Ferrets are still quite exotic animals to keep in an apartment. Often, new owners are not ready for such a spicy feature of the animal as a specific smell. Is it possible to get rid of the ferret smell with improvised means?
How to get rid of ferret odor?
Is it possible to get rid of a specific smell, or is it only necessary to put up with it? With regular and proper grooming, ferrets don’t smell much stronger than common pets like cats and dogs.
First of all, you need to figure out why the ferret smells. The smells from these fluffy babies can be roughly divided into four types:
– from the toilet;
– from fur;
– seasonal during the mating season;
– from the paraanal glands.
The ferret’s litter box and other places he chooses to relieve himself smell pretty strong. How to deal with this smell? The ferret’s litter box and other places where it may go to the toilet should be cleaned and cleaned daily. Rinse the tray well with water and add one of the following ingredients: potassium permanganate, lemon juice or vinegar.
Do not use chemicals when washing the tray. It is advisable to use a special litter box suitable for ferrets. They contain odor-fighting additives. Choosing the right food can also help reduce unpleasant odor from the tray. You need to choose foods that are recommended for ferrets.
How to deal with ferret skin odor? Ferret fur smells because of the secretion that is secreted through the sebaceous glands of the animal. To minimize this odor, you need to take good care of your pet. Once every two or three weeks, you should wash your ferret with a special shampoo.
If there is still time until the next bath, and the animal already smells, dry shampoos or deodorant ferret sprays can be used. You can also build a dry pool for your ferret by filling a shoebox with dry grass. Swimming in such a “pond”, the ferret will clean the fur well.
Wash your pet’s bedding and other things in hot water with odorless washing powder as it gets dirty, but at least once every two weeks.
During the mating period, ferrets begin to smell more intense, and besides, they behave somewhat inadequately: they show aggression, worry and mark the territory, that is, the entire apartment. If we discard the radical option with castration or sterilization, then only regular wet cleaning and hygienic care of the ferret will help. The smell will remain, but will not be as strong.
For cleaning, you can add a few drops of a natural essential oil, such as lavender or rosemary, to a bucket of water. Also at this time it is worth limiting the territory available for walking the pet. Do not let him run freely throughout the apartment, especially in the bedroom, nursery and kitchen. During this time, it is often necessary to wash and wash the “personal” things of the ferret.
When frightened or agitated, ferrets secrete a rather smelly secret from the paraanal glands. Normally, secretion is released once or twice a month. The smell is really strong, but fortunately it fades away quickly. In case of such a “surprise” from a pet, the room should be well ventilated.
Sometimes ferrets undergo surgery to remove the paraanal glands. However, after it there are often complications that can even lead to the death of the animal, so you should think carefully about whether such a dangerous surgical intervention is worthwhile.
Ferrets are charming and playful pets, which have only one significant drawback – a specific smell. You cannot get rid of it once and for all, you will have to regularly fight for clean air. But if you really love these furry animals and know how to get rid of the ferret scent, taking care of them will not be a burden for you.