Don’t be too surprised if your pet ferret stinks. Ferrets do stink and they are made that way. Most often, they are called as stinky weasels. If you are a ferret lover, you won’t call them that. But since you’re keeping them as a pet, you should do something to minimize the strong odor of your ferret. I’ll tell you this. Their odor won’t totally be eradicated. It can only be minimized into a not so stinky odor. So what do you need to do?
Get to know them.
First of all, you must have a knowledge on why ferrets stink. Ferrets have a distinct and strong odor because of their anal scent glands and oil secretions. Ferrets belong to the family of mustelids which also include skunks. They secrete a stinky smell in order to protect them from harm. Ferrets also secrete oils in their skin which add up to their musky odor. But this mechanism is needed to condition their skin and coat.
Consider surgery.
To lessen stinky smell of your pet ferret, you can have the anal scent glands removed through surgery. The anal scent glands provide the stinkiest odor of your pet. If you have them removed, your pet ferret will stink less. Even if it’s removed, your pet ferret will still smell a little because of the presence of other glands which cannot be removed through surgery. However, only consider an anal scent gland surgery if your pet’s glands are leaking. If not, there is no need to remove it.
Bathe them regularly.
So as not to stink, have your pet ferret experience the refreshing coolness of a bath. A refreshing bath will help eliminate the stuck odor and germs on your pet ferret’s body. You may bathe them twice to thrice a week but not everyday. Bathing them daily can hinder the production of natural oils which are essential on maintaining their coat.
Keep their shelter clean.
If a house is not clean, its residents will stink – so as ferrets. If their cage is not regularly cleaned, the foul odor will stick even more to their body. Always clean their litter box. Your pet ferrets are playful and extremely curious. They might roll over on the dirty litter box. To keep that from happening, always throw the litter away.
Don’t forget to clean their beds.
Clean everything including their bedding. Remove fallen hairs and regularly dust them. You don’t want your pet ferret to catch any colds because of the hairy and dusty surroundings. Another thing to keep in mind is to keep their shelter dry. A wet cage or shelter only invites germs creating the bad odor.
Have your pet go outdoors once in a while.
If you only caged your pet ferret without letting him experience a little fresh air outdoors, the cage’s distinctive odor will stick to his body. Ferrets produce oils on their coat. Since oils are naturally sticky, their body is prone to be stuck by unwanted smells.
If you have other ways to keep a pet ferret not stinky, we encourage you to share them with us.
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