How to Give Your Ferret a Bath
A bath is usually not your ferret's idea of a good time, so make sure to stay calm - it's possible to make it fun for you and your pet, with a little work on your part. Luckily, this is not something you have to do often!
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Exercise Pens For Ferrets
- Ferret Ear Cleaning Solutions
- Bath Towels
- Dry Ferret Food
- Ferret Cages With Starter Kits
- Ferret Deodorizing Sprays
- Ferret Hammock
- Ferret Shampoo
- Ferret Toys
- Litter Boxes For Ferrets
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1
Bathe your ferret in a sink or a bathtub.
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2
Use very warm water for the bath. The natural body temperature of a ferret is between 101 and 102 degrees F, so they prefer something a bit toastier than lukewarm bathwater.
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3
Bring your ferret into the bathroom and close the door. Keep the door closed until the ferret is toweled dry after the bath.
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4
Fill the sink or bathtub with enough warm water to reach your ferret's belly. You can fill it higher if your ferret likes to swim around.
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5
Set your ferret gently into the sink or bathtub.
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6
Give your ferret free rein in the sink or bathtub. Some will swim, some will stand still and some will try to escape. If your ferret tries to escape, gently hold him with one hand under the belly so that his feet just barely touch the bottom of the sink or bathtub.
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7
Scoop water using your other hand or a plastic cup and gently pour it over the ferret until the fur is completely wet to the skin.
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8
Apply a shampoo made for ferrets and rub a dime-size dollop onto the ferret's fur.
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9
Hold your ferret under the faucet or scoop clean water over him to rinse.
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10
Apply a conditioner made for ferrets and rub a dime-size dollop onto the ferret's fur.
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11
Rinse your ferret again.
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12
Place a pile of towels on the floor of the enclosed bathroom, and your ferret will quickly rub himself dry.
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1
Tips & Warnings
It's recommended that you bathe your ferret no more than once a month. Overbathing can dry out a ferret's sensitive skin. Also, when the oil from the skin is washed away, the oil glands work overtime to produce more, causing your ferret to smell more than he did before the bath.
To clean your ferret's ears, gently massage them with your thumb and forefinger during the bath. Make sure you do not get too much soap or water in the ear canal. After the bath, use a cotton swab to gently dry the outer ridges of the ear.
Some people prefer to dry and fluff their ferrets with a hair dryer. If you do this, do not hold the dryer too close to the fur. A small brush or comb can also be used.
Toys in the tub can help make this a fun experience!
Avoid rubber or latex toys unless under supervision. Ferrets love to chew on these and may swallow small bits, which can cause a blockage. A blockage can be fatal.
Avoid leaving your ferret alone in water, as he could drown.
Sometimes ferrets can be scared of the water and may have an accident during the bath. Just scoop the poop out using a plastic cup or something similar.
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Comments
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def bathing Rikki too much, that explains his constant scratching and itching...my bad fuzzball.
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TargetDriver
May 04, 2008
Put the shampoo in your hand first so it warms to a 'non-startling' temperature. Cool shampoo applied directly to the animal while it is comfortably acclimating to the warm water will definitely trigger an untoward response. -
TargetDriver
May 04, 2008
Put the shampoo in your hand first so it warms to a 'non-startling' temperature. Cool shampoo applied directly to the animal while it is comfortably acclimating to the warm water will definitely trigger an untoward response.
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Jan 13, 2006
Do not use very hot water, this could burn skin and may cause ferrets to lose hair. See a veterinarian if your ferret is over 12 years old.
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Jan 13, 2006
Do not use very hot water, this could burn skin and may cause ferrets to lose hair. See a veterinarian if your ferret is over 12 years old.
