I was wondering how often you should clip a ferret's nails, and other hygienic care. Is it better to do it more often? Also, is it a good idea to give your ferret a bath monthly, or less so you don't dry out its skin?  (Soon to be ferret owner) 

I check my ferret's monthly.  This entails:

*clip nails
*clean ears
*Clean teeth
*comb/brush their coat
*check for any bumps or sores
*weight them.  (when you weigh your ferret monthly.  You will have a good idea what their weight is thru out the year. This will also help out your vet in case your little one gets sick. Ferrets will drop their weight in the spring.  Put on weight in the winter months)  


You do not need to give your ferret a bath.  (unless they get into something nasty).  Ferrets are pretty animals and they can take care of themself.  When you give them a bath (water/soap) you are striping them of their natural oils.   Then they have to produced those natural oils....causing them to smell more.

Here are some tips keeping the smell down.
 
*Keeping the litter box clean will significantly reduce odors. I clean out my litter box, 2x day.

 *Different kinds of litter perform differently at absorbing moisture and controlling odors.
  Most people use recycle newspaper pellets or wood pellets for litter.

 *One of the most effective ways to keep your ferret smelling fresh is to keep the ferret's bedding clean.

 *Animal waste causes odors. You can control the both the strength of the smell and the amount of the waste with a proper diet. 

 *  Make sure your cage is made out of washable materials, such as plastic or coated wire.   Wooden cages will hold the odor in.

 *Bad Breath can cause odor, please check your ferret's teeth.  Ferret could have dental problems

 *Check those ears! A common contributor to strong ferret odors is dirty ears.

 *Do not bathe your ferret. Bathing strips the ferret's skin and fur of essential oils, and "dries the ferret out." Dry skin is itchy skin, which is uncomfortable for your ferret. 




This musky odor comes from their skin glands and is present whether the ferret is descented or not. While occasional baths are recommended, frequent bathing will not reduce the scent, and will likely make it worse as the skin will get too dry and the skin glands will produce more oils in an effort to combat the dryness.

Hi.  
Ferret claws need to be clipped about every 2 weeks.  Most people don't bathe them at all, unless they get into a mess or actually look like they need it, or to control fleas.  Ours get bathed about every 2 months.  We use a mild shampoo and conditioner.   We have a couple that have pretty coarse coats and the baths do make them look much better, but monthly is a bit much.

We have what some call Spa Day, when claws get trimmed, ears get inspected and cleaned if needed, and teeth get inspected and brushed.  We try to brush teeth once a week.

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

like unclejoe we have a spa day too - everyone gets their nails clipped, ears cleaned, teeth brushed and a good once over in search of bumps, lumps, cuts, ...anything that shouldn't be there and wasn't there last time.  I don't have this down to an exact two weeks but it's approximately 10-16 days.

i never bathe my ferrets unless they've gotten into something or if they're old/sick and have soiled themselves.  But I will fill the bathroom sink with nice warm water and give them a good rub down with just water.  When they're out the water has a yellow hue to it.  I make sure to scrub their paws and under their pits lol 

Momma to
Joseph Francis Tribiani aka Joey Came to his forever home 9/26/2011
Daxter Chandler Muriel Bing aka Daxy Came to his forever home 7/30/2014

Waiting at the Bridge:
Gabby, Rylee, Maya, Roxy Heart, Goofy and Tig

Here is schedule on how I help my ferrets hygiene 1) Bathe them at least every 3 weeks. 2) Ferrets don't enjoy their nails being to small neither too long, so keep them at a casual length which you can usually tell by how much there claws hurt when they crawl around on your skin. 3) teeth/ ear cleaning do monthly 4) When you do bathe them I know there is always "ferret shampoo/ conditioner", but the best shampoo I use for my baby's is flea protector kitten shampoo. I hope this helps or benefits you in any way possible.

All posts greatly appreciated!