FERRET GROOMING
Susan A. Brown, DVM

Midwest Bird & Exotic Animal Hospital
1923 South Mannheim Road
Westchester, IL 60154
708-344-8166

Pet ferrets require very little routine grooming. In fact, excessive grooming can lead to health problems and should be avoided. If we think about how the ferret lived in the wild it wasn’t necessary for them to go to a ferret “beauty shop” to stay neat and tidy! Ferrets are fastidious and clean creatures and we need to compliment and not interfere with that habit. The basic areas of grooming covered will be the haircoat, ears and nails.

HAIRCOAT
A ferret’s haircoat consists of a soft, fine short-haired, cream-colored undercoat covered by long, coarse guard hairs. The guard hairs provide the color of the ferret’s coat. The undercoat increases in density in the winter to retain body heat and becomes less dense during warm seasons. Although the color of the undercoat remains the same, the color of the guard hairs can change at different times during the ferret’s life. The distinctive markings on the face known as the “mask” can also change. Normal changes in coat color or mask configuration occur during aging, during reproductively active periods in either sex, and with the changing of the seasons. The coat color may lighten in winter, perhaps to provide better camouflage in the snow, and darken in the summer. The coat color can sometimes change after a surgery. The wild natural color of the ferret is what we refer to as sable, which is a dark brown or black coloring of the extremities and mask. True albinos also occur in the wild. Humans have genetically altered ferrets to produce a whole variety of other colors that range from light browns to gray. Colors not normally found in the wild such “panda” or “silver” may revert to all white as the pet matures.

Ferrets replace their haircoat at least twice a year through a process called molting. Molting is under hormonal control and is triggered by the changes in the photoperiod, or amount and intensity of light the ferret is receiving. The most dramatic molt is often the spring molt when the thick warm undercoat of the winter is lost over a few days. Ferrets can look as if they have suddenly turned into little fluffy snowballs as the hair is shed quickly. The fall molt is less dramatic because there is less hair shed from the summer. Ferrets that have not been neutered exhibit more distinct and dramatic molts than their neutered relatives do. In addition, keeping ferrets under artificial lighting as opposed to natural light of the outdoors may change the time and intensity of the molts. If a ferret loses hair artificially, through being clipped or shaved as for surgery, and it is not near the time of a molt, it may be weeks to months before hair regrowth is seen. The new hairs coming slowly through the thick skin give it a bluish appearance. This blue coloring can be mistaken for a skin disorder. One only need wait a few days and the new hairs will protrude from the skin and the mystery is solved! Along with the molt there can also be a seasonal hair loss on the tail which usually resolves on its own. The cause of this disorder is unknown but is may well be related to hormonal imbalances.

The haircoat should be shiny and thick, never dull or dry. Abnormalities in the haircoat such as hair loss, and texture and quality changes should be investigated. External parasites such as fleas, ticks and mites can cause abnormalities, but are usually visible to the naked eye. The most common cause for hair loss in a mature neutered ferret is adrenal disease. The most common cause for hair loss in an intact female ferret during its reproductive active cycle (estrus) is a hormonal imbalance.

Normal ferret skin is smooth and pink without flakes, scabs or discoloration. In the wild ferrets would spend a portion of their day in underground dens where there is a constant temperature of 55 degrees F and high humidity. In our homes in the winter, the air can be very dry and warm, which can dehydrate the ferret’s skin. You may note small white flakes with no other evidence of disease when the skin is dry. In addition, the ferret may scratch itself frequently. Use a cold air humidifier, not a warm air vaporizer, in your pet’s room in the winter. In addition to the humidifier you can also use emollient skin sprays directly on the ferret to add moisture to the skin and hair coat. These sprays are not a replacement for a good diet and a clean environment but may help moisturize the skin and haircoat when there are excessively dry environmental conditions. In addition, ferrets are designed to eat a diet that is high in fat and if they do not receive sufficient amounts in their diet the skin will become dry. If correcting the humidity level of the environment and adding fatty acid supplements to the diet does not help, then further investigation of abnormally dry skin is needed. Ferrets suffering from adrenal disease can often exhibit very itchy skin as well. Note that normal ferrets scratch at themselves with great gusto and you can hear the ferret’s foot hitting the floor as well as their chattering, rooms away! Don’t mistake the vigorous sounds of normal occasional scratching with an abnormality.

Any lumps, scabs or discoloration of the skin should be investigated as soon as possible by a veterinarian. Skin cancer is a common problem in ferrets and can be successfully cured with early treatment.

Ferrets have a specific musky body odor produced by oil glands in the skin. This odor is normal for this species and should be appreciated not avoided by continually trying to cover it up with perfumes or baths. In unneutered ferrets of both sexes, the odor of the skin, haircoat and urine is very pungent, particularly when they are reproductively active. Neutered ferrets have a much milder scent and it is not at all unpleasant to those of us who have lived with these charming creatures. Very little of the odor of any ferret comes from the anal or scent glands. These glands are expressed only when the ferret is frightened and the scent lingers for only a short time. The majority of ferrets sold in the United States are already neutered and descented so you will likely never experience anal gland odor in your pet. The bottom line is that all ferrets have a normal distinct musky odor that is part of their character as a species. Anyone wishing to care for a ferret should be tolerant of this odor and not spend the rest of the pet’s life trying to make it smell like a coconut or a pine tree! If the odor is offensive, I have one suggestion…. DON’T GET A FERRET!

The quality of the haircoat and skin is a reflection of the internal health of the pet. The building blocks of health are contained in the diet. Ferrets are carnivores and are designed to eat a diet rich in fat and animal protein and low in carbohydrates. Any of the following dietary factors can create hair and skin abnormalities in the ferret; too much carbohydrate, too little fat or lack of specific fatty acids, and low quality or low amounts of protein. Ferrets are neither people, nor even dogs and cannot be at the peak of their health unless they are fed a diet appropriate to their species. The optimum diet for a ferret is made up of primarily of high quality animal protein and animal fat. If an optimum diet is being fed there should be no reason to feed supplements such as vitamins. For a detailed discussion of appropriate ferret diets read the handout Rethinking the Ferret Diet.

Avoid exposing your ferret to substances that will dehydrate the haircoat such as clay kitty litter. I do not like clay or clumping kitty litter for several reasons including ; it is not compostable, the fine dust produced can get into the ferret’s nose and eyes, and when a ferret plays in its litter box the clay dust coats the fur and skin and dries them out. Use an organic pelleted bedding such as those made from wood, grass or cellulose. They are cleaner, safer and more absorbent than clay litters. In addition, avoid using highly perfumed fabric softeners or detergents on the bedding or on the cage because they can be harsh on the ferret’s respiratory tract as well as the fur and skin. A dirty cage environment can also be detrimental to the fur and skin.

So, besides a good diet, a clean and healthy environment and appropriate litter material, how often should you bath your ferret? Well, the answer may surprise you. In my opinion, the answer is… not at all! That’s right, you do not need to bathe a healthy ferret. Ferrets will groom their haircoat and keep it clean and tidy without any help from us. In fact, bathing can strip the skin of essential oils and leave it dry and itchy. Many people bath their ferrets because they think they “smell bad”. I have addressed this issue already and ferret owners that feel this way probably should have picked a different type of pet. The natural odor will always quickly return and bathing is a losing battle. I never routinely bathed my ferrets and they lived outdoors as well as indoors. In fact the ones that lived outdoors had the least odor! I also never combed or brushed my ferrets, which most ferrets dislike. If you have ever tried to hold a ferret still for anything they don’t want to do, you know what I mean! In addition, bathing is not the most effective way to control fleas, so that reason goes right out the window as well. Please read Flea Control for Ferrets for more information on that topic. It is better to “spot clean” your ferret as needed than to bath him/her frequently.

There are times, however, when a bath is appropriate such as when the ferret:

 

• Is ill and can’t groom himself/herself, particularly if there is stool or urine accumulation on the fur

 

• Is owned by someone who appreciates ferrets but lives in a household with people who don’t appreciate the “scent of a ferret”!

Some people have allergies to their pets. The allergy is usually a response to the dander on the skin. In these cases it is necessary to bath the pet routinely to reduce the amount of allergens produced from the pet’s skin to protect the owner’s health.

If you need to bath your ferret you may need to introduce him/her to water gradually. Allowing your pet to play in shallow warm water can be a start. Use a gentle, neutral scented pet shampoo. Put a bland eye ointment in the eyes to protect them from the soap. Always check the temperature of the water before bathing. We had a tragic case a few years ago of two ferrets that were put in water for a bath that was too hot. The little guys sustained second and third degree burns. They survived the incident, but try to avoid this by testing the water first. Either wet the ferret under a stream of warm water or dip him/her into a tub of warm water. Apply a small amount of shampoo to the body and gently massage it all over avoiding the head. Rinse the shampoo off with the running water or in a large tub of clean water. Pat your ferret dry with towels and then let keep himher in a warm, but not hot, area until he/she is completely dry. Bath your pet only when necessary and no more often then every two weeks. Take particular care with elderly, sick or very young ferrets because they can chill easily when wet making them more susceptible to disease. There are many ferret sources you can consult that describe the bathing process in more detail.

EARS

Ferrets normally produce a large amount of reddish-brown ear wax. The wax in a ferret’s ears is there for a purpose; it protects the ear canal and ear surface, acting to trap debris that might enter. It is produced daily and will naturally work it’s way out of the ear canal and the ferret scratches or shakes the old wax away. Ferrets will scratch their ears occasionally throughout the day. If your pet is scratching its ears frequently, if there are scabs, lumps or bumps around the ears or if there is so much wax it actually fills the ear canal you should seek veterinary assistance.

So, how often should you clean a ferret’s ears? Once again, the answer may surprise you. You don’t need to clean a healthy ferret’s ears at all! I know we like our pets to be neat and clean and the presence of messy ear wax is very disturbing to some, but it is not disturbing to the ferret. As long as the ear canal is not obstructed and the ferret is showing no discomfort in the ear area, there is no health or medical reason to clean the ears. The problem with cleaning too often is that you can inadvertently push wax down into the ear canal. The ear canal becomes impacted with was which can cause a hearing loss. You will probably be unable to detect any small hearing loss in your pet. However, for the pet. a loss of hearing may be quite disturbing. In addition, the moist interior of the ear canal is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and the flow of air through the canal is blocked an ear infection could be the result. If wax is indeed obstructing the ear canal do not use a cotton swab to try to dig it out because you will only end up packing the wax further into the ear canal. Instead, use a few drops of hydrogen peroxide or mineral oil in the ear, which will soften the wax. The ferret will eventually remove the wax by shaking his/her head. If there is a lot of wax and the hydrogen peroxide or oil doesn’t work within a couple of days then you should seek veterinary assistance.

If you must clean the ears because you are entering your ferret in a show or you are on your way to see great aunt Bessie and she just HATES dirty ears, then go ahead, but proceed carefully. It is probably easiest to hold the ferret by scruffing it. Grab the skin along the back of the neck firmly and lift the ferret until his/her feet just leave the ground. Most adult ferrets will stay very calm in this position allowing minor procedures to be performed. Additionally, you can offer a treat on a spoon to further distract your pet during the procedure. You can use a fatty acid supplement or a high protein treat such as strained meat baby food or canned cat food. I prefer to avoid sweetened treat, like cat hairball laxatives, because the many ferret suffer from insulinoma, a cancer of the pancreas, and the extra sugar could aggravate the condition. Clean only the outer part of the ear and do not put the cotton swab into the ear canal at all. You can put a few drops of hydrogen peroxide, mineral oil or a pet ear cleaning solution on the end of a cotton swab. Gently wipe the outer ear, avoiding the ear canal.

NAILS

The final area for grooming is the nails. Ferrets in the wild would wear down their nails in their daily pursuits over rough ground and in the process of tearing apart their prey. However, our pampered pets don’t have these opportunities and in addition are exposed to surfaces that can catch and tear their nails, such as synthetic carpeting or upholstery. Pet ferrets kept outdoors with direct access to the ground do not need routine nail trimming.

Ferret nails should be trimmed as needed. For some ferrets that might be every four weeks for others it might be every eight weeks. Have an experienced person show you nail trimming technique before you try it the first time. The nails have a visible blood supply at the base that is called the quick. It is easy to see the quick in ferret nails because the nails are not pigmented. The area of the quick also contains nerve tissue. Avoid cutting into this area or the nail will bleed and the trim will be painful. You can use human flat nail trimmers or cat or small dog nail trimmers. Make sure the trimmers are sharp so they cut the nail cleanly and don’t shred or tear it. Have styptic powder available in case you accidentally cut into the quick. This powder can be obtained from any pet store and many veterinary clinics.

You can hold the ferret in the manner described for ear cleaning. Another fantastic way I learned to trim nails is to place your ferret in your lap with his/her back in your lap with his/her head closest to you. Place the treat on the fur near the bottom of the abdomen. Show your pet where the treat is and while he/she is licking it off the tummy area you can trim the nails with no assistance!

That’s it for the grooming lesson. See, there is really very little to do! Just keep your little friends healthy and grooming will be a snap. Now I wish I could say the same about us!