Do ferrets actually smell bad?

[RD]

Ferrets do have a distinctive "ferret smell" to them, but they won't stink up a whole house. Air freshener and febreze are my friends when I'm ferret-sitting. That musky smell is a very easy odor to neutralize.

The only time I've ever thought ferrets smelled horrible was when I was playing with one that hadn't been de-scented. He got excited and sprayed. OMG . . . That was horrible. >_<

[Squidbert]

I had a ferret for 8 years.. he was so wonderful! They don't smell too much.. I found the smell was mostly on things they touched.. like after handling one you'll smell like them.. but I didn't find it bad around the house kind of thing..

I don't think it smells bad at all.. sometimes when I get a smell of one or something that smells the same I cry.. it's so weird.. I miss my baby.. and his smells..

[Kase]

Originally Posted by rabbitsarebetter

ask your parents if you can foster one!
there are usually ferrets at human societies. you can foster, and if it doesnt work out you dont have to adopt it, just bring it back to the shelter.
fostering is a great idea! thats what i did with mine. because i was unsure if i had time for them and if my allergies would stay at bay.

Yeah! Thats a brilliant idea! I will ask them and see what they say.

[Southpaw]

I want ferrets sooo badly lol...but not only would my parents never let me get any, they would be way too much work for me.

I think that, like any animal, some people will say they smell and others will think they really don't. My brother complains that my rat smells but I never smell anything lol.

[Julie]

I think ferrets are great pets.... but they do have a strong odor. Some people are more sensitive than others... I think the line is drawn if you enjoy them more than their smell.
There antics are really unmatched!! I have had two ferrets at different times and enjoyed them thru their whole lives. But they do get into everything.

--We were gone for the day. The ferret was in his cage. Our kitten had free run of the house. The ferret escaped. The ferret dug up every potted plant within reach and proceeded to torture the kitten. The poor kitten's neck looked terrible when we got home.... red swollen and alot of hair missing.
The dogs I had at the time (a chow mix, and a dane mix) got along fine with the ferret. But they were out in the yard at the time.

Somewhere I have a picture of the dane mix and the ferret eating out of the same dish.

The smell does linger on hands, clothes, etc. But for me the fun of owning one outweighed the smell.
For now my ferret days are over... but the memories will always be alive.