Grooming

It has been our experience that you need not shampoo your ferret but perhaps three times a year.

There are many shampoos for ferrets and kitten shampoos can also be used. Baby shampoo is used often by ferret owners.

At our shelter we use a shampoo with Maleleuca (Tea Tree Oil). Tea Tree Oil is a natural inhibitor for external parasites and has an outstanding effect on the condition of the hide and coat! Our shelter ferrets have always scored high points for coats in show competition. It is a misnomer that the more you shampoo the ferret the less the musk odor will be apparent.

So many times we have heard, “I shampooed that ferret every few days and it still smelled!” The explanation for this lies in their oil glands. Ferrets have oil glands that keep their hide and coat healthy. These oil glands are saturated between the shoulders. So it just goes to figure, the more shampooing, the more the musk fragrance. Besides, over shampooing dries out the coat, let the natural oils work for your ferret. Trust us you will have a beautiful ferret. Shampooing should coincide with shedding season. In your ferret box you should also have a brush and weekly brush your ferret. Do not use a “slicker” brush as this can score the hide and hurt your ferret.

A note here about shampooing. Should you bring another ferret into the home shampoo them together. Ferrets establish an alpha order by many means,and one is smell. If these are shampooed together it helps to level the playing field.

External parasites; fleas, ticks, skin mites need to be tended to. Fleas are the most common of those listed. Treatment can be, as stated above, with Tea Tree Oil. Also, Advantage or Frontline, obtained from your veterinarian (not purchased over the counter) has been proven to be very effective. Also when faced with the presence of these parasites Frontline Spray is also available. NERVER FOG OR BOMB YOUR HOME!!! The residue left behind can be poisonous to your ferrets. Spray your baseboards and tile floors with a mix of 1 part dish soap to 10 parts water. Vacuum your carpets and floors, immediately discard the bag. A light dusting of salt, wait five days, then vacuum. This will last a year or until you shampoo your carpet.

Did you know ferrets use their nails for balance. If left unclipped, they will grow out and curl under. The ferret will not be able to stand well, and this can then create structural problems by trying to compensate. Clip the nail about 1/16th inch in front of the vein. The vein, or quick as it called, is the pink within the nail. The easiest way to make clipping the nails a pleasant experience for you and your ferret is to put a bit of supplement on their belly. While the ferret is busy licking away you simply hold the paw and clip. Should you nick a quick (and have this readily available) here are some suggestions. Quick-stop powder or flour or baking soda or a bar of soap. Saturate a cloth with cold water and apply direct pressure, hold or a couple minutes then release. Repeat if necessary.

Cleaning the ears should be bi-weekly. Ear mites are common in ferrets, since they run the floor. Mites can come into your home on your shoes. These are microscopic pests. The natural earwax of the ferret is reddish brown. The presence of ear mites can be seen with black wax or crust. For ear cleaners, with the presence of mites, select a product with pyrethrin. Otherwise, regular ear cleaner will suffice. Also, a home remedy for mites can be an equal mix of hydrogen peroxide and mineral oil. The tool to clean the ears is a Q-tip. Moisten the tip with the cleaner, as well as a small drop in the exterior ear. Now, simply and gently massage the ear to release and produce wax. Should you have a severe mite problem seek veterinarian care. Perhaps a treatment of Ivermectin is in order.

Cleaning the teeth can start with the type of food or food mix. Stay away from soft foods they create plaque. You can mix a hard extruded premium kitten food with regular ferret food (5:1 ratio). The hard extruded bits help to chip off tarter. It is recommended that you have your ferrets teeth professionally cleaned as needed. Did you know that if you leave your ferrets teeth untreated it can cause gum infections that can lead to renal failure and kill your ferret?