They spend most of their time underground in burrows, and they come out at night to hunt for prey. Black-footed ferrets are predators that primarily feed on prairie dogs.
Here are some additional details about the behavior of black-footed ferrets:
- _Solitary_ - Black-footed ferrets generally live alone, except for during the mating season.
- _Nocturnal_ - They are most active at night, and they spend the day sleeping in their burrows.
- _Burrowing_ - Black-footed ferrets are expert burrowers, and they can dig burrows up to 10 feet deep. They use burrows for shelter, sleeping, and raising their young.
- _Hunting_ - Black-footed ferrets are predators, and they primarily feed on prairie dogs. They use their keen sense of smell and hearing to locate prey, and they kill prairie dogs by biting them in the neck.
- _Mating_ - Black-footed ferrets mate during the spring. Males and females will come together for a few hours, and the female will give birth to a litter of kits about 42 days later.
- _Gestation_- The gestation period for black-footed ferrets is about 42 days, depending on the age of the female and other factors.
- _Young_- Black-footed ferret kits are born blind and helpless. They weigh about 30 grams (1 ounce) at birth. They are cared for by their mother for about six months, and they become independent at about one year old.
- _Rearing_- Kits are born in a nest chamber lined with grass and fur below ground in early- to mid-May (range April 29-June 9) and weigh 28-35 g(1-1.2 ounces). Their eyes open at 35-38 days, and weaning begins at 63 days. Above-ground activity begins at about 75 days, initially with the mother and gradually increasing until kits travel independently (104 days).
Black-footed ferrets are an endangered species. Their population declined dramatically in the 20th century due to habitat loss, disease, and poisoning. However, conservation efforts have helped to increase their population, and they are now found in a few locations in the western United States.