What type of soap can you wash a ferret?

Answer 1

Use shampoos made specifically for ferrets. Do not use any shampoos made for dogs, cats, or people unless it is recommended by your veterinarian. Ferrets can easily have toxic reactions from products not made for ferrets. Do you shampoo your hair with dog shampoo? Why not? Because it is a product made specifically for dogs. That why it says dog shampoo on the bottle.

Bathing is not a necessity for ferrets, but if you choose the bathe your ferret, it should not be more than once a month.

They make ferret shampoo available at most pet stores. If you can't find it and really have to wash him/her. A very, very mild hand soap. One with a moisturizer. Baby shampoo can be an alternative with infrequent use.

As an alternative there's also a dry shampoo powder for ferrets that has a good fragrance, you sprinkle and rub it into the ferrets fur, and then brush it out. And then there's a spray mist that you spray on helps condition the skin, and you don't have to rinse off.

You don't necessarily have to bathe a ferret, they are pretty clean animals, and do groom themselves. Bathing strips oils from their skin causing dryness, and itching. They will start to produce more oil and odors. To bathe a ferret - it's best to use a product made for ferrets. their body temperature is at about 101 degrees, the bath water will be warmer than the temperature that you normally bathe in, in other words what feels warm to you may feel cold to a ferret. You can either use the tub or sink. Get the ferret wet, shampoo, rinse well and towel dry. When you're done, put a dry towel on the floor, put your ferret down, he'll be a little hyper, and will start running around.

Answer 2

Cage cleaning in the most important in controlling odors of ferretsClean your ferret's cage regularly. Depending on how many ferrets you have - Wash bedding once or twice a week. Litter pans scooped out at least once or twice a day. Food dishes washed daily. Unless an accident occurs, do a major cage cleaning once a week. Empty the litter from the litter pans, wash the litter pans, wash the sides and ramps of the cage and wash the base of the cage. Toys should be washed as well.

Cleaning products to use for a ferret cage - All disinfectants are potentially dangerous, always read the manufacturers recommended dilutions and never mix two disinfectants together

You can use a warm soapy solution, antibacterial soap or an antibacterial dish soap and water.

Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) - can be safe to use as recommended - use a very weak water and bleach solution(about 2% bleach and 98% water). rinse well with clean water and let dry and stand empty for about 30 minutes, Some ferrets like bleach and will drink it.

You should avoid using any phenol-based cleaning products(it will turn white when added to water) and products such as Lysol (the disinfectant spray too), or Pine Sol (pine cleaners) when cleaning the cage. Lysol is extremely toxic to ferrets in very small amounts if ingested and can be absorbed through skin.

Depends on the size of the cage and the ferret occupancy. You should clean the litter tray at least once a day, and wash bedding about twice a week. A thorough cleaning of the cage at least once a month.

(P.S-they like pie as a treat; blueberry pie is their favorite but they like Boston cream pie too. Pie your ferrets once a week or twice... tust me) ;)

Answer 3

A ferrets normal body temperature is about 103 F, so the water is a little warmer than what you normally would bathe in.

advise from another contributor:

neither, you want to wash or bathe your ferret with warm water, no too hot nor cold, just about in between. if its a bath, the water may get cold at times, then you could turn on the hot water and leave it running on the side, best where your ferret isn't present, when its warm turn in off.

- experienced ferret owner

Answer 4

You don't have to bathe your ferret, only if they've gotten into something that warrants a bath. If you bathe your ferret it will dry their skin causing an overproduction of oils, making their musky smell more pronounced. Ferrets will groom themselves. You need to keep their toenails trimmed and clean their ears with a cleaning solution

Advice from another contributor:

I just put mine in the bath tub in warm water (not hot not cold WARM) and use regular shampoo on him being careful not to get it in his eyes or ears and then rinse the ferret clean of the soap and put him in a pile of towels to dry

Answer 5

Ferrets should only be bathed as needed (when they get dirty), once a month is the absolute maximum, the ideal is only 1-2 times a year.

Overbathing dries out the skin and causes the skin oil glands to overproduce, making them smellier.

Answer 6

Ferrets need to be bathe in shampoo especially made for ferrets.