Bathing


Now this is a fun experience. First get all the things you will need ready ahead of time.

Put the water in either the sink or tub and make sure it's luke warm and not hot.

Now that you have the shampoo, possibly a pitcher to rinse and the towels to dry, the fun begins.

I will warn you, either they will love this or hate it with a passion. You can plan on getting splashed either way.

Get your ferret and slowly put him in the water, hold onto him with one hand. You did open that shampoo bottle didn't you? Put a little on him and gently lift him so you can get his entire body shampooed.

Do not dunk his face or get water in the ears. After you have lathered him up, cup the water with your hand and get the shampoo off. Then if you have filled the pitcher you are going to be using for rinse water, rinse him off slowly.

Make sure he is soap free. Hold him out of the sink, yet over it and run your free hand the length of his body to remove a majority of the water. Now, wrap him securely in a towel and rub well.

When you put him down expect him to go crazy trying to wipe himself on anything available to dry off. Some will get very nervous and poo in the bath water.

Buy a ferret shampoo, I dilute mine to keep it very mild. Ferrets do not need baths often maybe once a month, too often will dry their skin.

You will notice right after bathing they will seem to smell stronger, this is their body oils being replaced. I sometimes just rinse my ferrets in plain water if they've been playing someplace dusty, soap isn't always necessary.

Do not use any rinses with perfume and make sure you do not use any alcohol products, this will dry their skin




SAFETY


When you have your ferret out of his cage, you have to watch him every second as they disappear and can get into things very quick. They are also Houdinis. It's best is to confine them to one room which has been ferret proofed.

Ferrets love the smell of rubber and some plastics, so make sure all phone and electrical cords are out of reach.

They love to crawl under and up into couches, chairs and beds, which can be extremely dangerous. If a drawer is left open far enough for them to get there paws into, they will diligently work away and succeed at opening it.

They love going into shoes and pulling out the innersoles, they just don't believe they belong in there. So go around the room you choose, thinking you are a ferret, and check and recheck. Then let your ferret out and watch and see what you have forgotten.

Not only are they floor ferrets but they also love to climb, bookcases make great ladders. You will discover, when they want to get someplace they normally do, They have no fear and can get hurt easily, so please watch them closely when they are out of their cage.

Having a double lock on their cages is not a bad idea either. Make sure all four sides of their cages are not against a wall, always leave a good two-three inch gap. For the one second you are not watching this could be a trap should they fall behind it.

Provide them with toys, and the best are the homemade kind. They love going in and out of empty boxes, cut holes on the sides and they will stay occupied for quite a while. They also enjoy heaps of clothing, or an old blanket crumbled up in the middle of the floor.

Buy a dryer vent at a home store, let it air out and then expand it through a room and watch the fun. We bought a plastic storage container, the kind that can slip under a bed and filled it with childrens play sand, this gives them hours of fun.

Always check the toys you buy them for little pieces that could be swallowed, or chewed off. Check and double check, it costs a lot less then an operation for a blockage.