Ferrets are lovable and adorable pets, but they may get a tad smelly too. People often complain about ferret odor and stress about getting rid of it. Fortunately, some safe and natural ways allow you to say goodbye to their smell and make your house smell a bit fresher.
Don’t be dissuaded – ferrets are wonderful pets.
They offer some much-needed amusement in our lives. Watching a ferret pair wrestle is pure stress relief after a hectic day.
However, the number one issue about them is their smell.
They have an earthy, musky smell that often bothers the owners, especially in the beginning. Their anal glands secrete a scent particular to their species. Ferrets release this scent when they feel threatened or try to mark their territory.
Some pet stores surgically remove their anal glands before selling them, but the ferret skin has scent glands too that exude a musky odor.
In this guide, we are going to uncover how to maintain and diminish their natural scent and keep your home from smelling like a ferret cage.
Remove Ferret Urine
It is possible to potty train a stubborn ferret.
But you can still face accidents left by your ferrets on your carpets and other surfaces, and it can be frustrating. Since urine smells a lot and it is known to stain, it is pertinent to take quick action, catch the mess, and wipe it up.
If you won’t clean it quickly, it will set in and then smell for days.
Wipe up the wet mess as much as you can with a dry cloth and then wash the area with a 50% vinegar and 50% water mixture.
In case it is an old, stubborn stain, you must implement the power of an enzyme cleaner. Put it on the carpet or wood flooring and leave up to 48 hours. Next, wash the area thoroughly, or toss the rag in the wash. Once it is dry, vacuum or sweep.
For animal wastes and urine stains, experts recommend enzyme cleaners.
They are particularly designed for them as they get deep down in the affected area and remove the stain and the odor completely.
Just make sure you aren’t using ammonia-based cleaners, as their strong smell can compel the ferrets to return and mark the same spot again. Instead of removing the scent, they cover the spot with their own, distinctive smell.
Keep Them Amused
Keeping ferrets amused is important.
Because they are great complainers. If you won’t flood them with attention and care, they will protest by creating business for you to clean.
It is their way to get attention.
Furthermore, stress and boredom can lead to a ferret producing more odor.
Start with these basics to keep them amused.
- Give them a cozy cage.
- Get hard, sturdy plastic toys for them.
- Cardboard boxes and paper bags make them happy too.
- Good, clean food and fresh water are necessary.
- Clean litter boxes daily.
- Offer them an area to play and explore.
- Give them companions.
The key is to balance the amount of affection. Don’t let them control your time and behavior. Otherwise, they will keep you engaged and think you are their true companion.
Choose The Right Diet
Ferret’s diet has a big say in odor control.
Much of their odor can be blamed on a diet. If you won’t give them well-balanced nutrition, their skin and breath will stink.
They can become sick as well.
First, let’s talk about what ferrets shouldn’t eat.
Fruits and vegetables shouldn’t be the main part of their diet. Particularly, fruits like Apple, Blackberries, Dates, Guavas, Kiwi Fruits, and Oranges aren’t good for them. Ferrets can’t digest them very well. If you feed them too much, it can lead to diseases like bladder stones.
Apart from this, avoid food containing complex carbohydrates; they have a low nutritional value that can produce excess glucose in ferret’s blood and cause insulinomas.
Remember, ferrets are carnivores; they need raw meat, raw bones, and digested vegetable matter.
Never feed them cooked raw meaty bones as they cause internal damage, instead, give them raw meaty bones. They are suitable for their health and keep them healthy.
Besides, the raw meaty bone should be large enough so that they can’t fit the whole bone in their mouth or try to swallow it.
Some raw meats that ferrets can eat are minced beef, lamb, chicken wings, and turkey neck. For more information on what to feed your pet ferret, consult our Ferret Food Chart.
Clean Their Cage
Do you know the ferret odor comes from an unclean cage too?
If you keep your ferret cage clean all the time, you can reduce the odor significantly.
Choose the right and safe cleaning products and use them as instructed. Don’t opt for anything that is on sale or super economical. Instead, try to get high-quality products if you don’t want to compromise the health of your ferret.
Getting an extra cage can be a great option also. You can temporarily place your ferrets in the extra cage while you are cleaning their actual cage.
Next, clean and wash the dishes with warm, soapy water and rinse them thoroughly. Do not let them sit forever while they are dirty, as this can cause bad odors to linger.
Don’t forget to scoop litter every day, either.
When ferrets see their litter box full, they find other places like food or water bowls. Even professionally trained ferrets can have accidents outside the litter box.
Other than that, using disposable bedding prevent odor effectively.
Picking up clothes from second-hand shops work well, or you can use old t-shirts as their bedding. This keeps the cage clean and facilitates in reducing their smell.
Conclusion
For the most part, the smell is part of the furry ferret package.
Once you follow these above tips for a little while, you won’t even notice it. If no option is working in your favor, and strong smells persist, talk to your vet to find out a potential health problem. He or she will assess the overall health of your ferret and recommend changes in diet or medications. For instance, sometimes, anal gland blockages or adrenal disease increase the ferret odor. Natural methods can’t prevent this; it may require prescription medication.