DNA research suggests that ferrets first appeared in domestication around 2,500 years ago; the oldest known ferret fossil remains are dated at 1,500 years ago. No matter from which date you choose to start, the ferret’s journey to pet stardom was a long trip indeed. Used domestically for many activities including hunting and guarding grain stores, the ferret didn’t gain the full measure of domestic comforts until the 1960s when they started to become a kind of novelty or celebrity pet. Dick Smothers and David Carradine were members of this fledgling ferret club. In more recent years, the ferret has made notable appearances in the Harry Potter universe and the film The Big Lebowski. Continue Reading