Two ferrets better than one?

Question

I live in a one bedroom apartment and just bought a ferret. I love the little guy but her cage smells, now matter how clean I keep it. I'm considering getting another ferret soon, any suggestions on how to keep the smell down. Also, how big of a cage do you need for two ferrets? Thanks!

Answer 1

Two is always better than one. They can play and interact with each other in ways they cannot with you, ie-jumping on eachother, play biting, wrestling, etc.

The only way to keep the smell down is to clean constantly. I clean daily and there is still a smell. Once a week I do a complete clean where I dismantal the cage and soak the shelves, tray, etc in a bleach and water solution.

Ferrets smell and there is no getting around that. It got to the point where mine had to be in thier own room with the window open constantly.

The care of two ferrets is not really any different than one. The smell is worse, since there is more poo.

Also, what kind of food are you feeding? Low quality food tends to create smellier poo. Less of the food is absorbed so more is excreated. A ferret should be on three high quality food, with NO fish in the ingredients.

Cage:
A ferret should have a three level cage or more. They usually use one level for eliminating, another for sleeping and one for food and water. One warning is to look at the cage you are buying thouroughly. Be sure it is easy to clean. I bought one cage for $199, it easy to clean. When I adopted two more ferrets I got another cage for $130. I thought it was a great deal, it was cheaper and bigger than the first. However it is a nightmare to clean.

Answer 2

Burn lots and lots of candles (safely, of course: only when you're home!)

I had one ferret for about six years; she was an only-ferret; when she was a little older, I had a ferret-play date and she didn't get along with the other ferret; I think my ferret didn't realize she was a ferret.

I now have two ferrets; twice the mess, twice the smell. They're generally cute together when they're young, but recently they've been fighting (see my Alpha ferret question!) Also, remember: twice the vet bills.

My ferrets don't stay in a cage much; they have the run of one room in my house. If I'd made them stay in a cage, I think they'd be fine, as long as they got out for daily exercise. I had a large three story cage.

Answer 3

Two ferrets are defiantly better than one! They are social animals and interact with each other in ways we can't offer them. And they are so cute playing with each other...you will never see anything funnier in your whole life than two ferrets playing with one another!! Is your ferret neutered and descented? If it's a male..he will stink worse than a female. Also you have to bathe your ferrets at least once a week in the summer and at least once every two weeks in the winter. You have to clean their cages very often!! I would disassemble the whole cage and bleach it outside at least once a week if not more, and just keep their litter boxes as clean as possible between whole cage cleanings. Also my ferrets beds and toys would get to stinkin something awful So I washed them too when they got too bad! Whatever you do if you decide to get a female just remember that females have to be spayed!! They will come into heat and if they are not bred; they will catch an infection (can't remember what it's called) and die!! So of course that is very important to remember! They need at least a three level cage. Mine had 3 1/2 levels. the bottom was the toilet area. the second was thier sleeping area, the third was their eating area, and the 1/2 was like a little bunk area to play or sleep! But of course they need tons of run time to play outside of their cage.

Answer 4

Ferrets love company, so having 2 is a good idea. Ferrets by nature have a natural musky smell that comes through their skin. It will never go away, but you can reduce the odor. Keep the cage spotlessly clean. Wash out the litter box daily with a diluted bleach solution and rinse well. You can bathe the ferret every couple of weeks in a gently kitten shampoo. Over bathing will cause them to produce more oils on their coat, thus smelling more. The best way to reduce odor is to change their bedding every day. They love to snuggle in blankets. Change daily and that will help a lot.
As far as caging, it should be large enough to have bedding/hammocks on one side and food and litter box on opposite sides. Room to play. It doesn't have to be huge if you give them plenty of time each day to play outside of the cage.

Answer 5

I do not know how to make it not smell so much, but all im saying, is 2 farrets = twice the smell

Answer 6

Twice the mayhem, twice the smell, twice the trouble.