want a dog when we have more room fo rit ot roam. Also reptiles what use are they we also have one of them but they can be owned everywhere except a few obscure cities. Now we take our"viscious" babies out into the public alot we have no children but when we took them to our company picnic we were a hit with the kids(human) they were picking them up all the time and the ferrets were constantly curling up in the human kids laps while being petted for 5 hrs they didn't nip or bite or harm any of these kids. just had to vent a little. -- Shanon, Mitch, Callie (cat), Kerowac (iguana), Brambles and Rose (hedgehogs), and last but not least The Den of Thieves (ferrets-Switch, Smokey, Blaize, Tamara, Polar Bear, Diablo, Chiquita, Prancer, Angel, Critter, Chevy, Sunny, Red, Cupid Cuddles and Puddles) and one Foster ferret Bandit [Posted in FML issue 1886]