[[quoteright:270:[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yuuno01.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:270:Cheer up, [[strike:Weasel kid]] Ferret Boy!]]

The recent popularity of ferrets has created a new kind of animal sidekick character, in addition to the old standbys of the loyal, dull Dog and the smart, [[CatsAreSnarkers snarky]] Cat.

The weasel (or ferret) is a cute, mischievous, playful mascot who nonetheless looks out mainly for himself and can be very critical of people around him. He's nowhere near as clever as he thinks he is, and swears up and down he doesn't have to be fussed over. Until he wants to be, and frankly he's not about to turn down free food or attention if it's offered.

Animal mascot personalities normally fall into the Cat or [[AllAnimalsAreDogs Dog stereotypes]] even if the author has tried to use a more exotic animal, like a bird or mouse -- it'll still act like a Cat or a Dog. The Weasel Mascot personality, likewise, may apply to non-mustelids (such as a mongoose or even a squirrel) -- but weasels, otters and ferrets are most common.

A major benefit of the Weasel personality is that it largely reflects the behavior of the real animal. This personality also applies to many positive cat depictions, especially in Japan where cats are hugely popular. The Weasel can make a good [[DeadpanSnarker ironic deadpan snarker]], without the [[CatsAreMean nasty or untrustworthy streak]] westerners associate with the Cat. (Anyone who knows [[WickedWeasel how weasels fare in older Western works]] should appreciate the ''deep'' irony of the previous sentence, but hey, times change.)

Many magical animal guardians are Weasel mascots, and most Weasel mascots are {{Talking Animal}}s.
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!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* Uzume the ferret in ''Manga/AiYoriAoshi''.
* Kero-chan in ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura''.
* Yuuno, from ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' is another actual ferret. He's an exception to the character type, though—he's a bookish, shy mage that gets nervous and blushes around Nanoha. This is mostly because Yuuno is not actually a ferret, but a human who poses as such.
* Hippo the penguin in ''MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch''.
* Japolo from ''ShamanicPrincess''.
* Artemis's playful relationship with Minako in ''Manga/SailorMoon'''s (versus Luna, who acts slightly more "parental" to Usagi).
* Hisashi Sakisaka, an occasional recurring character in the ''MidoriNoHibi'' manga, has a weasel sidekick, Tomahawk, on his shoulder at all times.
* Although the series is realistic, and he is an actual ferret, the anime ''IchigoMashimaro'' has John, who belongs to the unbelievably-adorable Matsuri. John is cute, mischievous and playful, but that seems the extent of his Weasel Mascot traits.
* Mepple in ''FutariWaPrettyCure'' has an incredible attitude, and is greedy, picky, and likes to guilt Nagisa into doing things for him.
** Tart from ''FreshPrettyCure'', who insist that he's a 'cute fairy' and speaks with KansaiRegionalAccent. He swings around being responsible (trying to help the Cures) and irresponsible (stealing the Cures' foods like ice cream) at times
* The manga ''PeachFuzz'', where the ferrets are the main characters... at least,''they'' think they are. Their owners think they're just cute pets.
* Used in ''SpiritedAway'', not that you'd be able to tell: the "Art of" book tells us that the character Lin is supposed to be a [[HumanityEnsues transformed weasel]]. She's sarcastic but sweet and quite cute.
* Chamo from ''MahouSenseiNegima'' (with DirtyOldMan tendencies to boot!).
** He would like to remind you [[InsistentTerminology he's an ermine]], thank you very much.
** [[spoiler:There is a specific punishment for mages in ''MahouSenseiNegima'': temporary transformation into an ermine. It is never stated directly, but some lines may imply that Chamo-kun did undergo such a penalty. Nevertheless, Chamo-kun always claims he is a regular ermine and mentions about his ermine family. He also revealed that he was banned from his home country for [[PantyThief stealing panties]] from his girl ermine companions. This may be somewhat true. Just don't [[InternetBackdraft try to make a definite claim]].]]
*** In the manga, he's pretty specific at several points in explaining he's an ermine sprite, which is where most of his powers -- such as forming pactios and being able to read peoples' emotions -- come from. He fled to Japan to find Negi [[spoiler:to get him to hire him as a familiar so he wouldn't be punished for his panty theft.]]
*** [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming What? But he]] [[TearJerker stole them to build a warm nest]] [[BlatantLies for his sister...]]
* Rafra from ''InfiniteRyvius''.
* [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Team Gurren]] has Buta!
* Anime/{{Pokemon}}: Arguably, Ash's (previously Dawn's) Buizel is one of these despite the actual mascots being the [[RodentsOfUnusualSize Rodent of Unusual Size]] and the adorable [[SpotlightStealingSquad yet overused]] [[EverythingsBetterWithPenguins Penguin]]. It initially followed in the tracks of previous {{Badass}}es Charizard and Sceptile, and did a very good job of it early on despite being a RidiculouslyCuteCritter. Unfortunately, it hit [[BadassDecay a losing streak]] later on.
** In its first appearance, Buizel was the mascot of the traveling troupe in ''Anime/PokemonRangerAndTheTempleOfTheSea'' and was the most prominent Pokémon until Manaphy appeared.
** Oshawott is the new mustelid on the team in ''Black and White''.
* OkojoSan from the titular manga and the anime SiawaseApartment's Okojo-san is an ermine. He can't talk to people, but he can to the other animals in the apartment complex.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': While technically not a weasel, Kon sure has the personality for it.
* In the new manga adaptation of ''SuperDimensionFortressMacross'', Minmay has one of these, a bizarre rabbit/weasel hybrid that probably not exists in nature.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': During her BigDamnHeroes moment, Temari uses her fan to summon an eyepatch-wearing, scythe-wielding weasel named Kamatari that brings with it a massive swath of destruction against Tayuya.
** [[DontExplainTheJoke which to anyone who knows japanese is a pun on the word "Kamaitachi" which means "slicing wind" but "Kama" and "Itachi" means "sickle" and "weasel" respectively.]]
* ''{{Popotan}}'' has Unagi, who also turns into an Anthropomorphic kemonomimi. Ironically, despite being the likely cause of the surge in ferrets-as-anime-characters, Unagi is actually a [[http://japan-animals.blogspot.com/2007/06/hondo-stoat.html Hondo Stoat]], a close relative to the ferret with rather distinct winter markings and a nebulous connection to faeries and magic in folklore.
* Einstein the ferret in ''Alien from the Darkness'', whose main hobbies appear to be searching for fish and molesting its female owner.
* Candy from CandyCandy has a pet raccoon called Clean.
* Kyubey from Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica. Given [[{{Deconstruction}} the nature of the show]] it's a subversion. There's [[ObviouslyEvil a good reason]] that a good chunk of the show's fans don't trust him at all. [[spoiler:WickedWeasel, [[http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/AthenAltena/kyuubeyaaah.png after all]]. He seems to be less of a subversion by the end of the show.]]
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[[folder:Comics]]
* Weasel, the techie/hacker sidekick from the mainstream comic ''{{Deadpool}}''. Not an actual weasel, but merely a man of shifty moral integrity who has his own weasel-head logo. Exists to get Deadpool both in and out of trouble.
* Seamus the pooka from ''BlueMonday''.
* Spip, ''SpirouAndFantasio'''s snarky squirrel.
* Played with in ''GetFuzzy'' with Bucky's silent ferret nemesis, Fungo Squiggly.
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[[folder:Fan Works]]
* In reference to his BalefulPolymorph in ''HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'', some fan fiction makes [[DracoInLeatherPants Draco Malfoy]] a ferret animagus.
* ''FanFic/GuardiansOfPokemon'' has a pair of these, Jupei and Ki. This is not surprising as the author has stated that the fic was inspired by [[RuleOfThree three]] anime: ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' (of course), ''Manga/SailorMoon'', and ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura''.
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[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]
* Kodo and Podo (aka "The Weasel Hankies") from ''Film/TheBeastmaster'' are a ferret duo that aid the main character Dar on his quests.
* ''Film/AlongCamePolly'' features a pet ferret that often appeared in promotional material, despite having very few scenes in the movie.
* Mr. Kimble has a pet ferret ([[Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger pronounced "fyeuwr-it"]]) that he uses to calm down his class in ''Film/KindergartenCop''. Said ferret even saves his hide by putting a well-timed bite on the BigBad in the climactic showdown.
* In ''Film/StarshipTroopers'', Karl psychically commands his ferret to go bug his mother so his pet will stop begging for his attention.
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[[folder:Literature]]
* In PhilipPullman's ''Literature/HisDarkMaterials'', Lyra's shapeshifting dæmon, Pantalaimon, often takes the shape of a weasel; he settles as a [[spoiler:[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Marten Pine Marten.]]]]
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' has Jarveys, smart-talking (very large) magical mustelids.
** Mr. Weasley's Patronus is a weasel.
*** His twin sons, Fred and George, have otters for their Patronuses. As does Hermione.
* ''TheAreasOfMyExpertise'': "Let's use my ferret to steal that diamond."
** [[MoreInformationThanYouRequire "New ferret, same old con."]]
* Ozzie from ''AvalonWebOfMagic'' is an elf who was magically transformed into a ferret. Besides being more goofy than snarky, he's pretty much this trope exactly.
* The title character of ''Zucchini'' is a boy's pet ferret. The book was later adapted on ''CBSStorybreak.''
* In ''Literature/{{Spellbent}}'', Jessie Shimmer's magical familiar is a DeadpanSnarker ferret named Palimpsest.
* The ferret has become something of an unofficial mascot for ''Literature/InheritanceCycle'', due to Angela's off-hand warning to Roran: "Watch out for ferrets."
* ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}} creator Scott Addams wrote a book about how the unscrupulous and sociopathic can thrive in the office called ''The Way of the Weasel''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* The announcer on ''Series/LateNightLiars'' is a weasel.
* In ''NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'' an actual weasel supposedly infests Polk Middle School (whose ''official'' mascot is a wolf), and is the bane of the janitor's existence. It turns out to be [[spoiler:[[MonsterIsAMommy pregnant and looking for a nest]]; it and its young are then adopted as second mascots by the moved janitor]].
** The weasel ends up [[DorkHorseCandidate elected class president]], over several more-qualified human candidates. (Actually, "more-qualified" is debatable...)
* ''TheLateLateShow with CraigFerguson'': "Do we have a [[http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WrKY10IR-ng/TLuTrEYzcTI/AAAAAAAANhs/FFkxPmo0a-0/s1600/craig+ferret+1.jpg picture]] of me with my ferrets?"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* Music/WeirdAlYankovic's song "Albuquerque" features him being attacked by rabid weasels. Al gets his revenge in "Weasel Stomping Day".
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[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* Poink on ''TheFundayPawpetShow'' is sleazy, low down, and basically the show's comedic ChewToy.
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[[folder:Video Games]]
* Koppa from ''ShirenTheWanderer''.
* Daxter, after being turned into an [[MixAndMatchCritter ottsel]], from the ''JakAndDaxter'' series. While he's not technically a weasel, he ''is'' a combination of two different kinds of mustelid: a weasel and an otter.
* VideoGame/{{Torchlight}} launched with the choice of a dog or a cat as the character's animal partner, but a later official mod added a ferret as a third option. It has also been officially added as a pet choice in ''VideoGame/TorchlightII''.
* Kiki was Alpha Creations Softworks' mascot during the '80s.
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[[folder:Web Comics]]
* Kiki from ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance''. Although her GenkiGirl attitude may make her a subversion.
* Wendy Weasel from ''[[http://www.drunkduck.com/Cwens_Quest/ Cwen's Quest]]'' plays straight (wo)man/big sister to titular character Cwen and keeps Cwen humble.
* Menjou from ''{{Candi}}'' -- who adds the "embellished" to the comic's LifeEmbellished nature due to being telepathic, telekinetic and at war with the local Squirrel Mafia. His "girlfriend", Snowflake the albino squirrel, is his DistaffCounterpart (swapping psi powers for EyeBeams).
* Corasyn from ''NothingComesNaturally''.
* Annie from Demon of the Underground. She was found in Pogo's pants and took on a group of mooks while he was busy.
* The Wulfenbach Bug Squad (more officially known as the Vespiary Squad) of ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' has this as one of their hats. Their charges are all [[ForScience modified weasels]], without which the Squad could not do their job as detectors and exterminators. Although they have eight legs, they ''are'' still, very much, weasels of some description. And, they are sooo cute (for a given definition of cute).
* Tragia from ''Webcomic/TheSecretLivesOfFlowers''. Being the main character, he defaults as this.
* Ferret from ScooterAndFerret.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Rufus from ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'', though actually a naked mole rat.
* ''IAmWeasel!'''s titular character is, unsurprisingly, a weasel.
* Though really more of a "Winged Lemur", Momo from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. Behaviorally, there's a lot of cat in him -- specifically, [[RealLifeWritesThePlot Bryan Konietzko's cat]].
** Pabu from the sequel series ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' is a [[MixandMatchCritters fire ferret]] -- a combination of a ferret and a red panda. Yes, [[RuleOfCute it's as adorable as it sounds]].
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k76IGLi6jWI Weasel Stomping Day]] from ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' and [[Music/WeirdAlYankovic "Weird Al" Yankovic]].
* On the ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' episode "Paint Misbehavin'", Freddie the Ferret is Launchpad's favorite comic book hero, famed for his "Friend Power."
* Nils from the series ''NilsHolgersson'' has a hamster sidekick called Krumel who usually provides the voice of reason.
* ''TheAnimalsOfFarthingWood'' features the character Weasel, who is actually a rather sarcastic, selfish deadpan snarker.
* An early episode of ''TheSimpsons'' featured a Chuck E. Cheese {{Expy}} called Wally Weasel's, complete with a literal weasel mascot and the slogan "we cram fun down your throat!"
* Evelyn the evil witch has a pet weasel that she wears around her neck like a stole in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "Gargamel's Sweetheart".
* Ferret from Scott Morse's FerretAndParrot cartoon short, which debuted on Cartoon Network's 2001 Big Pick
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[[folder:Real Life]]
* Literally a weasel mascot, the ferret from [[http://www.blindferret.com/index2.php Blind Ferret Entertainment]].
* The website [[http://www.playitcybersafe.com/ Play It Cyber Safe]] has a ferret for its mascot. It gets funny when they start saying piracy is theft when the word "ferret" means "little thief".
* The Queensland Police in Australia are catching some flak due to their new anti-fraud mascot aimed at children: a ferret. Despite a) the previously mentioned meaning of the word, and b) ferrets are ''[[CriticalResearchFailure illegal to own in the state of Queensland]]''
* [[http://www.dancing-ferret.com/ Dancing Ferret Discs]], an alternative music label, has a stylized ferret as part of its logo.
* WildWeasel squadrons, fighter-bomber units specially trained and equipped for seeking out and destroying enemy AntiAir assets (typically by [[CrazyAwesome drawing fire by exposing themselves]] in order to find their targets) use a stylized Weasel ([[OhCrap visibly distressed by the concept of this strategy]]) on their patches.
* Ferrets do indeed tend to have very hyperactive and playful personalities in real life, with a special emphasis on ''hyperactive''; something to keep in mind for households with small children. They also like to chew on things, so by all means don't leave your leather goods within their reach.
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