Live Life Team
Ferrets are generally clean animals and require little day-to-day maintenance, but there are a few important grooming procedures that should be done on a fairly regular basis.
Keeping the ferret’s nails trimmed is important, and should be done every two weeks or so. If left unclipped, the nails will continue to grow and could interfere with the ferret’s movement, or could snag and cause painful injury. Placing a few drops of mineral oil on the ferret’s stomach should keep it distracted long enough to do a proper job on the nails.
Regular brushing reduces shedding and helps prevent hairballs, which can become lodged in the ferret’s airway or intestine. There are ferret hairball treatments available at some pet stores, but kitten treatments or plain petroleum jelly can be used as well.
Ferrets are prone to waxy ear build-up and mites, so ears should be cleaned frequently. If gone untreated, wax and ear mites can cause infection to the inner ear and hearing loss. Ferret or kitten ear cleaning solution, administered with a cotton swab or bit of tissue, is effective in preventing build-up.
There is some debate about the need to bathe ferrets. Generally, it’s a good idea to give baths at least once every four to six weeks, but no more frequently than every three weeks. Use a gentle, “no tears” baby shampoo and lots of towels to aid drying. If fleas are a problem, ferret or kitten flea treatments will work well.
Tooth brushing can be a difficult task, but is important to prevent tooth decay and tartar build-up. A soft bristle kitten or ferret brush and specially formulated tooth paste will get teeth sufficiently clean. A veterinarian can also perform a thorough, professional cleaning if serious dental problems persist.
