Hello everyone!
 
I am so glad I found this Ferret Mailing List, it has been very helpful.  I
am not yet a ferret owner and am entering the final months of studying these
furry little balls of joy before I actually pick my first few up.  For the
past couple of months I have been reading and listening to everything and
everyone I can get my hands on, learning all I can about ferrets.  I realize
the importance of knowing as much as possible before hand so that when the
real deal comes along I will be ready.  I am also planning on driving three
hours away to purchase my ferrets from a breeder, because like many of you I
am distrusting of pet stores and the quality of their conditions.  In any
case, I have a few questions that I have absolutely been stumped with and I
was hoping that you ferret owners out there could help me out, naturally
being well-learned with your own ferrets.  The first and foremost problem I
seem to be having is finding answers concerning the de-scenting of ferrets.
 I have recieved two very different opinions.  Most of the books I have read,
including Chuck and Fox Morton's manual, suggest that de-scenting the ferrets
is a very good idea.  They say it should be done before the ferret is six
months old and that if you don't have them de-scented they will become very
greasy and very unpleasant.  OK, I was willing to accept this, but then I was
confronted with a completely opposite opinion.  This source says that
de-scenting the ferret is very expensive and actually accomplishes nothing.
 They also commented that de-scenting is bad for the ferret's health.  I
don't mind the money, but I certaintly don't want to shell out a lot of dough
for a procedure that is useless or harmful to my ferrets.  Those of you who
subscribe to the Internet's pet group may have seen this question there and
many other places...I have posted it everywhere and have yet to recieve an
answer.  I was hoping some actual ferret owners here could relay their own
personal experiences to me and help me decide which is the best course of
action to take for my ferret and myself.
One other quick question I have concerns grooming.  What do you current
ferret owners reccomend concerning how often I should bath the ferret and how
often should I clip their nails?
Well this is all for now, I appreciate any suggestions, reccomendations,
etc...
 
Thank You,
Garrison Patrick
 
[Posted in FML issue 0854]