Deafness in Ferrets: A bit about Waardensburg Syndrome

If you are familiar with ferrets, you have undoubtedly heard that blaze ferrets are more prone to deafness than other ferrets. This is true. The reason behind it is a genetic condition known as Waardensburg Syndrome.Waardensburg Syndrome results in the underdevelopment of the cochlear of the inner ear, and is found in ferrets with white heads* such as blazes, pandas and DEWs. The same genetic codes that cause the ferret to have a white head can also cause the ferret to be deaf or hard of hearing. This is not to say that ALL ferrets with white heads ARE deaf, simply that they are genetically predisposed to deafness. In other words: ferrets with white heads are not all deaf, but they are MORE likely to be deaf than, say, sable ferrets.

*Albinism is caused by a genetic condition which is entierly different than Waardensburg Syndrome; albinism is not an indication of deafness but, due to the complications with eye development resulting from lack of pigment, albinism in ferrets has been attributed to poor(er) eyesight and potential blindless

Checkered Ferrets? Official Names for Ferret Patterns

Now, to go with the previous post of ferret colours... ferret patterns! Patterns are how you describe colour concentrations and markings on a ferret. Here are the main ferret patterns:


Blaze: Rather than full masks, blaze ferrets have smudges or partial masks on their faces and a white ‘line’ or blaze running from their heads down onto their necks and sometimes shoulders.




Hooded: The mask extends onto the ferrets head without a break in colour, giving the mask the appearance of a hood. (Two sable ferrets, the one on the bottom is hooded, the one on the top is siamese with a V shaped mask - notice the break in the mask on the siamese coloured ferret.)




Mitts: Look like well, white mitts. Ferrets with mitts have four white feet and a white bib or throat and chest.






Panda: This pattern is denoted by a white head, chest, throat, neck and mitts, a pink nose and rings or smudges around the eyes.

Point (aka Siamese): Have legs and tails darker than the rest of their bodies and masks shaped like a thin V (though some colours like champagne may not have masks at all)







Solid: A solid coloured ferret is more uniform in colour than the average ferret (whose legs and tail are generally at little bit darker than the rest of his body, but less dark that a siamese).





Standard: Your average ferret! Their legs and tail are slightly darker than the rest of their bodies, and their mask is thick and T shaped.



Now you are ready the proper colour and pattern names together and describe your ferrets like an expert! My last pair of ferrets, for example, were a silver blaze and a standard sable... see how much more ‘professional’ that sounds? Have fun colour coding your ferrets!