The late Richard Whiteley would testify to that when asked about the occasion one savaged him live on air on Calendar.
However, according to those in the know, once they have made your acquaintance, you have a friend for life.
Ferrets, they say, make excellent pets and are by all accounts extremely playful.
To some people that might be the image that came across in footage posted on You Tube earlier this week when local people were shown playing "skittles" using ferrets as balls.
The location was Halifax YMCA where the two people taking part worked.
It all looked pretty straightforward. A triangle of small empty plastic pop bottles were set up before a ferret was propelled across the shiny surface of the floor towards them.
The footage was, it will come as no surprise to learn, quickly removed from the website as an animal-cruelty row began to escalate.
Those involved claimed it was all harmless fun and the ferrets, far from being distressed, loved playing the games.
The RSPCA inspectors poised to investigate may take a different view.
There is a fine line between playing with an animal and exploiting it.
But while we are assured the ferrets remain in good health, that line appears to have been crossed in this instance.
Maybe the people who derived so much pleasure from this should try being catapulted across the floor into a stack of beer barrels and see how they like it.
Not very much, it would be safe to bet.