The #1 problem with mine is ears.  Pee-yew!  I have to clean them at
least once a week.  I usually have to wash their face as well when I do
that, the ears are so messy.  I think ears are the most neglected thing
on most ferrets.  They really do seem to need to be cleaned often!
 
I also find good oral hygiene isn't amiss.  I haven't met a ferret with
cat or dog breath, but why risk it?  I keep their sleeping area clean,
but I do think I bathe them more than most people.  I haven't found a
problem with that yet, it's about every 2 weeks to a month, whenever I
feel they're getting a touch whiffy.  They also get a bath if they're
gotten dirty, a common problem in spring and fall when I walk them (weee!
puddles!  mud!) They do have a surprisingly low smell level.  I augment
this with a coat conditioner and deoderizer so that the little bit of
smell they do have can be gotten rid of if someone is coming over and
it's not bath day.  I did find that Bi-Odor stuff from Marshalls did help
when we first got them, especially with litter box odor.  (My husband's
old ferrets used clay cat litter.  Less smell but not good for weasels)
 
I have found that cloth that ferrets have access to seems to smell MORE
than the ferrets themselves, even with a small exposure.  I think this is
because the coat and skin needs that oil, but the cloth just lets it sit
and get stale and smelly.
 
Melissa Smith
[Posted in FML issue 4064]