We bathe our ferrets when they have fleas, when they get into something
sticky or dirty (NEVER LEAVE FIREPLACE SCREEN OPEN UNLESS YOU HAVE CLEANED)
and before my mom comes to visit.  All in all, they probably get bathed
3 times a year, maybe more if there is a flea infestation that year. Our
vet says our ferrets have the nicest coats in her practice.
 
All our ferrets have been spayed/neutered, so the scent that remains is
kind of like Fritos....but I have a weird sense of smell. When we got our
first ferret (poor Molly!) we bathed her every few weeks, but that ended
pretty soon--her coat dried out and so did her skin.
 
It all depends on what your tolerence is for their odor, if you care whether
your albinos get a little yellow, and if your ferrets like baths that you
aren't taking too. Ours hate their baths, but love to hop in the shower with
me. Go figure.
 
Marya, Zach, Len (humans)
Molly, Emma, Grover, Boo-Boo (ferrets), and Herbie-the-Khuli-Loach.
[Posted in FML issue 1349]