'Ferret Smell'

Ferret Smell

Tags: ferrets, ferret, pets, exotic_pets, ferret_smell, ferret_odor

KateyBate (66.227.233.47) -

Our friends have ferrets and the kids love them. they seem like a cool, minimal stress pet, but what bother's me is the smell of ferrets. Does anyone know what you can do to minimize this?

Comment #1 MissyG (64.136.27.228) -

Ferrets are very cool animals - I love them myself. Ferrets can be litterbox trained, and frequent cleanings help with some of the odor. You can also, and should, bathe your ferrets regularly. Regardless, they are going to smell a bit - they have scent glands.

Comment #2 Bill (152.163.37.156) -

Ferrets need their nails clipped and ears cleaned on a regular basis. Most ferrets also shed twice a year, in the spring and fall; during this time, it is a good idea to brush them regularly and give them a laxative or petroleum jelly to protect against ingesting too much fur.

Frequent bathing is not necessary. Most sources recommend bathing no more frequently than once every 6 months, and many owners don't bathe their ferrets at all unless something needs to be washed off. Over-frequent bathing can actually increase a ferret's natural smell, as its skin works overtime to replace the oils lost in the bath.

It is highly recommended that ferrets are taken to a veterinarian for a yearly checkup. Ferrets being very stoic creatures often hide symptoms of illness very well; perhaps from an instinct to not appear weak to predators in the wild. Any out-of-the-ordinary behavior is good cause for a consultation. Bear in mind that ferrets have very high metabolisms; the onset of a cancerous growth can develop at an alarmingly fast rate. Early detection is key. When teaching ferrets what is and isn't socially acceptable remember that ferrets are quite intelligent and very fast learners; on some occasions even faster than some human children.

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• Ferrets

Comment #3 Courtney from Amarillo, Texas, USA!! -

Ferrets are the stinkiest animal. They are worse than any other gerbil and horses. I have some friends that have 2 of them. They use a litter box, but it has nothing to do with that. They just stink, I don't think there is much you can do about it. They are cute though.

Comment #4 endora (24.45.126.104) -

When i had one i washed it twice a week and i got some type of spray for the fur that kept the smell down. I wish i could remember the name for you but check around and see what is out there. After a while you get used to it.

Comment #5 Jeanette from AZ -

I know a couple of people who have ferrets. I guess it depends because in one household you clearly can smell them and in the other it's not as noticeable.

Comment #6 endora (24.45.126.104) -

My friend had one that used to roam the house like a cat. It was in and out of every ones room and went outside when it wanted. He had the greatest personality. He would sneak into my friends room and go into the closet and steal her snorkel gear while we were in the room. lol it was so funny.

Comment #7 tokay from tokay village -

Even if you buy from the pet store and they say the musk glands have been romoved it will still have an odor. By the way bathing more often can sometimes lead to a stinkier animal. It is just something that they naturally produce. I think you can some kind of spray for their fur. I can't remember if there is a certain brand of food that would help or not.

Comment #8 RydeR. (85.140.74.30) -

Hello.

We have 3 Ferrets, 2 girls and a guy.

The guys tend to smell more, especially when they are wanting a girl.

Washing them to often can be very bad for your ferrets and i can only suggest against it. Washing 1 time per 4 - 6 months maximum is fine.

There is a number of things to keep their smell to a minimum, such as wipes, colognes, deodorants, sprays etc there is also things which you can use to keep the smell of their area's to a minimum.

I have provided a link to a page on the ferret depo website, it contains a number of good products or you to look at.

There is an operation which can be done to remove the sent glands // musk glands from ferrets and also spaying or neutering reduces smell. I would not recommend this option, just a personal opinion.

Hope to have helped,

RydeR.

• link to a list of ferret Colognes & Deodorizers.

Comment #9 Jennifer (132.24.126.26) -

The older the ferret becomes the less it will smell. When they are young their scent is much stronger and gets worse with bathing. They are naturally clean animals and will handle their own bathing. Twice a year is enough. If you choose to purchase one get a book about them first and know what youre getting into, there are far worse things than their smell to be worried about.

Comment #10 kallie (207.200.116.137) -

you are wrong and apperantly have not done your resurch you(Comment #1 MissyG) told kateybate to bathe your ferret often that makes them smell worse they need to be bathed less because a type of their glands are trying to keep the ferrets skin moist do your resurch i know i have bad spelling but that is besides the point

Comment #11 courtney (67.8.98.169) -

i bathe my ferret twice a month and it seems to work out fine i clean his cage on a weekly bases and that seems to keep the smell to a very minimum...i also use a ferret deodorizer i can get at the local pet store that you just brush into their fur

Comment #12 N. (216.169.189.41) -

I have 7 ferrets, all of which I love! I actually LOVE their smell! It's slightly musky, but really there isn't much smell, why? Because if you clean their bedding OFTEN, clean their poops every day, don't bathe them/rarely bathe them, and feed them the RIGHT mix of food the smell is about non-existent.

If you go to the everything ferret ferretboards, you'll find TONS of people who know everything about ferrets and can tell you anything you want to know!

Comment #13 L1 (86.7.26.132) -

Apparantly the females with scent glands removed AND spayed smell the least. Also clean them every two days.

I really want a ferret - it's unlikely though..

Ferrets ish so kyoot ! ^-^

L1

Comment #14 Shade (24.17.58.29) -

I have a ferret, her name is Amy Rose, She is a spayed female with her scent glands removed. I clean her cage and her litter box, bath her ocasionly and she smells no more than my friends indoor Jack Russle Terrier. The only difference is when you see someones dog you you don't think "Oh dogs stink!" and then push your nose into the dogs fur to prove your point. I am not saying dogs stink, I love dogs and have had four I even breed dogs at one point but if you put your nose right up to a dogs skin its going to smell like a dog and if you put your nose up to a ferret it it going to smell like a ferret. They are animals thay smell like animals and can't shower every day like you do because its not healthy for them.

Infact it wouldn't surprise me a bit if ferrets thought WE smelled repulsive.

Comment #15 sampson from arizona -

get marshall brand bi-odor. its a pump bottle and you put a few pumps of the stuff in your ferrets water..works great, cuts smell down drastically.

Comment #16 brat02026 from MA -

Part of the 'smell' starts from the inside. We generally feed a ferret brand of food which is made of fish product. Ingesting fish over time will make a body smell. Like a human who eats spicy or garlic -type foods..., it's emitted from the body. You can try to mix it with a high protein kitten food which is chicken based. There are some results there. Their digestive cycles are pretty fast is why they need such a high protein count in their diets.

Bathing an animal with fur more than once every two to three weeks depending on the animal, can be worse, you can dry the skin out. Such small animals shouldn't exposed to so many chemicals. Part of the issue is that while we don't see anything wrong with the animal now, such exposure will certainly show up later.

I use a paper type litter. Corn cob can be ingested. I don't use pine or cedar shavings as it is very dusty and the oils are not good for the animal - prolonged.

Someone earier in the post mentioned a laxative..., use sparringly, if it's not broken...don't fix it. However, if you notice a lot of shedding there's usually a reason for it. Once a week might be fine.

I hope this helps a bit...

Comment #17 mia (208.101.175.147) -

i use ppp conditioning spray.... everyday.. it smells like human shampoo, and as long as i scoop their litter every day, i have never smelled them... i have a very sensitive nose... but as long as i bathe them every month or so, and spray them every day or so, ive never had a problem... you can get the spray at any pet valu

Comment #18 Apple from US -

HI. I just wanted to comment on this, even though this is an old thread. Ferrets may be "cool" pets, but they are high in responsibility. I have had a ferret for 2 months now, we've been to the vet twice, changed his diet twice, taken medication, and changed up his routine. My ferret is a PVF ferret, who was sold to a pet store. He is 1yr old, but he is already overweight. Young ferrets should not weigh 3lbs. I got him at 3.5lbs, he has since lost weight, and is adding muscle rapidly. Ferrets range in healthy weight 2-3lbs, obviously if they are younger, they will weigh less. 3lbs is a healthy weight for a 2yr old ferret. Males weigh more than females. I feed him a raw meat diet, and some kibble. The best kibble out there is Innova Evo, you can check out their website. They eat about a 1/4 cup of kibble a day, if you are not providing other foods such as raw meats.

High Quality kibble with minimum 40% protein, 30% fat will be the healthiest for your ferret and give them the most energy and nicest coat. Plenty of exercise is needed daily, I recommend about 3-4 hours out of cage, interactive time a day. I provide my ferret with about 5 hours out of cage during the week, and between 7-12 hours on weekends. I also take him outside on an H-style harness, if you only have him on a collar he can easily escape and be lost. Ferrets lost outside will die from lack of food. They imprint on their food at a young age and will not be able to recognize food if they are on their own. It is important that they be under supervision at all times.

They are carnivores and cannot digest fruits and veggies. Foods ingredient lists Top 5 ingredients should be meat products that are good for human consumption, not meat by-products. Fish products are good for them, however expect stinky poos. Kibble poo is stinkier than raw meat poos, as well as there is more poo. You should not feed dairy or sugary products either. Raisins are not a good treat, they can easily cause a blockage, which if large enough needs to be operated to remove it.

Ferrets should see a vet once a year for distemper and rabies shots. Also, any difference in behavior and poos (looks and smell), should be noted and sometimes see a vet if its a radical change. Ferrets should be high energy, but also sleep about 17 hours a day. Happy ferrets will play and run around, and thrive on interaction with their human parents. Ferrets do not need to be bathed. Ferrets will smell MORE the more often they get bathed. I have not bathed my ferret with soap yet. I do not plan on bathing him with soap unless he pees or poops on himself, or gets really really dirty. I give him a wipe down with a lukewarm wash cloth about every 2 weeks, and after he goes outside. Soap dries out their skin, and tricks them into produces extra oils, this causes a smell.

Pet store ferrets are neutered/spayed and descented. Once they are descented the musky smells decreases dramatically. Shelter ferrets are usually neutered/spayed and descented as well. I highly suggest you adopt from a rescue or shelter. Not only are pet store ferrets highly over-priced, but they are usually from a large Ferret-mill, and more likely to be too young for adoption, and have a higher rate of sickness later in life.

I highly suggest you buy the Animal Planet Ferret book for a brief intro to ferrets, and then also the Ferrets for Dummies 2nd Edition book. So much useful information in there. Also join several ferret forums, everyone on these have so much information, and you can really see different points of view easily.

I wish anyone luck who wants to own a ferret, and if you have any questions that I might be able to help with, I would be happy to answer them!

• List of Ferret Forums

Comment #19 Alex Holland (82.43.239.42) -

I have owned three 4 month old boys for around 6 weeks and the smell is very much in your hands.

- Buy Carefresh bedding - it's a little more pricey but is MUCH better for smells than sawdust.

- Feed them HIGH QUALITY poultry based kibble (avoid fish I hear).

- Clean them out daily. Not the whole cage, just use a scoop to clear all the mess and the piddled-on area (probably a very small one)they go in and chuck fresh bedding down. This takes a couple of minutes.

These tips are the difference between my room smelling awful and smelling absolutley fine. Obviously some ventillation and a little inscence helps..

Comment #20 Emmie (4.252.130.42) -

I can hancle the musky oder, but mine smell like urine. I clean the litter 2 0r 3 times a day.

Comment #21 Ruthie (64.203.202.172) -

I just got my first ferret about 2 weeks ago. I looked on this forum because he does smell. His name is Frankie and he is about 5 months old. I hear the younger they are the less smelly they get.well i hope thats true. he is fixed and de scented but still has an odor and stinks up my room. i change his bedding every other day. but o course he still smells any advice?

Comment #22 kelly (90.192.95.161) -

i don't bath my ferrets unless they have got muddy from playing up the park, mine however don't tend to smell as much as they did, recently when i clean their cage out i spray their whole cage with animal safe disinfectant and it works brilliant but i depends how may ferrets you have, i have two crazy little guys! lol. make sure they are out though when you spray the disinfectant because they can easily get respiratory disease!

hope this helps and good luck ")

x

Comment #23 Roger G from Kelowna BC -

Removing the scent glands will not help. Odors originate from the natural oils in a ferrets body.

Requent bathing is not recommended and can increase the odor. Bathing removes the oils and when the ferrets body replenishes these the odor increases dramatically. Bathing 1-2 x year is sufficient unless he's gotten into something really bad.

Bedding must be changed every 2nd day. The odors stay in bedding and on furniture more than on the actual ferret, so if he's running on your furniture and carpets, these could retain and odor.

todayspet.blogspot.com has good articles on ferrets plus good links to other sites that you can look at. Include these odor problems as well as health issues and general handling and care.

• Todays Pet

Comment #24 Harry (67.142.130.41) -

Oder is some of the territory that comes along with owning a ferret. But like anything else, if you like something enough, there's always a way over the obstacles.

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