4 ms·
The Russian fox program also apparently domesticated minks while they were at it. 'Fancy rats' (domesticated pet rats) are barely a century old. Ferrets are ver
by gwern 8y ago
The Russian fox program also apparently domesticated minks while they were at it. 'Fancy rats' (domesticated pet rats) are barely a century old. Ferrets are very big now and I get the impression they didn't use to be pets, although I don't know to what extent they are domesticated.
- TheSpiceIsLife 8y agoA sibling comment linked this[1] Wikipedia entry which claims: Ferret - 1500BCE, although yeah I've heard there's been an explosion in popularity. But you're right, Mink 19th century; and Fancy rat and lab rat 19th century. Domesticated hedgehog 1980s! 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_domesticated_animals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_domesticated_animals