>>I believe most undescented ferrets "fart" in their sleep.
 
>I disagree that most undescented ferret spray in their sleep - if any of
>my ferrets spray it's because they'd had just reason too, our lurcher is
>far worse than any ferret spraying - however, I believe that long dogs are
>prone to flatulence especially if they've been pinching the food off the
>cats and ferrets:-)
 
I must say I agree with Sheila here.....my 2 hob ferrets are about 10 months
old and have only just started to have a musky smell......I will get them
neutered soon (now their b***s have dropped)but only for their sake not mine
as I don't want them to be in prolonged rut for no reason!I wouldn't dream
of having them descented as my vet too has said that it is unnecessary and
could lead to "problems" later on.
 
My lurcher NEVER smells...she's a lady!!!(and doesn't get the opportunity to
pinch the cat's food or the ferrets' food!)
 
>>Cleaning the poop of undescented ferrets off your kitchen floor is NOT
>>the same as cleaning up after descented ones!  Trust me!
>Sorry I don't trust you - if ferrets are fed a proper diet their faeces
>don't smell.
 
Again I agree...even though mine are fed what you think of as a weird diet
(raw chicken or rabbit carcasses as well as our own James Wellbeloved
complete ferret food)their poop doesn't smell at all.I clean them out every
morning and have never found anything to make me gip yet!
 
>Most animals have a characteristic smell, it's a fact of life - the
>operation is performed, not for the animals sake but for the sake of the
>keepers sensitive nose and if done for purely cosmetic reasons - not a good
>reason for surgery!
 
>One eminent UK ferret vet attributes some of health problems in US ferrets
>to the early spay/castration AND descenting.
 
That's my vet's opinion too (different vet to Sheila as we don't live near
each other!)
 
K.
[Posted in FML issue 2199]