Chapter 5   

It's Show Time

 Bathing
            Even altered ferrets will have a slight musky odor.  Although most people do not find this objectionable, normal bathing will reduce this letter.  Frequent bathing is not recommended, although young kits sometimes need a more frequent bathing than older ferrets.  It is recommended to days your ferret about once every other month, unless they've gotten into something and a bath is the only way to get them clean.  A no tears baby shampoo or a kitten safe pet shampoo is highly recommended.  If you have to use a flea shampoo, use only kitten safe shampoo.  A normal dog or cat flea shampoo may poison your ferret.  Never use a flea collar!

             The bath and rinse water should be warm.  Remember that a ferrets body temperature is about four degrees higher than humans, so that lays lukewarm to you is cold to the ferret.  A double basin sink works best.  Fill each side with few inches of warm water using one side for the wash operation.  If you don't have a double basin, a plastic dish pan will work almost as well.  Fill the basis before you put the ferret into it.  The running water may frighten the ferret.

             Let the ferret applied the shampoo.  Lurk into a ladder.  Don't forget the head, tail and under the legs.  Gently dip the ferret in the rinse water and rinse thoroughly.  A sink sprayer sometimes works, but frightens some ferrets too much.  A few drops of a moisturizer added to the rinse water will help prevent dry skin.  Lower if you prefer, a moisturizer and water mixture can be sprayed on from a pump bottle and rubbed in thoroughly before the final rinse. 

If you're using a flea shampoo, start at the Mac to prevent the fleas from migrating from the body upward to the head.  Be very careful around the eyes.  A regular shampoo in the eyes may make future bathing very difficult.  Ferrets are fast learners and may learn from my experience that bath time means hurting time. 

Have plenty of towels handy.  Rub the fur reasonably dry, then put your ferret on the floor.  Give into towel and it will finish the job area it might be a good idea to remove the litterboxes for awhile because the let ferret will use not only the towel but almost everything else to dry itself off and litter makes a messy drying tool. 

Shedding
            The domestic ferret usually sheds its coat twice a year in the early spring and fall.  It will groom itself fairly well so daily brushing is not necessary but it's helpful.  During its self grooming, it may in jest significance amount of hair causing upset stomachs and even minor intestinal blockages.  A little bit of hair ball remedy made for cats may be given daily or every other day through the shedding.  It to help prevent a blockage. 

Toenails
            Toenails will have to be trimmed about once a week or once every other week.  If you don't, the nails will grow to a painful length and the vein in the nail will expand and make future trimming difficult. 

Use regular human type toenail clippers.  Make sure it's sharp when the Clippers may cause the nail to split.  The dog and cat type will work but are more difficult to use and may also tend to split the nail.  Clip the nails so that the flat portion of the trimmed nail is parallel to the floor when the ferret is walking.  A couple of quick strokes with an emery board after clipping will also prevent splitting and make the nail smoother. 

Getting their toenails clip is not exactly on the ferrets most fun list.  They will wiggle and squirm and twist and pull.  For this reason some ferret owners wait until their pet is asleep and get one pot at a time.  A much easier way is delayed the ferret on your lap with its head up and its back towards you.  Place a few drops of ferretone or linetone on its stomach and show the ferret where it is.  Then while it is busy licking, start clipping.  You'll find that the ferret sticks all floor pause out while reaching the floor the ferretone or linetone.  That makes clipping all floor paws a snap. 

When you trimmed, look carefully for the dark vein in the nail.  Be careful that you do not clip the vein.  It is a good idea to have styptic powder can be just in case because if you do clip this vein, you will hit and errors, the ferret will scream and it will bleed.  The styptic powder will at least stop the bleeding. 

Don't even think about de-clawing any domestic ferret.  They are not cats with retractable clause.  They need their nails like you need your fingers and toes.  They need them for walking.  They need them for grasping.  A de-clawed ferret is a crippled ferret. 

Ear Cleaning
            The ferrets ears will build up a reddish wax that should be removed every couple of weeks.  One of the best ways of clean the ears is to let the ferret do most of the work itself.  Drops in ear cleaning solutions such as chlorhexi-derm flush or similar solutions deep into the ear and massage for a few moments.  Then let the ferret shake.  Much of the ear wax will be shaken and out.  What's left to be cleaned out with a cotton swab.  Will be afraid to clean deeply.  The ferret scare canals are L. shaped so you're unlikely to do so deep as to hit the ear drum.  Use a swirling motion on swab so that you can pull the wax out rather than drive it into the ear canal. 

If the wax is a dark gray and the ear has an unpleasant odor, is likely that ear mites are present.  If your eyesight is keen and you have a magnifying glass you may be able to see the white mite.  Rub the ear wax on a piece of dark paper.  Look for a slowly moving down.  Commercially available ear mite medicine will work eventually but your veterinarian has medications that will work much faster and with more positive results. 

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