ferrets are high risk / reward exotic pets

Ferrets are extremely attractive, playful, social, fun-loving yet demanding exotic animals that can be domesticated as household pets for the entire family. The have the potential to be mischievious sometimes but many families have success raising them since they respond to discipline and the carrot and stick approach.

Ferrets are usually more popularly known as weasels which are very much related to the larger-sized pole cats.
They might be as adorable as cats, hairy as hamsters, intelligent as dogs and sometimes behave like beavers who want to go underground or go through attics and many small areas.

Here is a good article on Ferrets.