Deodorizing Your Stinky Pet Ferret
Curing the Odoriferous Ferret
Belonging to the same zoological family as creatures like skunks, wolverine, mink and badgers, the fact that ferrets can be smelly is an entirely natural thing. Possessing musky scent glands behind their ears and around their anus, ferrets have no idea that their own particular eau de ferret is not what most humans consider the prettiest of scents. Fortunately, most ferrets which are sold in pet stores have been "descented," removing the glands from around their anus and preventing them from spraying, though the glands behind their ears remain.
So how do we combat "stinky ferret syndrome?" There are many steps to take that will help eliminate odor. First of all, it will definitely help to cut down on the potency of your pet's smell rating by ensuring that s/he has been spayed or neutered. When a ferret is 'fixed,' they are less inclined to mark their territory or to exhibit many of the traits that a breeding ferret might show. Additionally, spaying and neutering your pet will also improve their health, making them less susceptible to disease, as well as reducing the likelihood that they will exhibit territorial behaviorisms.
They say that you are what you eat, and ferrets are no exception to this rule. Feeding ferrets a diet that consists of fish-based foods can contribute to your pet's odor, as well as giving their a coat a sheen that tends to be quite oily in appearance. For best results (and least odor), feed a chicken or meat-based ferret food and avoid vitamins or treats that contain fish oil. Ferrets that are extremely obese, or that are fed a diet that is particularly fatty, can also carry a strong odor. Diet is essential to helping control pet odor.
Many ferret owners will bathe their pets, to help eliminate excessive odor and, while this can often help to keep your little pet clean, you must still take certain precautions while bathing your ferret. Like a child, always test your water before placing your ferret in for his bath and never leave him unattended in the tub or sink. Furthermore, when bathing your ferret, be sure to use ferret-specific shampoos and conditioners. These will not wash out the natural oils that are present in your pet's coat. Additionally, you should not bathe your ferret more than once a week; bathing him more extensively will also wash out these natural oils and can lead to dry, itchy skin and dander. In-between bathings, the use of deodorizing sprays and conditioners may help alleviate strong odors, until you can give your fuzzy friend another soak in the tub.
Water-soluble odor reducers have been found to work well for controlling stinky ferrets, although no ferret will remain odorless for long, if proper steps are not taken to keep his habitat clean as well. Cages should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a week, where all bedding is taken out and washed. An excellent suggestion is to purchase two of everything and then alternate them on wash day; cleaned bedding can then be placed into a small plastic tub with an unwrapped bar of scented soap and left until ready to use (the scent of the soap will rub off on the bedding and on your ferret as well, acting as a deodorizer in-between baths.
In addition to switching the bedding, you should also be cleaning the enclosure with a non-toxic, non-ammonia cleaner (ammonia will mix with your ferret's urine and make a stronger odor). This should be an easy task as a ferret's litter box should be emptied twice a day, to prevent him from tracking mess around his cage. The use of odor-reducing ferret litter can be helpful, or many people have found that the newer 'scoop-able' kitty litters work well, provided they are dust-free.
If, after bathing your ferret and cleaning his cage, you still experience an odor, you may try using some sprinkle deodorizers on your carpeting or, even better, move your ferret into a room that does not have a carpeted floor. While somewhat costlier, plasma or minus ion air purifiers also work well to eliminate the odors in the air and, therefore, make for a less-stinky ferret.
There are many different steps that one can take, in order to keep their ferret smelling good; all it takes is a little bit of time and perseverance. A regular routine will make this chore seem like a breeze and, in no time, you will be amazing your friends, when they discover that you have a beautiful and playful ferret… but without all the rumored bad smell!
Published by Rushelle O'Shea - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
I have been enjoying life as a freelance writer for several years now, writing about animals, horticulture, landscaping, health and a variety of do-it-yourself articles. This grants me an excellent opportuni... View profile
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8 Comments
Post a CommentNo fish-based food at all, no fish oil. Mine never get a bath, I found they purposely re-scent themselves. So, occasionally, I toss them in the sink or tub so they can play, they love it. These little critters are cleaner than cats
They are GENIUSES! They are sweet(when one calms down and falls asleep in your arms you will know what I mean)and they are just plain fun. They are like furry toddlers!
As far as toys: many pet toys are sold for stupidly high prices and that means nothing to a ferret. My guys favorite toys are an empty pop bottle; a 5 foot flexible plastic pipe I got at home depot; and a few empty boxes; golf balls. They want YOU to join in with them too. Keep their toenails cliiped as it will be more comfortable for YOU and it will keep them from very often getting hung up on something and not being able to get free(like a thread in a blanket or?). Ferrets are rewarding pets. I soon forget about any of the work I do to keep them clean and happy. These are my guys!
I go out and say 'Hi' to my guys each day...give them some food and half an hour later I put them into the bathroom with toys, to play. I built a half door insert so I can leave the bathroom door open; check on and play with them. While they are in playing, I clean the cage and replace carpet and or blankets as needed. Wanna have some real fun? At bath time..after you wash your ferret, dry the max water off him/her and then point a hair drier (safe distance of course)in their direction and watch them go nuts trying to figure out what to do. It is hilarious! Mine run away and then they come back for more! I LOVE these guys and they have brought me much happiness and also reminded me that indeed, some of the best joys are the simple things. If one is the kind of person who can organize time and practices instead of making problems out of non-problems...a ferret(more demanding than a cat or dog)will be more JOY than a cramp to your style. Ferrets give back far more than they take. They a
I have FOUR Ferrets. I love them all for their different personalities and how they play together. I adopted them from a family that decided(after a year and a half)that Ferrets were too much. the first thing I did was to (like you say)get TWO sets of everything that needs to be changed on a regular basis. Two sets of blankets(which are polar fleece so they are soft and warm and also wash up and dry faster than other fabrics); Two astroturf carpets for their cage floor. I do not use litter at all. I designed a poop-tray that works better and is easier and faster to clean than the standard ferret litter trays. I also feed them Chicken based ferret food and am amazed at how LITTLE smell their poops have. It is almost not an issue at all except there is a LOT of it!!! The design of my poop tray(and the larger door I installed in their cage) for them helps out in that regard as well.
Finally you are right about getting into a routine with cleaning. Then it is really not a big deal at all
and other scented products such as detergents and fabric softeners. And the sprinkle carpet products.
Clumping litter should NEVER be used with ferrets as it poses a major risk of fatal intestinal blockages. Whether food gets tracked into the litter or litter gets tracked into the food, the stuff will eventually be ingested. If clumps get on the feet (say, when the ferret walks in and out of the box after peeing), it can cause foot irritation. When it gets licked off, there we go with the blockages again. I wish this weren't true. I love the easy cleanup of clumping litter. But it isn't smart to use.
Finally--and I know many people won't want to believe this--ionizers are actually not healthy for anyone. For small animals like ferrets, they pose a major health risk. Run a search if you don't believe me. That's another one I wish weren't true.
Eh.
It is true that neutering makes ferrets less terrirorial and less likely to spray. (Although for most ferrets, who have their anal glands removed, this isn't a factor. They don't spray with their ears) It is not true that neutering makes males healthier. (Females, yes. If they go into heat and don't breed, they can die. If they do breed, that's a whole new set of problems.) Many scientists believe neutering makes both males and females more prone to certain types of cancer. So for females it's a trade-off. For males, the only advantage to neutering is better socialization. Which is fine, too.
Ferret shampoos are gentler than most other things but will still strip oils, so the advice about not bathing more than once a week is good, in spite of misinformation. Too much bathing actually causes the oil glands to kick in to compensate by kicking into overdrive, giving you a stinkier ferret than before. As for the sprays, they're usually fine. Just watch for allergic reactions in thes
By bedding, they actually mean like, the hammock or the little tent or blanket or whatever they sleep in. I tend to just use a bandanna as a hammock and they seem happy with that. I also cover the bottom of the cage in cedar chips and use cat litter in their litterbox. Recently, I tried a new litter made of corn, and they seem to like that. I think it was called Worlds Best. Anyway, I abthe my weasels twice a month, and I have no odor problems at all....
Great article, I laughed so much by the expression "eau de ferret"! I was wondering what kind of bedding you use that can be washed? We use carefresh, and I don't see how you would be able to wash it.