Hello Cambrey,

It's good that you have discovered the fml. The information you find
here will help you be the best ferret mommy you can be. I am am not
going to speak to you about the tremendous responsibility any pet is
let alone a ferret! Or that ferrets tend to be far more dependent and
costly than some of the other choices for pets. I am sure there will
a number of more seasoned fml members that will put these things into
words far better than I could.

What I wanted to help you out with is the smelly thing. I have had
ferrets going on 23 years and absolutely love it when someone visits my
home. The mention of a ferret and the first thing they say is "Don't
they stink?" I politely respond with, "You tell me. There's at least
five running around my house at all times. Can you smell them?" And of
course the visitor is moementarily stunned speechless. Upon regaining
their ability to speak, I help them to understand the wonders of the
ferret, rather than the rumors. Yes, ferrets do have a distinct musky
odor but it is not going to permeate your home. I have met only one
person in all my years of being owned by ferrets that absolutely could
not tolerate the muskiness of the ferret. She could not smell them just
being in my home or seeing them run about. But when holding them, their
musky smell over powered her.

Here's the hard part. Say you manage to convince your mother to allow
you to have a ferret. *If you do not take proper care of it - it will
stink and your mother will have ample reason to not want it in her
home.* By that I mean, liter boxes, bedding, toys, all need to be kept
clean regularly. The one point that I have to offer in helping your
mother past the smelly issue, is to inform her that *any* animal not
properly cared for, stinks! Have you ever smelled a wet dog not to
mention a dirty, wet dog? Or how about an uncleaned cat box? I have
even visited homes with birds in which the smell eminated through the
air announcing the cage could seriously use some attention. Tell your
mother that it is the owner of the pet that determines whether the pet
smells or not.

I don't know what the little "fuzzballs" from Petco you speak of, but
at least a ferret makes the attempt to get out of your hands or lap and
to their 'bathroom', unlike some other small pets that have no problem
and generally do leave something in your hand or lap that you would
rather they not have:-)

Hope some of this helps.  Wishing you wisdom and luck.

zferretlvr - Karen and kids, Starzan, Angel, Slinky and Burrito
and my babies over the rainbow bridge; Mishchief, Eanee, Meanee,
Minee, Murty, Minnie, Fuzzie, Go-Go, Cocoa and Ino.

[Posted in FML 5522]