I respectfully disagree with the recent posts on the proper frequency of
baths for a ferret. Although I don't have a ferret now, when I did, I
bathed her at least once a week, using a high quality dog shampoo and
human conditioner. I have also used the same brands on my dogs, my cats,
and myself(Cindra and Aveda, respectively--not an advertisement). My
point is that all the mammals I know of seem to hold up fine with daily
bathing. The stuff about their coats needing natural oils is an old wives
tale. Showdogs are often bathed once a day for weeks on end specifically
to keep their coats and skin as healthy as possible. Humans have invented
hundreds of brands of shampoo to get rid of that "natural oil." If your
ferret gets itchy after a bath, it is probably the product's fault. I
expect a good shampoo and conditioner to make my pet's skin less itchy
then it would have otherwise been, not more. I think regular baths were
also the thing that endeared my ferret to people the most, when she
hadn't had a bath in a while, they were much less likely to want to come
near her in the first place! A good smelling ferret makes a good impression.
 
My $.02,
Lindy Martin
[Posted in FML issue 1150]