You know, it's really all about falling into a rote regimen with them.
If you forget to do this or that for a even a couple days, the smell
can really catch up to them/you and it's hard to get back to where you
were without a good effort.  Eliminating oder is done by covering ALL
of your bases.  Not just one or a few.  I feel like if one is left
undone then it's all like a row of dominos and the rest fall.  This
is most definitely true if you are keeping your ferret very clean for
allergies ... without a doubt.
 
You'll quickly find that if you fall into a practice it will be far less
work and just part of your time with your ferret.
 
I always like starting off by asking about diet.  Nothing, no baths, no
colognes, etc will make the excretion ferrets have while on a fish diet.
I know that Marshall Farms food is supposed to be a very good one, but
personally ... I hate it.  It makes them go ... and frequently.  Their
poop and pee both smell.  And most of all the ferret itself smells.
There are good quality kitten chows out there that are fine for ferrets,
but that also have fish in the ingredients.  They too can cause an odd
and annoying odor.  So if your ferret is on any sort of kibble mentioned
above, I'd seriously consider switching him over to a chicken and rice
or turkey and barley based kibble with no fish added.
 
For a single ferret, I this is what prefer personally:
 
- scoop the liter 1-2x a day (make sure you scoop pee, not just poopies),
and use a large liter pan
 
- use feline pine, or wood pellets (it absorbs the odor the most)
 
- wipe out bottom of the cage/tray daily with water and Oxyclean (in
a spray bottle), or a safe spray cage cleaner for cats or ferrets, or
something like natures miracle and water (in a spray bottle)
 
- bath the ferret with special ferret shampoo AND ferret rinse (such as
the MF rinse, or PEP brand, etc ... this will give the ferret a nice
smell, soft fur and best yet ... prevent itching) ... and do so no more
than once a month.  For me once a month is too much ... it dries their
skin and triggers their glands to make secrete more odor.  If you are
used to bathing your ferret often, this can be a hard cycle to break ...
but just hang tough for a couple months (or extend it a couple weeks at
a time), and it'll be over.
 
- clean ears with a nice smelling ear "wash" that you prefer (some nice
products are Vet's Best and Marshal Farms ... I do not like Sheppard and
Green at all because it smells bad to me).  And clean often!  I mean once
a week or twice a month.  A huge amount of smell can come from the ears
without you realizing it.
 
- change out and wash all blankets and stuffies every few days.  This is
one of the most important things.  Pick a detergent that you love and
that smells fresh.  I don't advocate using fabric softener because I do
not know if that would be harmful to a ferret (the lungs and sinus's)
over the long haul, but I will admit that when company is coming I use it.
 
- look around and access the environment.  Ferret fur picks up any and
all odor and particles in their environment.  The underside of couches,
dogs that they rub up against, cigarette smoke, and many more things in
the home.  I use candles in my home occasionally for smell when guests
come.  Of course I can't know for sure, but I really feel like they offer
no harm to the animal.  I keep carpets and furniture steam cleaned.  Oh
and a rice box with fresh rice can actually absorb bad odors ... just
remember that if you hate the rice smell, you're ferret will smell like
rice, lol.
 
- if you have a ferret room, or room in the house where your ferrets
spend most of the days.  once in a while, drag out your cage(s), hard
toys, everything in the ferret room and clean them outside with a hose
and dish soap (or even bleach ... just make sure it dries and airs out
well).  Mop the floor well.  You might even want to get your sponge mop
and clean water (maybe a bit cleaner to spray on the walls), and mop the
walls for odor.  I only do this 3 times a year or so, and I've had as
many as 8 ferrets in a single room.
 
- lastly, I suggest that you do not use the dry shampoos.  Or the
colognes.  Ever.  They are expensive, only work for a couple of hours,
and they can really be hard on the fur over the long run.  Before you
know it, your ferrets fur will be course and brittle, even though some
use the word "conditioning" on the label.  If you need to freshen up your
ferrets fur in a pinch, you can use a damp wash cloth, rub and wipe him
down, then rinse, repeat.  If that is not enough, there is a product
called "Allerpet" and similar products in the kitty isle that are pretty
neat.  You dampen your ferrets fur with a washcloth (but never to the
skin), then lightly wipe down with the Allerpet, then wipe again.  I
would assume that extensive use of such products would damage the hair.
So I'd only use them if your ferret gets into something, or if fussy
company comes over, etc.
 
And well, that's odor management from someone with diagnosed OCD. :)
 
Wolfy
 
http://www.wolfysluv.com
Sean and Rocky Slide show
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=7222047&uid=3512225
See Sean before Rocky
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=8972718&uid=3512225
[Posted in FML issue 5172]