Q: "I think I know WHY ferrets have lighter coats in the winter...to help hide them in the snow, right?. How can the ferret get rid of the pigment?" A: By using a No. 25 sunblock and staying out of the sun. Actually, it is not only quite simple, but elegant. Ferrets have two different types of hair; a very fine and short hair (diameter about 25 microns) that is essentially lightly or non-pigmented, and a coarse long hair (diameter about 95 microns) that is pigmented, but with more pigment at the tip than the base so the color ranges from light to dark. The short, fine hairs are called fur hair (or underfur), and are very soft. The long, coarse hairs are called guard hair, and are much rougher. (The whiskers, or vibrissae, are called tactile hairs, and can be found in various parts of the body besides the face). The balance of one type of hair compared to the other depends directly on the photoperiod. Long days cause the ferret to grow more guard hairs and moult fur hairs. This results in a darker and rougher coat, just perfect for tearing through brambles without hurting the skin, and for remaining hidden in the shadows. Short days cause the ferret to moult guard hairs and grow more fur hairs. Since the fur hairs contain little if any pigment, this results in a much lighter coat, and the ferret appears to change colors or even patterns. The fur hair is very soft and traps lots of air, so it becomes a quite effective blanket to keep the ferret warm, and the lighter color helps to keep the ferret hidden in forests that are much more open to light because leaves have fallen. Unlike some weasels which almost completely lose their guard hairs in the winter, becoming very light in color, ferret will always keep some of their guard hairs and remain fairly pigmented. This helps to explain several things about ferrets. They have two distinct moults; a fairly minor one in the spring when they shed some of the fur hair (and grow guard hair), and a more extensive shed in the fall when they shed guard hairs (and grow fur hair.) This also explains why ferrets are softer and lighter in color in the winter; black sables lighten to a normal sable color, and sables will almost become chocolates. Silvers can almost become white. My Ballistic resembles an ermine. This explains why fur trappers go after mustelids in the winter, when the fur is very soft and warm (called high-quality). It also explains why ferrets, always keeping some of their guard hairs, have never really been all that popular in the fur business. One other thing about photoperiods. They also control the amount of oils that is manufactured at the base of the hairs, increasing in amount during the longer light periods. That means the ferret will have a more noticable smell in the summer as the sebaceous glands produce more oil. Their fur will also feel greasier (or oily) compared to fur in the wintertime. These oils are yellowish, and stain the unpigmented hair a yellow color. This is why some albino ferrets turn yellowish, especially during spring and summer. The hair is still unpigmented, it is just coated with sebum. These oils normally protect the ferret in several ways. They condition the skin and help waterpoof it. They help insulate the ferret from heat and keep the skin cooler in warm weather. They seal the skin, helping to prevent dehydration. They help to make up each ferret's unique scent, making it eazy for ferret to distinguish strangers in dark burrows. Most importantly, they also protect the fur, waterproofing it from dew and rain, and while swimming. The oils have a built in scent, and are responsible for the ferret's characteristic odor. If you remove those oils, by shampooing the ferret, the sebaceous glands become stimulated to make more oil, and you ultimately end up making the ferret smell even more because the fresh sebum has more evaporative oils than the older stuff. That is why ferrets tend to smell less when they have not been bathed for some time compared to those bathed regularly. If you do wash your ferret, I recommend adding a non-toxic conditioner to the rinse to replace those oils removed by shampooing. This not only maintains the skin and fur health of the ferret, but it may help reduce the production of sebum. If all you wish to do is remove odor, try masking it with a spritz of watered-down vanilla or licorice. I have one friend that uses a non-toxic, natural baby power. Both liquids or powers are aromatic and more pleasing to the nose (to some people) than musk. You may like something else, but please make sure it is completely nontoxic before applying. Some people dislike powers because of the risk of clogging nasal passages or gumming up eyes. Try lightly powdering your *hands*, then rubbing the powder into the fur. Solves the problem. Don't confuse the odor that comes from the anal sacs with the normal body odor of a ferret. Descenting removes those sacs and associated glands, making it impossible for the ferret to spray or mark territory. This has absoluting nothing to do with the ferret's body odor. What *will* change the body odor is neutering, but even that won't stop the normal production of sebum. Like it or not, ferrets smell like ferrets and there is no way around it. Compared to my son's wrestling shoes, ferrets smell sweet. Bob C and 19 MO Toothed Terrors [Posted in FML issue 2246]