Gullible bargain hunters at Argentina's  largest bazaar are forking out hundreds of dollars for what they think are  gorgeous toy poodles, only to discover that their cute pooch is in fact a ferret  pumped up on steroids.

One retired man from Catamarca, duped by the  knock-down price for a pedigree dog, became suspicious he had bought what  Argentinians call a 'Brazilian rat' and when he returned home took the 'dogs' to  a vet for their vaccinations.

Imagine his surprise when his suspicious were  confirmed - he had in fact purchased two ferrets that had been given steroids at  birth to increase their size and then had some extra grooming to make their  coats resemble a fluffy toy poodle.

 

 

No longer an urban myth: People in the Argentinian  market of La Salada are being sold ferrets (Brazilian rats - right) given  steroids so that they resemble toy poodles

The 'Brazilian rat' was fed steroids at birth and  groomed so that it resembled a toy poodle

Previously considered an urban legend of the  giant La Salada market, local television news in the capital, Buenos Aires,  discovered that the unidentified man was not alone - another woman had been told  that she was buying a Chiuhuahua, but ended up with a ferret.

Both the woman and the retired man have not  filed complaints.

Typically, toy poodle puppies cost upwards of  $1,000 in the United States and a ferret will usually set someone back around  $75.

 

Cute: A white toy poodle puppy stares lovingly at the  camera - toy poodles typically cost upwards of $1,000