Prejudices

No 1: “Ferrets bite!“
Reasons for biting

1. Defensive reaction
2. Expression of dissatisfaction

When ferrets are „not satisfied“, they tend to bite more often. Reasons for this may be:

• keeping conditions
• competition situations
• wrong treating
• stress etc.

but also:

• digestive problems and
• hunger!

No 2 „Ferrets stink!“
Reasons for the smell

1. Anal glands
   Ferrets belong to the marten animals and are having distinctive anal glands (especially the males). During the heat the „smell of wildness“ is even getting more notable. However, the intensitivity of the smell depends also on the food as certain metabolic products are build into the anal secretion and so may influence the smell.
2. Stool and urine
   Due to the extremely short digestive organs the stool is not thickened in the colon and processed bacterially like with many other animals (e. g. also the cat). Therefore the composition and the digestibility of the food has a direct influence on the smells arising in the excrements.

These often named prejudices are not in general correct!
With the correct food you can avoid the “biting” and “stinking”!