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Post by reese6959 on Apr 3, 2018 20:57:49 GMT -5
Thinking as an alt monthly or so bath being just ground oatmeal in water. Will that help with the slight smell. Right now we have just water bathed them for playtime or when one has gotten way to excited and stepped in poop. No soaps yet. I dont think they smell bad, only when i broughy them home. But cleaning litter twice a day and changing bedding daily is a great help. For smells and their health ☺
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Post by LindaM on Apr 3, 2018 22:14:31 GMT -5
Bathing makes ferrets smell more. Ferrets honestly don't need to be bathed, at all. The only times they should get a rinse with hot water is if they have something gross stuck to them, like poop or otherwise. You should only ever use the tiniest bit of a no-tears baby shampoo if there is something truly stubborn or potentially dangerous that you need to get off the ferrets. While oatmeal can be nice and help with dry skin and itchies, I don't think it should be overdone either.
Let me ask you this, what diet is your ferrets on? The best diet for them and one that actually makes them smell great, is a natural raw diet. My ferrets smell delicious, and I've actually had people ask me if I perfume them, because they smell really nice, basically sugary sweet. It also makes their poops smaller and stink less.
Believe me, you notice the difference between kibble-fed ferrets and raw-fed ferrets right away when used to raw-fed ferrets. Every rescue I've brought into our home has REEKED to the high heavens until they got adjusted to their new raw lifestyle.
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Post by reese6959 on Apr 3, 2018 22:45:07 GMT -5
When i bought them they were on generic kitten food, of course i got suckered into the marshalls. But i bought wysong and have since mixed it with the marshalls to have them get used to the wysong. Ive talked to my vet about going raw and ive started looking into it. But as now its just kibble. I did dabble with a quail egg and i bought some chicken necks and hearts but they are still in freezer. Haven't gone raw yet. Still gathering info
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Post by Sherry on Apr 4, 2018 9:48:32 GMT -5
No reason to bathe ferrets. If they get into something mucky warm water soaks often do the job. The only real need for oatmeal baths/soaks are when skin conditions are in play.
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Post by LindaM on Apr 4, 2018 14:25:22 GMT -5
Yeah, on Marshall's kibble your ferrets will stink to high heaven, period. They should smell better on the Wysong, but it won't be anything like it would be when fully on raw. You mention still doing your raw research, have you looked through this link? holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/17480/intro-raw-newbies-readIt has lots of helpful info to get you started on raw. You can also sign up for a mentor to work with you one-on-one, or even just create a Diet Transitions thread in which you start switching them yourself, allowing any of us to jump in and offer advice should you get stuck.
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Post by Sander on Aug 17, 2023 21:26:37 GMT -5
I was looking for information about bath and found this thread. I have no thought of bathing my future ferret often or regularly, but I've seen in stores that they are in small enclosures and often dirty, so I would like to give him a bath when I bring him home, what do you guys recommend? I have a cat shampoo, could I use it?
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Post by Corvidophile on Aug 18, 2023 6:41:34 GMT -5
Sometimes pet shampoos have ingredients that irritate, like tea tree oil. Makes them itchy. Might be fine, post the ingredients? I always recommend using two in one (shampoo and conditioner together) human baby shampoo, as it’s actually dermatologist tested. You can usually find it pretty cheap, too. Warm water and a good fur ruffling with hand or a washcloth will do most of the work, though. I just use the baby shampoo if they have an oil overproduction or a slimy mess stuck to their fur, like egg yolk or diarrhea.
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Post by silentdook on Aug 18, 2023 11:34:25 GMT -5
Keep in mind also that stress changes and food changes will make them smelly for a couple of weeks regardless, it's just hormonal changes.
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Post by Sander on Aug 20, 2023 15:55:45 GMT -5
Thank you very much to both. The ingredients of the cat shampoo that I have are: water, sodium laureth sulphate, lauryl glucoside, cocamidopropyl betaine, glycerin, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, fragrance, and potassium sorbate.
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Post by Corvidophile on Aug 21, 2023 5:43:56 GMT -5
Seems fine to me.
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Post by lyles on Sept 1, 2023 9:52:34 GMT -5
I used to give mine baths every couple of months with some baby shampoo but I've found that even with the moisturizing formulas their oil glands would go into overdrive afterwards, making them yellow and smellier.
I've learned this trick to use 99% water unscented baby wipes. It removes any smells and gross stuff they might have gotten into and it won't strip them of their oils in their coat. Aron hates the wipes though for some reason and will try to attack it if he sees it. I have to watch my fingers. haha
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