How To Give A Ferret A Bath

Oh the musky smell of ferrets! Some adore it, some don't mind it, and some can't stand it. But if you're a ferret owner even the cleanest ferret begins to smell at some point in time. So how can you get your little critter clean while also keeping both of you sane? Here are a few cute and fun ways to make bath time fun.

Photo credit to the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa. 

Click their name to learn more about this great rescue!

Bathtub Play Time: Fill up your bathtub until one side is still dry and the 'deeper' side has an inch or two of water. Make sure the water is a little bit warmer than room temperature but not hot. Put a towel or shower mat along the bottom so your ferrets have something to 'grip' onto when they walk. Set them on the dry side and let them splash around in the big warm puddle! They'll love playing around in the cozy water and it will get them clean. You can use a ferret shampoo to help deodorize them, but this isn't a necessary step; playing in the water will get them plenty clean.

Tupperware Container: Half fill a "lasagna leftovers" tupper ware container with water and set it within your ferrets cage. A corner works best, so it doesn't slide too easily. Let your little furries dive in and out. They'll love splashing around. And when they're finished give them a dry towel to roll around in to dry off.

Cookie Sheet: Find a 1 1/2 to 2 inch tall cookie sheet and fill it with water. Set it on a towel on the floor and set your ferret on it. It's like a natural puddle that your little critter can pounce around in. Some ferrets love this and some hate it, so it really depends on your little furry's personality.

Damp Washcloth: For the ferrets who just won't swim, get a bowl of warm water and a wash cloth. Dampen the wash cloth in the water and slowly massage your ferret with the wet cloth. Don't 'scrub' but rather just rub back and forth like you would when you are petting it. This will keep it from being skittish and is probably the easiest way to clean a ferret who isn't a fan of splashing in water.

Spray Bottle: Another alternative to swimming is a spray bottle filled with warm water. Simply mist your little critter until it's damp. Set him on a washcloth in a small pen and mist him with 'rain'. Make sure the water is warm and you have a 'dry half' of the pen where your ferret can run to dry off. This is another good way to clean a critter who doesn't like being a fish.

How To Clip Your Ferret's Nails

Ferrets nails grow very fast and it can be difficult to keep them at appropriate length. But trimming your ferrets nails often can help keep their feet healthy by preventing the blood-line from growing too long.

Photo credit to the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa. 

Click their name to learn more about this great rescue!

Get The Right Nail Clippers: Many people will suggest using human baby clippers. We disagree. For a more accurate cut, we suggest using small-pet clippers which can be found for under $3.00 at most pet stores. We've listed a pair below that you can get on Amazon for $2.99.

Judge Appropriate Length: Ferrets have clear nails that allow you to see through them. Look for a red, black, or purple-ish line that is going through the center of the nail. This is the blood line. If nicked, it will bleed and cause pain to your ferret. Although it's not fatal, it will hurt your ferret and you should try to avoid cutting it. Rather, cut slightly before the line, leaving enough space for the nail to file down as your ferret walks on it's newly clipped nails.

Hold Your Ferret: You can either have someone else hold your ferret still for you, or you can scruff your ferret by grabbing the skin on the back of it's neck. Some ferrets will also allow you to clip their nails without scruffing. In which case you can hold each individual foot as you clip.

Clip The Nail: Place the clippers around the nail, and apply pressure until the nail is cut. With small-pet clippers the cut should happen very smoothly and will leave no cracks or chips in the nail.

What to do if you clip too far: If you've clipped too far and your ferrets nail begins to bleed, immediately place a cover on the nail. If you have gauze pads- use them, as they tend to not stick to the wound. If you do not, you can use paper towels or a wash cloth. Apply light pressure to the cut for 5 to 10 minutes. If the nail has not quit bleeding, monitor it for another 15 minutes. Let your ferret rest for a day before allowing them to play too vigorously on their feet. This will allow the cut to heal enough for them to be active again.

Clip again in 3 to 4 weeks.

How To Clean A Ferret's Ears

Just as with humans, ferrets ears collect dust, dirt, and wax and need to be cleaned about once every one to two months in order to stay free of debris. It may seem like a daunting task to keep a very active little ferret to stay still enough to clean their ears- but with a few easy tips, the task can actually be quite simple.

Photo credit to the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa. 

Click their name to learn more about this great rescue!

Get The Right Supplies: What will you need?
Liquid ear cleaner made for ferrets or small pets.
Small cotton q-tips
Facial tissue

Drop 1-2 Drops Ear Cleaner In Ear: If your ferret is asleep, this can work easily. If not you can have another person hold the ferret still, or you can scruff them by holding the skin on the back of their neck to keep them in one place. Drop one or two drops of ear cleaner into the ear canal.

Let Ferret Shake if Awake: If your ferret is awake they will most likely shake their head. This is perfectly normal and actually helps clear out some of the dirt. If the ferret is asleep, use a bit of tissue to dab out any extra cleaner that make be sitting in the ear.

Use Q-Tip to Rub in Circular Motion: DO NOT poke the q-tip deep into the ear canal. Rather simply move the q-tip in a circular motion on the outer ear. Pull out every 10 seconds and change if there is dirt on the q-tip. Continue until there is no residue on the q-tip when you clean the ear.

Dab Dry With Tissue: Once you have finished cleaning the ear, use tissue to dab away any remaining ear cleaner that may be present.

How To Give Your Ferret A Bath In Your Bathtub

Ferrets should be bathed once every 6 weeks, minimum. Baths help reduce the natural scent of your ferret while also keeping their skin healthy and fur shiny. Many ferrets also really enjoy baths and it’s a great way to give them a fun little activity to change up their daily routine. The easiest way to bathe your ferret is in your own bathtub. 

Photo credit to the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa. 

Click their name to learn more about this great rescue!

Fill Half of Bathtub With Warm Water
All bathtubs are made with a slant that allows water to drain. This means that half of the water is slightly deeper than the other half. Fill your bathtub where the shallow end only has about an inch of water while the deeper end has about 3 inches. Use luke warm water. Test the temperature of the water with your elbow, not your hands, as your hands tend to have a higher tolerance to heat. The water should be slightly warmer than room temperature.

Line Bottom of Bath With Towel or Grippable-Rug
Line the bottom of your bathtub with something that will allow your ferret to grip and will prevent them from slipping around. Bath mats work great for this, but laying a bath towel along the bottom of the bath works just as well.

For Drier Months Add in Oatmeal
If you notice that your ferret is frequently scratching or has dry patches of skin (which is common in colder climates during the winter months when air gets drier) you can add some plain oatmeal to the bathwater which will help alleviate your ferrets itch and also hydrate their skin, naturally.

Let Ferrets Play
Some ferrets are not huge fans of baths and don’t want to play- but others absolutely love the water. If your ferrets really seem to enjoy the water allow them to play around in the bath. You can add in ping pong balls or even rubberduckies to give them extra fun little things to play with in the water.

Use Wash-Cloth To Scrub Body
Once your ferret is used to the bath water use a wash cloth to help wet their entire body. Dip the wash cloth into the water, soaking it, and then draw it along your ferrets back- allowing all of their fur to get wet.

Use Ferret-Shampoo If Desired
If you want to truly get your ferret clean you can use a ferret shampoo (these can be found at most pet stores and even some department stores in the pet aisle). Dab a small quarter size amount of ferret shampoo onto a wash cloth and lather it up. Use the wash cloth to work the bubbles into your ferret’s fur, massaging in a circular motion to get the shampoo all the way to their skin.

Rinse If Shampooed
Once your ferret is all shampooed up, rinse your ferret. You can use a small tupperware dish and pour bath water over your ferret. Rub your hand through your ferret’s fur starting at the neck until you reach the end of the tail. Continue to pour water over your ferret, rubbing your hands through their fur until there are no more suds in their fur.

Dry With Bath-Towel
When you remove your ferret from the tub it’s very important to dry them thoroughly. You can do this efficiently with a bath towel. Simply wrap the towel around your ferret and massage the towel back and forth along them to soak up excess water. You can also use a blow-dryer on low heat if they permit it. Do not place your ferret back in their cage until they are entirely dry to ensure that they do not dampen their bedding or become chilled do to the dampness.