Winsome and indefatigably curious, modern ferrets rarely betray their fearsome pedigree.
Europeans use these lithe little animals to ''ferret out'' rabbits and other rodents and kill them in their burrows.
Here, however, ferrets have become increasingly popular as pets over the past 20 years.
''A ferret is an animal that loves to be cuddled,'' said breeder Debbie Scott of Ripley, Ohio, cuddling two. ''A ferret is definitely a people animal.''
So many people agree that the region's first major show will be next Saturday.
''Look and learn; it's going to be real educational,'' Mrs. Scott said.
If you go
What: Ferret Extravaganza '97, sponsored by Tristate Ferret Connection.
When: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.
Where: The Ramada Inn, 7965 Reading Road, Sycamore Township.
Admission: $1 children 7 or younger; $3 everyone else.
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The pets are domesticated European polecats, not the endangered black-footed ferret of the western United States.
Mrs. Scott's first ferret, Bea-Bea, was a 10th wedding anniversary gift from her husband, Rod. ''He probably wanted a ferret,'' Mrs. Scott said. ''He's an animal lover.''
Five years later, the Scotts have about 70 ferrets, including two recently imported German studs, Hans and Fritz, and Ruben, who is Bea-Bea's great-grandson.
Their finest might compete on Saturday if Mrs. Scott can set aside some second thoughts; Kizzie, her prized black sable, nipped the judge at a 1995 show in Alexandria, Va.
Even so, Kizzie was pretty enough to place fourth among 20 in her class, Mrs. Scott said.
''She has this thing for men. I really want to put her in the Cincinnati show, but I'm not sure I want to take a chance again.''
Some ferrets will nip, but Mrs. Scott and other owners say the clever animals learn quickly what is not acceptable.
Saturday will also include ferret games, including ''tunnel races'' through transparent, flexible tubes that look like clothes dryer exhausts.
''It's not as serious and political as dog shows,'' Mrs. Scott said.
Rachel Gay, a Western Hills fancier, said ferrets eat up as much time as an owner will spend being entertained, but an hour a day suffices to clean out the litter box and provide the human contact vital to a good pet.
Still, ferrets are kin to weasels and skunks and they ''aren't for everybody,'' said Dr. Daniel Meakin, who cares for ferrets and other exotic pets at his All Creatures Animal Hospital in Amelia.
Ferrets are bad news for pet mice, hamsters and gerbils. Similarly, it's not a good idea to bring a ferret home to a terrier or other dog bred to kill rodents.
Ferrets have an odor that can be minimized by neutering and taking out scent glands.
Ferrets don't belong among children too young to appreciate how the slender, quick little animals can be injured by a klutzy kid or overly energetic hug.
Some communities - including Butler County and Newport - bar ferrets under laws against lions and other exotic pets.
Two of those caveats played into Charlene Wilson's recent acquisition of two ferrets: their previous owner has three very young children and Mrs. Wilson's ''only problem is the smell.''
Still, frequent baths help, she enjoys watching the ferrets romp and climb into their hammock to sleep, and the animals unfailingly evoke comments when her son puts on their halters and walks them in Lebanon.
Passersby ''think they're possums,'' Mrs. Wilson said, pausing and adding, ''We're not that stupid.''
It's a serious mistake to let a ferret run unattended. They love to hide in obscure places and they eat rubber and other household materials that make them sick.
Caging them is imperative when ferrets are not being played with, Dr. Meakin said. ''They get into everything. Once you know that, they make good pets.''
Ferrets have few problems that regular grooming and semi-annual visits to the vet won't address, they live seven to 10 years, and shots protect them from distemper and rabies, Dr. Meakin said.
Mrs. Scott, Dr. Meakin and Desree Miller, a ferret-owning technician in his clinic, said in different ways that ferrets require less care than a dog and more than a cat and often are a good, furry pet for someone allergic to dogs or cats.
Mrs. Scott charges $145 for a 14-week neutered, descented ''good pet quality'' ferret kits. ''It's a really neat age,'' she said. Show quality kits or fancy colors bring her $225 to $295.
Prices for healthy rescued ferrets - typically returned by someone who decided it was an unwise purchase - are negotiable.
Lori Sies, a breeder in Sharonville, said her prices vary by color and whether she takes care of neutering and descenting. While ferrets smell no more than dogs or cats, ferrets will be smellier if they eat fish-based food, she said.
At World of Pets in Anderson Township and Florence, Bill and Jean Pickens sell a dozen ferret kits a month - neutered, descented and with their first shots - for $99 each.
Jean Pickens said they buy the kits from Marshall Farms in Wolcott, N.Y., at about 6 or 7 weeks old and try to sell them quickly so the first person the ferrets bond with is the owner.
When a customer shows interest in a ferret, ''My question to them is, 'What are you going to house them in,''' Ms. Pickens said. ''They are mischievous, they are inquisitive.''
