What kind of grooming does my ferret need?
It's important to develop a grooming routine with your ferret. First, it will keep your ferret looking, feeling and smelling good. Second, it can be a bonding routine if you do it regularly and follow it up with yummy treats! Here are the different grooming activities you will need to do:
Bathing
Ferrets should be bathed no more than once a month, and you should use a ferret shampoo. How often you decide to bathe your ferret is a personal preference. Some people bathe their ferrets monthly, others bathe their ferrets around the season changes, and others bathe their ferrets only once a year. Some people only bathe their ferrets when they get into something.
Cleaning Ears
Clean your ferret's ears with a ferret ear cleaner at least once every two weeks. This will help to prevent infections and ear mites. Normal ear wax is red, brown or gold colored. If you see lots of black wax, this is a sign of ear mites, and a trip to the vet is in order.
Clipping Nails
Clip your ferret's nails at least twice a month. If your ferret's nails get too long, he can catch them on bedding, carpet or other things. This could not only rip the nail out, but it could cause him to break his toe as well. Nails that are never clipped start to curl under as they grow too long, which is very uncomfortable for the ferret. When you clip nails, avoid using human nail clippers. Cat or ferret clippers are safer, since human nail clippers that aren't sharp enough can crush your ferret's nail.
Brushing Teeth
How often you will have to brush your ferret's teeth depends on how much soft food and how many soft treats your ferret eats. Those ferrets that get a lot will need their teeth brushed weekly. Other ferrets should have their teeth brushed at least once every couple weeks. Use a ferret toothpaste. Human toothpastes can be toxic if swallowed, and your ferret isn't going to know how to spit it out!
So those are the basics! For more information about grooming or to learn how to do these things, read Grooming Your Ferret.
Comments
My friend had a ferret. She said it smells really bad so she bathed it like once a week. It kept it smelling good. If she didnt bathe it once a week it would start to smell really bad. Im getting a ferret, so when am i supposed to bathe it?
Posted by: Kassidy | March 1, 2007 03:16 PM
My husband and I are buying two ferrets in the next month and are wondering what all we should have. We have a cage picked out (ferret nation 141), but we're not sure what we need or what's an indulgence as far as the vitamins, treats, toys, etc. If anyone has any advice we'd love to hear it.
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Editor's Note:
I just want to say first that I think it's great you're planning ahead! Ferrets are definitely a major responsibility, and it's wonderful that you're preparing for it.
With that being said, here is what you will need to get before your bring your ferrets home or the day you get them:
Other things such as a harness and lead, nail clippers, and other grooming supplies can be picked up within the first couple weeks after you bring the ferrets home.
Posted by: Lauree Kramer | October 3, 2007 07:09 PM