>From:    Rosemary de Trafford <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: odor control
 
Rose, you're probably going to get a lot of replies.  So be prepared.
 
You failed to mention whether your little one was male or female, desexed,
or the age.
 
Kits - baby ferrets - tend to have a slightly stronger body odor than most
mature ferrets, but do grow out of it most of the time.
 
Whole ferrets - not spayed or neutered - have a much stronger odor than when
they have been desexed.  Whole males have a MUCH stronger odor than whole
females.  So if your little one has not been spayed/neutered, have it done.
It is recommended to wait until 7 months of age or older for complete
development.  But there are much better reasons, least of all the odor.  If
your little one is not spayed/neutered, & you want to know the reasons why
you should have this done, please ask.
 
What I did find out in your post is that you bath every other day.  NO, NO,
NO.  Unknowingly you are creating an odor problem.  By over-washing you're
causing the body to over-compensate body oils that you're washing away.
Ferret shampoo is the best product to use, but not so often.  By keeping the
direct environment clean you can have a fresh smelling woozle.
 
My babies are only bathed about 3x a year.  I change out any dirty linens
daily & launder all of the bedding weekly.  My fuzzies smell like fabric
softener. I find ferret fur tends to absorb odors.  If I wear perfume while
I'm carrying them around, they also smell like perfume.  Alternately, if
their litter box isn't diligently maintained, they smell like a dirty litter
box.
 
Understand that a mature, neutered, properly maintained ferret will still
have its own unique smell, like a dog, cat, bird, rodent, reptile...or
hooman.  This is a consideration when accepting the responsibility of any
pet.
 
LONG LIVE KODO
 
Juliana
Frodo, Rocks, Anola Gay, SNAFU, FUBAR, Tabu,
Chaos, Tuxedo, Bijou, Fiasco, & Dazzle
[Posted in FML issue 2106]