I have ferrets. You can buy special sprays which makes them (and other smelly animals) smell nice. I clean their cages (I gotta bring 'em in at night in the winter) every two or three days, and you don't GOTTA bath them, but they sure like a nice swim every now and again. I find my ferrets just dig in litter, even after they've used it. Don't use stuff like straw. It pokes at their eyes and gives them sinus problems. Use old towels and clothes, preferably not jeans, really tough clothes (like Hard Yakka), stuff with strings (You could cut them off, like I do), or stuff they'll crawl into but have a hard time getting out of. Like socks. Also, you have to desex the girls or they die from hormone build up. Unless your breeding.
A ferret will smell worse and become oily if u bath it too much. They ALWAYS have a musty smell, EVEN when they are descented. One with their scent glands will drop a stink bomb, literally when it is upset, and it smells almost as bad if not just as much as a skunk. Keep bedding clean. But if you cant deal with that musk odor (I LOVE it), then you shouldnt get a ferret.
bobdole10156's answer is wrong and will result in SEVERE health problems for your pet. Ferrets must be bathed no more than once a month. bathing more often than that makes them smell WORSE(as their skin kicks into overdrive whenever they are washed, producing massive amounts of musk for several days to replace the lost oils), damages their skin, and shortens their lives.
Have it de-scented when it is young. Keep them (especially their ears) and their bedding clean, empty the litter box frequently. Ferrets are gonna have an odor since most of the scent comes from around their head and face which they love to rub against things. But, it isn't overwhelming and if you don't give it the run of the house, you can keep it under control.
Yes, they're a bit smelly. Then again, my male cat is a bit stinky himself at times. And sometimes so am I, for that matter.
In addition to Burf's suggestions, I believe my friends who keep ferrets also give the critters a bath on a regular basis.
There may be a ferret fanciers' group in your area, and/or your local vets may know folks who keep ferrets and would be glad to talk to you about their needs. I'd suggest that this kind of hands-on experience with the critters is a better place to start than on the Internet.
But there is lots of info on keeping ferrets on the Internet -- and some here on Instructables. Use the search, Luke.
Discussions
Best Answer 7 years ago
I have ferrets. You can buy special sprays which makes them (and other smelly animals) smell nice. I clean their cages (I gotta bring 'em in at night in the winter) every two or three days, and you don't GOTTA bath them, but they sure like a nice swim every now and again. I find my ferrets just dig in litter, even after they've used it. Don't use stuff like straw. It pokes at their eyes and gives them sinus problems. Use old towels and clothes, preferably not jeans, really tough clothes (like Hard Yakka), stuff with strings (You could cut them off, like I do), or stuff they'll crawl into but have a hard time getting out of. Like socks. Also, you have to desex the girls or they die from hormone build up. Unless your breeding.
6 years ago
A ferret will smell worse and become oily if u bath it too much. They ALWAYS have a musty smell, EVEN when they are descented. One with their scent glands will drop a stink bomb, literally when it is upset, and it smells almost as bad if not just as much as a skunk. Keep bedding clean. But if you cant deal with that musk odor (I LOVE it), then you shouldnt get a ferret.
8 years ago
bobdole10156's answer is wrong and will result in SEVERE health problems for your pet. Ferrets must be bathed no more than once a month. bathing more often than that makes them smell WORSE(as their skin kicks into overdrive whenever they are washed, producing massive amounts of musk for several days to replace the lost oils), damages their skin, and shortens their lives.
8 years ago
Removal of the musk glands will have little effect on body odor of ferrets.
8 years ago
yes unless u clean te cage evry 12 hours and giv a bath evry 3 days
8 years ago
Have it de-scented when it is young. Keep them (especially their ears) and their bedding clean, empty the litter box frequently.
Ferrets are gonna have an odor since most of the scent comes from around their head and face which they love to rub against things. But, it isn't overwhelming and if you don't give it the run of the house, you can keep it under control.
Answer 8 years ago
Yes, they're a bit smelly. Then again, my male cat is a bit stinky himself at times. And sometimes so am I, for that matter.
In addition to Burf's suggestions, I believe my friends who keep ferrets also give the critters a bath on a regular basis.
There may be a ferret fanciers' group in your area, and/or your local vets may know folks who keep ferrets and would be glad to talk to you about their needs. I'd suggest that this kind of hands-on experience with the critters is a better place to start than on the Internet.
But there is lots of info on keeping ferrets on the Internet -- and some here on Instructables. Use the search, Luke.
8 years ago
Yes. No.