Jen asked: >I was wondering about the ferret de-odoring sprays. Is there any >drawbacks to using these? Would it be safer to use these instead of >giving them baths every two weeks? The spies want to know. I tried using a deodorant spray on my un-descented (fully scented?) ferret for about three days-- in my experience, it made his fur coarse and made him sneeze. It also triggered a mild asthma episode in me, which is when I stopped using it. If you are used to chemical sprays it might not bother you, but it might bother your ferret, who has no way of telling you. Giving ferrets baths every two weeks may actually make them have a stronger odor-- their scent and oil glands start working overtime to replenish the scent/oil that has been stripped away by the bath. Keeping the ferrets' bedding clean will have a bigger effect on their day-to-day smell than washing the ferrets themselves will. Using a non-clay litter helps too-- I've found that my ferrets have an amazing ability to absorb the odors of things around them into their fur, and if they're near a yucky-smelling litterbox... ugh. Anyway if you try not bathing them for over two weeks, you'll probably notice that the strength of their ferrety odor decreases. Mine just get baths when shedding or if they've gotten into something nasty :) Regina Regina Harrison [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/1083 Electra the Brujah's page: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Labyrinth/8096 Come closer, beloved Speak to me in contagious words Do you see the vultures over the fire? Scavengers are patient Do you see the cadaver dancing? [Posted in FML issue 2983]