Somewhere in Euorpe, centuries before the cat first ventured into Egyptian graneries, these delightful creatures were domesticated from the European PoleCat. Ferrets are a Roman home's primary line of defence against vermin, and sometimes doubles as a child's pet 

there is a reason why their full latin name means "stinky mouse carrying theif" - but mice aren't the only things they steal.

Ferrets sleep up to 20 hours a  day.