Relax!  The first thing we hear at our educational classes from new (and not
so new ferret owners) is, "I'm so afraid to clean their ears.  I don't want
to hurt them."
 
The ear cleaning formula (Oti-Calm, etc.) does the work.  You just do the
clean-up.  After you squirt it in, rub it around and wait for the ferret to
shake it out, then the Q-tip thing goes like this.  The ear canal runs
across the head from ear to ear.  NEVER insert the Q-tip in that
direction(pointing into the ear).  Simply always keep your Q-tip straight up
and down(perpendicular to the head) and just scoop the gunk out.  You can do
this all day (well figuratively) and you will never enter your ferret's ear
canal and never puncture anything.  Your furt may get annoyed the first few
times but they will get used to it.  I also find that they are much calmer
and more accepting of ear cleaning when they are sitting in a sink of
relaxing warm water getting a bath.
 
"ears" to you,
Carin Riley
South Florida Ferret Club and Rescue
[Posted in FML issue 1992]