Ferrets will always have a smell around them, just like you always have a smell around them and your dog always smells like a dog. You can’t do anything about it. However, you can minimize the odor. Here is a list of what you can do to minimize your ferret’s odor, in order of importance.
Clean the litter box daily.
Keep the litter box clean. Clean the litter box at least once a day, and if you have more than a couple of ferrets, you may need to clean the litter box more than once a day. Producing a creature smells much more than the actual creature.
Feed your ferret things that smell good.
You are what you eat. I like garlic Whenever I eat my garlic potato gratin dish, I sweat garlic the next day. My body odor changes significantly.
Ferrets are also what they eat. Look at the ingredients in your ferret’s kibble. What do the individual ingredients smell like? I don’t buy my ferrets food that contains fish, because I think fish is the stinkiest meat of all. My ferrets get food made with chicken, turkey, venison, and duck. (They like Totally Ferret).
Remember to change slowly if you decide to change your pet’s food. Some furry ones get used to a particular food. Some furry have allergies. I have a young lady who cannot eat chicken without suffering from GI problems.
Clean the cage weekly.
Wash all the plastic trays in your ferret cage once a week. I use a vinegar and water solution. Several times a year, completely disassemble the cage and rub it. I have a Ferret Nation cage and I take it outside, hose it down, spray it with soap and let it soak. After hosing down the soap, I do a visual inspection for anything that has been lost. Sometimes I need a scraper and scrape.
Change the bedding weekly.
You have pores all over your skin and you sweat. This gives it a fine human scent. Ferrets have scented tassels all over them and this gives them a fine musky ferret smell. The scent glands release oil. The oil collects in its bed.
So, change your beds once a week. I like to have at least two sets of bedding so I can wash them while the ferrets use the rest in their cage.
Consider scented tassels.
Most ferrets descend before reaching the pet store.
What this means is that your anal scent glands are removed. Do you know how your cat or dog sometimes drags its butt across the ground? The cat or dog is trying to express its anal glands. Most creatures express these glands naturally when they do their job, and unless your creature has a problem, it’s best to leave them well enough.
Ferrets also have these anal scent glands when they are born. If your ferret still has its olfactory glands, you may consider having them removed. Do a lot of research and talk to a vet or two before doing this. While this surgery is regularly performed in the US, in the UK it is considered cruel and veterinarians only do it when medically necessary.
I live in the US and all the ferrets that I have rescued or encountered have already descended. However, I have been told that while ferrets with their olfactory glands intact have a stronger odor overall, they rarely “poof” and the “poof” smell dissipates quickly (unlike a skunk you bathe in your dog in ketchup for days). ).
Don’t bathe your ferret too much.
The bathroom schedule is important. That is, it is important not to bathe your ferret too often. It may seem counterintuitive, but if you bathe your ferret too much, it will stink more. No Bathe your ferret more than once a month. Less is better.
Bathing removes oil from the ferret made by body odor glands, and the child’s body works to fix that problem. If you bathe your ferret too much, your little friend’s body will speed up and produce a ton of oil.
Don’t bathe your ferret more than once a month. My ferrets usually only get three baths a year, and those baths are usually due to being covered in mud. If your ferret gets too dirty, dirty or something similar, rinse it only on the affected area or wipe it gently with a baby wipe or damp cloth.
Products are an option.
I don’t think additional products are necessary, but if you really need to reduce your ferret’s odor further, there are a couple of products that can help. A couple of products, designed to reduce body odor, are a clear liquid that is placed in the ferret’s water. I tested them on my ferrets. They really work. However, I don’t notice it until I take the product off. (It’s like watching a puppy grow. You don’t notice the growth overnight, but suddenly your puppy is a dog).
I no longer use that product. I don’t think it’s necessary and I can’t seem to find an ingredient list. That makes me nervous.
Perfumes are another method, but instead of reducing the smell inside the animal, they cover it up by making another smell stronger.
My sister hates the musky smell of the ferret, so when she comes to visit, I make my weasels stink of baby powder or cucumbers. My ferrets don’t like it and I don’t like it, but it appeases my sister. However, we don’t do this very often.
In summary
1. Clean the litter box daily.
2. Change bedding weekly.
3. Clean the cage weekly.
4. Feed your babies foods that do not smell bad.
5. Don’t over-bathe them.