Author Wrote:
>OK, who here has experience with ferrets who "poof"?  We are considering
>adopting ferrets here in Germany and are used to those who have had their
>scent glands removed (as all my ferrets in the U.S. had).  I just found
>out that this procedure is banned in Germany; they consider it cruel.
>Positives and negatives, please?  Any input would be appreciated.
 
 
Emily,
 
Ferrets in Australia are not descented - it is considered to be cruel as
well.
 
Personally, I don't believe that it is cruel but it certainly isn't
necessary.  If I had a choice I still wouldn't have Ollie descented.
 
Ollie smells slightly musky, but it is not a bad smell or even annoying
and you have to bring him up to your nose to smell it.  When Trev's wet
(the dog) he smells a 100 times worse and even my boyfriend agrees.
Although before I got Ollie desexed he had started to smell a lot and
his coat went yellowish.
 
Ollie only poofs when he gets very upset, like when he's in big trouble.
So he's maybe poofed two or three times the whole time I have had him.
Which would be for about 9 months and he will hiss before he poofs too.
Poofing for Ollie is a last resort.
 
A ferret poof is certainly not a nice smell.  It can hang around for up
to ten minutes and any clothes etc that it is on if you were holding the
ferret at the time have to be washed.
 
I read people on FML saying that their fert turns and sticks it butt in
the air when they do it, but there is no current warning system installed
in Ollie's butt.  As it's silent and deadly.  No seriously it's not
deadly - but it ain't good
 
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        {'-.,{'-.,     ,.-'},.-'}
  <{-',-',-   Danni   -,'-,'-}>
        {,-.,{,-.,    ,.-,},.-,}
                {'~*~'}
[Posted in FML issue 4239]