Bathing your Ferret: The Definitive Guide
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Bathing your ferret (or ferrets) doesn't have to be an ordeal. No, really. Stop laughing!
Most of us have had at least one bath where a soapy ferret ended up clinging to our head. It doesn't have to go that way. Here are some tips for bathing your ferret with less stress for both of you.
Make Your Ferret Feel Safe
Wherever you bathe your ferret, make the setting as non-threatening as you can. Don't fill the sink or tub so deep that your ferret can't stand, and make sure the bottom isn't slippery.
If you bring your ferret into the shower with you, support his body weight. A ferret that feels safe is less likely to panic and try to escape.
Keep It Warm
A ferret's normal body temperature is about 102° F, and a veterinary reference gives a normal range of 100° F to 104° F. Water that feels lukewarm to you can feel cool to him.
Use comfortably warm water, never hot. Test it on your wrist first so it can't burn your ferret.
Choose a Ferret Shampoo
Use a shampoo made for ferrets, ideally a tearless one, and still keep it out of your ferret's eyes. Try to keep your ferret from licking the shampoo.
If your ferret has fleas, ask your veterinarian for a flea product that is safe for ferrets. Never use a flea collar or flea dip on a ferret.
Rinse and Rinse
Rinse your ferret thoroughly after shampooing. Shampoo residue can leave the skin dry and itchy and the coat dull.
How Often?
Ferrets don't need frequent baths. A veterinary text advises bathing them no more than once or twice a month, because more frequent baths dry out the skin and cause itching.
Ferrets get their musky smell from the many oil glands in their skin, so bathing doesn't remove the odor for long. Washing your ferret's blankets, beds and hammocks does more to control odor than extra baths.
Clean Your Ferret's Ears
Bath time is a good time to check your ferret's ears. A dark brown, waxy buildup is common in ferrets and can add to the smell.
Clean the ears with a product made for ferrets and follow the label directions. If your ferret scratches its ears or has a lot of wax, see your vet, since ear mites are common in ferrets.
Clip Your Ferret's Nails
Bath time is also a good time to trim your ferret's nails. You'll need to clip nails more often than you bathe, but nails are usually softer and easier to cut after a bath.
Dry Your Ferret
Pet chamois towels are absorbent and durable, but you don't need special towels. You can make a pile of clean, dry towels and let your wet ferret tunnel through them.
Make sure the room is warm and free of drafts. Keeping your just-washed ferret in a clean area, such as a bathtub filled with dry towels, keeps him from picking up dust and dirt right away.
Sources
- Ferrets (Manual of Exotic Pet Practice), Saunders Elsevier (via PubMed Central)
