This thread is a bit old but in my book it is never too late to disseminate information.
1) Your ferret will "stink" more if you wash it more. The have a certain amount of oils in their skins and if they aren't present the ferret will excrete more. It will also lead to dry skin and serious health problems if overdone. A ferret should be bathed about 4 to 5 times a YEAR. That's right, a year. Or once every 3 months or so. "But it stinks Thade!" So do you, get over it. Actually the best way to make a ferret not "stink" is to wash it's bedding a lot. You should change it's bedding several times a week, wash and replace with new. You also have to clean their litter box a lot, this too will cut back on the smell. Most people say ferrets stink and really it is just they have dirty bedding and a dirty litter box.
2) smacking a ferret....yes they will learn if you do it this way, but you have to be VERY gentle. Personally I tell people ot never hit a ferret, especially as a kit (baby) because they are so impressionable and will learn to not trust you if you do it too often. The better way to "teach" a ferret is to play ferret mommy. Scruff the ferret by the back of it's neck and drag it across the floor back and forth a couple times repeating a good sharp NO!
The nipping thing is natural, that is how baby ferrets play. Unfortunately baby ferrets skin is a lot thicker and thougher than wussy human skin ((( all humans have wussy skin, no matter how big and bad they are, don't believe me, sit in the pet store and watch big bad #$%^&#$%^&#$%^& biker guy get bit by the ferret and start whining, dork)). To get them to stop biting your finger do the Rav technique or when they start biting too hard just scruff them again and hold them up at eye level. They will yawn, this is a submission type responce.
3) Bedding. a lot of pet stores will tell you to use wood shavings or something like this. Not needed. Most ferrets will find a nice comfy bed more than adequate and if you keep the litter box clean they will use it 98% of the time. Best thing to use for bedding is baby receiving blankets. Another good one is tshirts, don't cut them up or anything like that, just give them a whole tshirt. easy to wash and no threads getting lose and stuff.
Just some info. If you have more questions then a good place to go is
www.ferretstore.com and log in to the forums. a lot of ferret owners with a lot of experience there, and some pretty nice people ((mainly chics)).
Thade
Ferrets rock : )
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