Hope75 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 I actually read that bathing them too often dries out their skin & causes them to over-produce skin oils, making them smell worse. I take it you don't have them anymore since you used past tense? urgh I don't know. I wish we had an extra room that I didn't care if it got smelly. Yes, I had them years ago from age 17-26, haven't had them since I was 26. My vet told me if I used a gentle hypoallergenic shampoo I could bath them up to twice a week and it was safe (I worked in a small animal practice as a vet tech.) My friend had 5 of them and bathed them once a month and they smelled worse. It's totally up to you, they are a lot of fun, if you can tolerate the stink. I did enjoy them but wouldn't get any more after they passed away because of the odor, and the shavings everywhere (even with the plastic guards up on the bottom of the cage they throw them over and track them around if they come out. Link to comment
sidehop Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Never understood this whole stinking thing, they just have a light musky smell, I guess it depends on the person. Ferrets are great, as long as you train them (they like to nip for fun but some do bite but if they do, grab them around the neck & hiss. They will stop eventually) and let them run around (please don't cage them all day!) they're great pets to have. Like coldplay said, they do like to pee/poop around corners and on the floor in the most random places. As long as you pick it up right away it doesn't really smell. They are night owls so they're more active at night. They LOVE to get into the smallest places like cabinets, backpacks and will steal anything that have rubber textures and plastic they can nibble on. One cool thing about ferrets is that they deter any mice from coming anywhere near the house. We had random mice problem but no evidence of mice coming around once we got the ferrets again (we had one, died after eight years and got two more). Must be their smell... If you have carpet, I'm not sure as they can possibly pee/poop which could get annoying after awhile. They're VERY flexible & fragile so if you do get one, make sure places you don't want the ferrets to get in our closed tight. If you end up with a pair, if one dies, the other will eventually die within few months. It's the way ferrets are. Very gentle creature and with lots of heart I learned most about ferrets from my g/f who had ferrets all her life. Link to comment
alli Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 Yep, we ended up getting one. A young female, pretty light in color & really good about not biting, at least so far!! Sometimes I get a whiff of her "muskiness" but it isn't too bad right now. I've got some deodorizers, we clean out her litter everyday & I'm pretty adamant about keeping my house clean in the first place so it really isn't that bad. I watch her whenever I take her out. I'm paranoid of letting her get into the corners because I don't want her to go to the bathroom! I think I might get one of those playpens for her so she can be out of her cage but not have a free run all over the house. Twice already she almost got behind the dryer (it would be impossible to get her out!) & once almost got behind the tv, with all those cords back there.. urgh! I also have an iguana. I tried to introduce them but the ferret was totally oblivious to the iguana, & the iguana totally leaned away from the ferret. Then when I take the ferret out of her cage & play with her on the floor in front of the iguana's cage, the iguana totally watches her the entire time! It's so funny. You would think the reptile would care less & the ferret would be curious. I wonder what my iguana is thinking about the ferret? haha. We still haven't thought of a good name for her! Link to comment
nutbrownhare Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 We still haven't thought of a good name for her! If you get really stuck, why not post a pic on here and get suggestions from the members! Congratulations on getting your new member of the family, sounds like great, great fun!! Link to comment
alli Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Thanks! I think we're going to name her Sheila. That is what they call female ferrets, so it fits. And so far she doesn't smell too bad. Link to comment
BellaDonna Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Awww. Congrats on your new pet! Do we get to see a pic? Link to comment
chocolates Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 ferrets freak me out Link to comment
alli Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 Awww. Congrats on your new pet! Do we get to see a pic? Sure!! I haven't taken a pic of her yet; I've been busy with my new job & I also have to work this weekend. I'll put one up next week! Link to comment
alli Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 ferrets freak me out Haha. She isn't too bad. Luckily my bf really, really likes her so he gives her all the attention she needs. Some of them bite but she is young & hasn't learned to do that.. yet! She is actually pretty cute. The only bad thing is when the heater kicks on it circulates the air around & I smell ferret where I normally like to sit. But with just one the smell isn't horrible. Link to comment
george237 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 So I guess you got one. How do you like it so far? Link to comment
alli Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 So I guess you got one. How do you like it so far? She's not as smelly as I thought she'd be; at least not most of the time. I like her, but my bf really likes her a lot more. I'm happy about that because he gives her the playtime she needs & is motivated to clean up after her! She's cute but I would still rather have a cat. Link to comment
hughvane Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Yeah my main concern is the smell as they have scent glands. I'm kind of a clean freak & I will not be happy if my home smells gross!! I think we would just get one so maybe that would help keep it from smelling bad. I haven't read all the posts on this topic, but you can have ferrets' musk (scent) and spray glands removed surgically by a vet. Thereafter they are probably as clean as cats are. Ideally you should have two ferrets, as they are very inter-sociable animals, and one will entertain the other and keep it company when you're not there. Ferrets need lots of playthings, especially hollow tubes. A tall-ish box half full of polystyrene chips (what do you call that stuff in the US?), a rolled-up sock, things like that, will keep them occupied for hours. When you're not in the house/apartment, confine your ferrets in one corner of a room with an old fashioned fire guard/surround. Ferrets do not climb readily (whereas stoats, a smaller cousin, do and will). Link to comment
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