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Dark-Eyed White (DEW) Ferrets

Updated October 2026 · By the Adopt a Ferret team

A dark-eyed white, or DEW, is a white ferret with dark burgundy or near-black eyes. It looks like an albino at first glance, but the dark eyes show it does make pigment. DEWs are one of the most striking ferret colors, and some are partly or fully deaf. We have 5 white ferrets available now.

What does a dark-eyed white ferret look like?

  • Coat: white to cream, with no mask.
  • Eyes: dark burgundy or nearly black. This is the giveaway.
  • Nose: usually pink.

What is a "marked" dark-eyed white?

A marked DEW is mostly white but has a sprinkling of darker guard hairs, often along the spine, on the tail or on the head. How many dark hairs show can vary from one coat change to the next. Our Stella and Goldie are marked DEWs.

DEW vs. albino

Both are white, but an albino has ruby or pink eyes and makes no pigment at all, while a DEW has dark eyes and carries white-marking genes. Look at the eyes in normal daylight to tell them apart.

Are dark-eyed white ferrets deaf?

Some are. Deafness in ferrets is linked to the genes behind large white markings, which is why it shows up more often in DEWs, blazes and pandas. Many DEWs hear normally; others hear partly or not at all. A deaf ferret plays, eats and bonds just like any other, and a few simple habits help:

  • Approach where they can see you, or tap the floor so they feel you coming, so you don't startle them.
  • Use hand signals and routines instead of calling their name.
  • Supervise play closely, since they won't hear warnings.

Ask us about the hearing of any DEW you're interested in.

Our dark-eyed white parents

Both our sire Oreo and our dam Freckles are dark-eyed whites. That's why our litters include so many white kits.

White ferrets available now

Coco, a 6-month-old dark-eyed white female ferret, exploring the grass on a red leash, her bright white coat glowing

Coco

Dark-Eyed White · Female · 6 months

$200 Available

 Ruby, a 3-month-old dark-eyed white female ferret, curled up fast asleep on a soft white blanket, pink paws tucked in

Ruby

Dark-Eyed White · Female · 3 months

$200 Available

 Hazel, a 7-month-old dark-eyed white female ferret, curled up on dark fabric and looking up at the camera, with a cream coat and silvery face

Hazel

Dark-Eyed White · Female · 7 months

$200 Available

 Stella, a 3-month-old marked dark-eyed white female ferret, outside on the patio, stretching up to sniff the air

Stella

Marked Dark-Eyed White · Female · 3 months

$200 Available

 Goldie, a 3-month-old marked dark-eyed white male ferret, being held up against wood paneling, showing his white coat and pink paws

Goldie

Marked Dark-Eyed White · Male · 3 months

$200 Available

Our dark-eyed white parents

Oreo, our 2-year-old dark-eyed white ferret sire, sitting up beside the cage, showing his cream coat and darker tail

Oreo

Dark-Eyed White · 2 years 5 months

Sire (father)

 Freckles, our 1-year-old dark-eyed white ferret dam, exploring a sunny ledge outdoors, nose to the ground

Freckles

Dark-Eyed White · 1 year 8 months

Dam (mother)

Common questions about white ferrets

Do dark-eyed white ferrets stay white?

Mostly, yes. Plain DEWs stay white to cream all their lives. Marked DEWs can show a few more or fewer dark hairs after each seasonal coat change.

Are DEW ferrets rare?

They're less common than sable and albino ferrets, which is part of their appeal. We still charge the same $200 for every ferret.

Adopt a white ferret

Choose your DEW in our short application.

Apply to adopt