Ferret Myths: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

Welcome to the Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Ferrets! This is Chapter 5: Ferret Myths. Don’t believe that myth!

If you already know what’s a fact and what’s a myth when it comes to ferrets, you can skip to Chapter 6 (though I’d recommend brushing up on the most common myths anyway).

For everyone else, this chapter will help put to rest some serious myths surrounding ferrets.

Myth: Ferrets Bite

This is one of the most common ferret myths we are asked about.

Like anyone who works with animals will say, ‘if an animal has teeth, it can bite’. Ferrets are capable of biting and even drawing blood if they want. However, statistically, ferrets are no more likely to bite than a dog or a cat.

Again, this ‘biting’ concern stems from the widely believed misconception that ferrets are meant to be caged for a majority of their day like a hamster or gerbil -when in fact they are meant to have a good chunk of their time socializing and training with their owner as well as exploring their environment (like a dog or cat). The lack of social interaction will cause a ferret to become frightened and aggressive.

In our personal experience, the only ferret we ever met with a biting problem was kept in a cage all day and rarely interacted with humans. We worked with her for a month straight, using our preferred bite training protocol and after 4 weeks of training, she greatly improved.

Also, keep in mind: At a typical pet store, ferrets are still kits (babies) and so they are in the middle of a particularly nippy phase of their life. Just like a puppy, a ferret must be trained not to nip.

Myth: Ferrets Smell Bad

A common ferret myth is that they smell very bad. You know how you can tell if somebody owns cats as soon as you walk in their home? Ferrets are similar in that way. I wont lie and tell you they are odorless. However, I will say that ferrets are no smellier than other household animals.

The top reasons for an overly smelly ferret:

1. Poor diet
2. Dirty litter box
3. Dirty bedding
4. Over bathing
5. Non-neutered male

As we learned earlier, ferrets are obligate carnivores, meaning they are meant to eat only meat, bones, and organs. When a ferret is fed an improper diet high in grains, sugar, fruit, and vegetables, their bodies react by producing a stronger body odor and smellier poops.

In our experience, the smelliest part about owning a ferret is their litter box. If you are able to clean it regularly, their odor will be greatly reduced. Personally, we use these potty pads because they are incredibly easy to change.

Another way to mitigate ferret odor is to wash their fabric bedding regularly. Ferrets will not usually pee or poop in their fabric bedding but their body oils will transfer to the cloth, causing them to smell.

A common myth surrounding ferrets is that they should be bathed regularly to reduce odor. To the contrary, if you bathe a ferret too often, they will begin to smell more, not less. This is because bathing a ferret strips them of their natural oils and their bodies react by overproducing to compensate.

If you have an adult male ferret that is not neutered, he will experience something called rut. During this time (their breeding season), the male ferret will mark their territory with slimy oil and urine. It can be quite pungent!

Myth: Ferret Scent Glands Must Be Removed

Ferrets have scent glands located just outside their anus on both sides. These are sacs filled with very pungent fluid. If a ferret is surprised or feels frightened, they will release a poof of odor from the scent gland as a defense mechanism.

Most ferrets in the United States have their scent glands removed before they are sold at pet stores. If you picked up a ferret and noticed a smell, this was most likely not the cause.

In many countries Outside the United States, having ferrets descented (removing the scent glands) is illegal and considered animal abuse.

Did you believe either of these common ferret myths above before reading this article?

Are you ready to learn the true cost of ferret ownership? We share our own personal expenses of ferret ownership in Chapter 6.

Want to Jump to Another Section?

Chapter 1: What is a Ferret?

Chapter 2: What Do Ferrets Eat?

Chapter 3: Anatomy and Lifespan of a Ferret

Chapter 4: How Smart are Ferrets?

Chapter 5: Top Ferret Myths

Chapter 6: The Real Costs of Owning a Ferret