What Do Ferrets Smell Like? Do They Smell Bad?
Several people do not consider ferrets to be amazing pets because of some erroneous beliefs. I was once told by an acquaintance that they love ferrets but cannot get one because ferrets have a bad smell. Think about this. If you have a dog that has a mass of 30 kilos and a ferret that has a mass of 1.5 kilos, which one of the will have a worse smell?
Let’s be more direct; Do ferrets have a smell? The answer to this is yes. Do they have a bad smell? This is simply no.
The fact is, there are different scents for different ferrets. You see, ferrets have special smells and they do not smell bad. It is important you take note of the fact that ferrets smell just like other animals. Also, there is sometimes a change in their smell. This change in smell is sometimes due to age; other times, it is because of their diet and state of health.
Once in a while, ferrets release smelly bombs. When they do this, it is sometimes related to them being scared. When released, smelly bombs are strong, but they are gone in a matter of seconds. A Smelly bomb is something that members of the mustelid family possess. Skunks also have this ability and make use of it in defending themselves. Apart from the mustelid family, other carnivores have this ability. However, members of the mustelid family have a reputation for always doing this.
One of the major reasons a lot of people think that pet ferrets have a bad smell is because they are part of the mustelid family. But the smell of ferrets’ skin and what is contained in their anal sacs are not similar. When attacked by another animal (this could be a dog, cat, or another ferret) your ferret will pass out the content of its anal sac. This is occasionally followed by poop. However, with the right treatment, your ferret will seldom pass out the content of his anal sacs.
Although the smell that gets released from the anal sac of a ferret is not a good one, it does not in away way indicate that a ferret smells bad. The smell of male ferrets is more intense than that of the females. This is very pronounced when in mating seasons among males that have not been neutered. This is something that is quite out of your control.
If your ferret spends a lot of time indoors, then, his smell will not be as intense as that of ferrets that live outside. This is quite similar to the fur of your ferret. Ferrets that live in homes have fur that is not as thick as those of ferrets’ that live outside. So, the smell of a ferret has a lot to do with lifestyle as well as where they reside.
What is the Result of Your Ferret Smelling Excessively? How to put that under control
Are you hoping to reduce the smell of your ferret? You have to start when your ferret is young. Ferrets should be neutered and sprayed, as doing so will bring about a reduction in your ferret’s smell and also make it healthy. The truth remains that spraying is not just ideal for all ferrets; it is good for other pets also. Apart from breeders, other people that have pets should neuter them. There are lots of pets that have been abandoned. The trend of abandoned pets can only be stopped by adopting and neutering a pet. If you must neuter a pet, you should do it when the pet is still young.
Other ways of keeping the smell of your ferret in check are:
Feed Healthy Meals
Healthy ferrets do not smell as bad as unhealthy ones. They also have shiny fur. This implies that you should feed your ferret well. One of the best ways to do this is by feeding them meat as they use up almost all the nutrients contained in meat. Their diets should consist of more than 30 percent of protein because of high digestibility. It should also have a fiber of lower than 4 percent and 15-20 percent of fat. A great diet will ensure your ferret’s droppings don’t smell so bad and help with soft and shiny fur.
Clean the cage
Ferrets are clean pets. They groom themselves regularly and prefer staying in clean environments. So, to prevent your ferret from smelling excessively, takeout time to clean its environment. Clean all the pee and poop from your ferret’s cage. Ensure you clean the cage comprehensively once or twice each month depending on how messy the cage use. You can also use a secure Deodorizer when cleaning the cage. This will also work on reducing the odor.
Clean the Bedding
Wash the clothes your ferret users like the sleep sack, hammock, etc. You can do this each week. Make sure you use hot water to wash the clothes as this will help get rid of the germs and embedded odors. It is not advisable to use detergents here because the smell of the detergent may result in irritation of their feet.
Clean the litter box
Next, clean your ferret’s litter box. In comparison to the cage, you need to clean the litter box every day. This is one of the major reasons for a smelly ferret. Remember to leave a little amount of litter in the box after cleaning so your ferret can tell where to do his business. Also, try to make use of litters that are ergonomically constructed for ferrets to ensure it is easy to let out wastes.
Don’t Bath excessively
The skin of ferrets releases additional oil after you bath them. For this reason, it is advised to bath them once or twice a year. You can use a ferret conditioner and shampoo to help maintain the fur quality. Its best to use warm water while doing this as you don’t want to give your ferret a cold.
