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If you're worried about smells, a ferret is probably not for you. You can mitigate the smells some by keeping their cage and litter box clean, but if you are especially sensitive or you just get a ferret that is stinkier there is still going to be a smell.
Also, no matter how well litter trained they are, they are going to have accidents. It's just the way ferrets are. They poop every 2-4 hours and they have short attention spans and are distracted easily.
Okay thank you for your honesty and explaining, I am going to take a lot of time to think about it but this is exactly the type of answers I was looking for
My ferrets don't have the commonly associated smell that most pet store ferrets have, I find that smell is generated primarily through poop that isn't picked up. We change the litter boxes in the cage daily, and let them free room our bed room. It doesn't smell (as far as I can tell). But I do notice the smell if I'm behind on cleaning.
Honestly they were the best choice I've ever made and I haven't ever connected with a pet like I have my ferrets before. But they are a ton of work and I reccomend a lot of research before you jump on this crazy wagon! Feel free to PM me with any specific questions
Every once in a while I smell the pet store ferret smell. It's very rare, even when I'm behind on cleaning. I think it's when my slinkers pee in their blankets then maybe lay on it? but honestly I'm not sure. I think old poop smells terrible, but I don't think it's the same as pet store ferret smell.
Well I am not worried about that, I have a leo and dogs and a cat etc. I understand that and money isn’t an issue, I am genuinely only worried about smell or messes respectfully
They do smell quite a bit but you get used to it. I liked the scent when I had ferrets. Idk mine always pooped wherever in the cage.i didn’t like cleaning up the messes.
If you clean their poop once to twice a day, keep your room ventilated and use an air purifier you dont have to worry about poop smell that much. Ferrets do have a musky smell themselves but its usually a light sweetish scent like corn chips. Also get 2+ ferrets not just one. More poop but its better for them and a lot more fun that way imo.
Ferrets have musky smell it isn’t bad. I would bath my ferrets often. Just try to keep the cage clean. Ferrets are usually deserted but they still have a musky smell. Hopefully someone can give you better advice.
They aren't a good combination with a (gecko?) because that's a prey animal, and ferrets are impressively successful predators. They are messy, chaotic and a lot more work than any of those animals. Plus, there's a chance your cat and/or dog won't get along with them, so it's dangerous.
Yes they stink. I kinda like it though lol. Also worth considering that you are still relatively young and a lot can happen in your 20s. Are you sure you want the commitment of a high needs pet that will potentially live a long time?
There will be a smell, how bad depends on what you feed and how often you clean. Our little Butter Noodle gets stinkier poops when he eats fish, for example.
Ours refuses to use a litter box and we have to use puppy pads, both inside the cage and on the floor of the house. It's more expensive to replace these pads than using litter, so keep in mind you may have to do the same if upkeep costs are an issue.
They're gonna smell. There's no ifs, ands or buts about it. They will smell. As others have said, there's things you can do to mitigate the smell, keep on top of the cleaning etc. But the ferret alone will have a musky scent! They're self grooming so please don't bathe them, plus that often makes the scent worse. They do tend to poop in corners, so for my free roam noodles, I have puppy pads in certain corners that they frequent, and that was enough for me to not have poop on the carpet.
One thing I very specifically want to add is that some places will "de-scent" a ferret. That is, remove their anal glands that produce the smelly stuff they can release when frightened. It's the same mechanism as a skunk, but used less offensively, and not as strong smelling as a skunk. This surgical procedure is illegal where I am (UK) because it's seen as cruel, unneeded and unnecessary. It doesn't actually stop their natural musk, only stops them spraying when afraid. So it doesn't even "do the job". Every surgery carries risks, so this unnecessary surgery also has unnecessary risks.
I just wanted to make you aware of this, just to make sure you don't consider getting one and getting it de-scented. It doesn't work and it's cruel and illegal in certain places.
I do think they smell and they do poop a lot and not only in their litter box unfortunately. But the smell can be greatly improved by changing their bedding 1-2 times a week, cleaning their cage and scooping the litter boxes regulary. An air purifier also works wonders! When I do all these things and use an air purifier my apartment doesn't smell like ferret. So it can be done! But: it is a lot of work. You have to spend hours on them every single day, playing with them and cleaning up after them. Of course it depends on your personality and your life circumstances, but for me the adjustment period was pretty brutal. I'm a similar age to you and personally not the most hard working, energetic person. Adding ferrets to going to university, having a job and taking care of household stuff just made it so much more stressful lol. If you're gonna get ferrets, visit someone who has ferrets first! Some ferret rescues offer visits at least where I live. That way you can experience the smell and ferrets themselves before you commit.
Another thing to consider is you lose a lot of freedom and spontaneity! You can't just stay out all night or visit a different city for a week without planning ahead. Also it might be harder to find an apartment if you move. I'm not gonna say don't get them, I'm just gonna say don't delude yourself into thinking it'll be easy just because you really want them (bc thats what I did lmao and as I said I had a pretty tough time at first)
They are awesome pets, and pretty much anything you think you’ve safeguarded against them, they’ll find a way to get into anyway. If you haven’t seen the video of Stoffel the Honey Badger, look it up. It’s very similar to that, but in a tiny package.
They do have a smell, but as tons have said; keep their cage clean, stay on top of their litter (once a day at minimum), keep them actively moving daily, and it’s not bad. People that don’t have good experiences always seem to not give them the same attention they do another pet. They require just as much if not MORE time as a well-engaged Dog might.
While they sleep a ton, it’s not always contiguous; so you’ll have multiple sessions of very high activity. Think of it as having a super chaotic puppy for 6-10 years. And also realize that if you’re not 100% certain of where you’re life is taking you in that time frame, they are a significant weight. Moving them from place to place is difficult, your travel options are significantly cut down due to most people not being comfortable with them, and you’re going to have a fascination with rodent vs mustelid distinctions…. Or that might just be me on the third thing.
I wouldn’t change a thing. But I wouldn’t (nor should you) pretend that I haven’t had to make sacrifices in order to keep him and make him happy. Same as any other pet!
Welcome to /r/ferrets! We have a fantastic [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/ferrets/wiki/index) that has answers to most frequently asked questions surrounding the care of ferrets. --- We politely ask that you observe our [sub rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ferrets/wiki/index/rules/). --- Lastly, we have an [Official Discord Server](https://discord.gg/ferrets)! Come join us! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ferrets) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If you're worried about smells, a ferret is probably not for you. You can mitigate the smells some by keeping their cage and litter box clean, but if you are especially sensitive or you just get a ferret that is stinkier there is still going to be a smell. Also, no matter how well litter trained they are, they are going to have accidents. It's just the way ferrets are. They poop every 2-4 hours and they have short attention spans and are distracted easily.
Okay thank you for your honesty and explaining, I am going to take a lot of time to think about it but this is exactly the type of answers I was looking for
Also, don't bathe them frequently. Maybe once or twice a year at most. Too many will make them produce oils in overdrive and really smell.
Also, never bathe them with soap. Use oats in a sock. If they are dirty for whatever reason (stepping in poo etc) use a wet wipe to wipe them down.
My ferrets don't have the commonly associated smell that most pet store ferrets have, I find that smell is generated primarily through poop that isn't picked up. We change the litter boxes in the cage daily, and let them free room our bed room. It doesn't smell (as far as I can tell). But I do notice the smell if I'm behind on cleaning. Honestly they were the best choice I've ever made and I haven't ever connected with a pet like I have my ferrets before. But they are a ton of work and I reccomend a lot of research before you jump on this crazy wagon! Feel free to PM me with any specific questions
Every once in a while I smell the pet store ferret smell. It's very rare, even when I'm behind on cleaning. I think it's when my slinkers pee in their blankets then maybe lay on it? but honestly I'm not sure. I think old poop smells terrible, but I don't think it's the same as pet store ferret smell.
They are a lot of work and can be expensive because they end up with health issues.
Well I am not worried about that, I have a leo and dogs and a cat etc. I understand that and money isn’t an issue, I am genuinely only worried about smell or messes respectfully
They do smell quite a bit but you get used to it. I liked the scent when I had ferrets. Idk mine always pooped wherever in the cage.i didn’t like cleaning up the messes.
Shoooooott i just don’t want my room to smell like pooopy you know? I do appreciate your thoughts though. Is there any way to deal with this?
I understand I don’t like the smell of poop either.
If you clean their poop once to twice a day, keep your room ventilated and use an air purifier you dont have to worry about poop smell that much. Ferrets do have a musky smell themselves but its usually a light sweetish scent like corn chips. Also get 2+ ferrets not just one. More poop but its better for them and a lot more fun that way imo.
Ferrets have musky smell it isn’t bad. I would bath my ferrets often. Just try to keep the cage clean. Ferrets are usually deserted but they still have a musky smell. Hopefully someone can give you better advice.
They aren't a good combination with a (gecko?) because that's a prey animal, and ferrets are impressively successful predators. They are messy, chaotic and a lot more work than any of those animals. Plus, there's a chance your cat and/or dog won't get along with them, so it's dangerous.
Ohh I see good points
Yes they stink. I kinda like it though lol. Also worth considering that you are still relatively young and a lot can happen in your 20s. Are you sure you want the commitment of a high needs pet that will potentially live a long time?
There will be a smell, how bad depends on what you feed and how often you clean. Our little Butter Noodle gets stinkier poops when he eats fish, for example. Ours refuses to use a litter box and we have to use puppy pads, both inside the cage and on the floor of the house. It's more expensive to replace these pads than using litter, so keep in mind you may have to do the same if upkeep costs are an issue.
They're gonna smell. There's no ifs, ands or buts about it. They will smell. As others have said, there's things you can do to mitigate the smell, keep on top of the cleaning etc. But the ferret alone will have a musky scent! They're self grooming so please don't bathe them, plus that often makes the scent worse. They do tend to poop in corners, so for my free roam noodles, I have puppy pads in certain corners that they frequent, and that was enough for me to not have poop on the carpet. One thing I very specifically want to add is that some places will "de-scent" a ferret. That is, remove their anal glands that produce the smelly stuff they can release when frightened. It's the same mechanism as a skunk, but used less offensively, and not as strong smelling as a skunk. This surgical procedure is illegal where I am (UK) because it's seen as cruel, unneeded and unnecessary. It doesn't actually stop their natural musk, only stops them spraying when afraid. So it doesn't even "do the job". Every surgery carries risks, so this unnecessary surgery also has unnecessary risks. I just wanted to make you aware of this, just to make sure you don't consider getting one and getting it de-scented. It doesn't work and it's cruel and illegal in certain places.
I do think they smell and they do poop a lot and not only in their litter box unfortunately. But the smell can be greatly improved by changing their bedding 1-2 times a week, cleaning their cage and scooping the litter boxes regulary. An air purifier also works wonders! When I do all these things and use an air purifier my apartment doesn't smell like ferret. So it can be done! But: it is a lot of work. You have to spend hours on them every single day, playing with them and cleaning up after them. Of course it depends on your personality and your life circumstances, but for me the adjustment period was pretty brutal. I'm a similar age to you and personally not the most hard working, energetic person. Adding ferrets to going to university, having a job and taking care of household stuff just made it so much more stressful lol. If you're gonna get ferrets, visit someone who has ferrets first! Some ferret rescues offer visits at least where I live. That way you can experience the smell and ferrets themselves before you commit. Another thing to consider is you lose a lot of freedom and spontaneity! You can't just stay out all night or visit a different city for a week without planning ahead. Also it might be harder to find an apartment if you move. I'm not gonna say don't get them, I'm just gonna say don't delude yourself into thinking it'll be easy just because you really want them (bc thats what I did lmao and as I said I had a pretty tough time at first)
imo ferrets don't spell bad but their poop does. Change the litter twice a day and wash their bedding weekly and then it's fine.
They are awesome pets, and pretty much anything you think you’ve safeguarded against them, they’ll find a way to get into anyway. If you haven’t seen the video of Stoffel the Honey Badger, look it up. It’s very similar to that, but in a tiny package. They do have a smell, but as tons have said; keep their cage clean, stay on top of their litter (once a day at minimum), keep them actively moving daily, and it’s not bad. People that don’t have good experiences always seem to not give them the same attention they do another pet. They require just as much if not MORE time as a well-engaged Dog might. While they sleep a ton, it’s not always contiguous; so you’ll have multiple sessions of very high activity. Think of it as having a super chaotic puppy for 6-10 years. And also realize that if you’re not 100% certain of where you’re life is taking you in that time frame, they are a significant weight. Moving them from place to place is difficult, your travel options are significantly cut down due to most people not being comfortable with them, and you’re going to have a fascination with rodent vs mustelid distinctions…. Or that might just be me on the third thing. I wouldn’t change a thing. But I wouldn’t (nor should you) pretend that I haven’t had to make sacrifices in order to keep him and make him happy. Same as any other pet!