Ferret Odors; there's no need for your Ferret to smell!

Odors are part of having a Ferret, but the stench does not need to be overpowering if you as the owner both understand the reasons for odors and know what you are doing in the care of your Ferret.

Odors are caused in three ways. Firstly is their musk or the smell created by marking. Secondly the diet and thirdly their hygiene or lack of it.

Let's deal with the issues in the order or odor raised (see what I did there?).

Marking. Ferrets have scent glands near their anuses; it is the secretions from this gland which are used for ‘marking’. Ferrets will 'mark' for a number of reasons such as attracting a mate or leaving a trail to where food has been hoarded; they will also let fly with an anal secretion if they are startled or frightened.

Remedy - If you are not going to use your Ferret for breeding then you can have the anus gland removed (this is known as de-scenting) and at the same time the Ferret can be neutered; these are simple operations that can be performed at the same time.

Just a word of caution, the musk of un-neutered males is fairly strong, but in truth, the removal of glands and testicles shouldn't be done until the male Ferret has reached sexual maturity, which will be when it is 6-8 months old.

A similar operation can be undertaken for the female in this case, spaying them. If you are not going to breed from them this can actually be a kind thing to do, as when a female Ferret is on 'heat' and does not mate, she can go into what's known as an extended heat and potentially die from aplastic anemia; talk to your Vet and arrive at a decision.

Diet. Just think of the outcome of a bad human diet and you'll get the idea.

There are mixed views in the Ferret community as to whether a dry food diet is more preferable to a meat diet. Both should have the same levels of proteins, fats and fiber, 32%/18%/3% in that order, but all of that is covered in an earlier article (Ferret Diets).

From an odor perspective, the diet can be a main contributor.

A poor diet leads to increased food intake as the Ferret is not getting sufficient nutrition and of course, the more it eats the more waste it needs to release; so it is a vicious circle - get the diet right and these problems should go away.

Hygiene. A Ferret does not need to be bathed on a regular basis; regular bathing can remove essential oils from its coat. The rule of thumb is, that if the coat really does start to give off an aroma that is somewhat offensive, then bathe it, but make sure that you use a soft shampoo; shampoos used for young children are ideal.

The litter tray, cages and corners of the room are probably where the greatest smells are to be found.

A Ferret is a clean animal and responds best in a clean environment. If the litter tray is not cleaned on a regular basis, your pet will find somewhere else to go to toilet, such as a favourite corner of the room - so clean the tray often, (some say daily) and make sure the cage and bedding is kept clean.

Ears can be a major source of an unpleasant smell. Ferrets produce a lot of earwax and their ears should be gently cleaned every couple of weeks. However, DO NOT USE EAR BUDS, but cotton wool balls.

Bad teeth can cause bad breath, so if you have that sort of problem check to make sure that the teeth do not have a problem.

If you want to have a great relationship with your Ferret remember, if you look after your Ferret properly, it will reward you many times over.