>From: Rosemary de Trafford <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: odor control Rose, you're probably going to get a lot of replies. So be prepared. You failed to mention whether your little one was male or female, desexed, or the age. Kits - baby ferrets - tend to have a slightly stronger body odor than most mature ferrets, but do grow out of it most of the time. Whole ferrets - not spayed or neutered - have a much stronger odor than when they have been desexed. Whole males have a MUCH stronger odor than whole females. So if your little one has not been spayed/neutered, have it done. It is recommended to wait until 7 months of age or older for complete development. But there are much better reasons, least of all the odor. If your little one is not spayed/neutered, & you want to know the reasons why you should have this done, please ask. What I did find out in your post is that you bath every other day. NO, NO, NO. Unknowingly you are creating an odor problem. By over-washing you're causing the body to over-compensate body oils that you're washing away. Ferret shampoo is the best product to use, but not so often. By keeping the direct environment clean you can have a fresh smelling woozle. My babies are only bathed about 3x a year. I change out any dirty linens daily & launder all of the bedding weekly. My fuzzies smell like fabric softener. I find ferret fur tends to absorb odors. If I wear perfume while I'm carrying them around, they also smell like perfume. Alternately, if their litter box isn't diligently maintained, they smell like a dirty litter box. Understand that a mature, neutered, properly maintained ferret will still have its own unique smell, like a dog, cat, bird, rodent, reptile...or hooman. This is a consideration when accepting the responsibility of any pet. LONG LIVE KODO Juliana Frodo, Rocks, Anola Gay, SNAFU, FUBAR, Tabu, Chaos, Tuxedo, Bijou, Fiasco, & Dazzle [Posted in FML issue 2106]