The 6 Best Ferret Shampoos [Updated 2022]

We all know that our ferrets can get rather smelly on occasions. For when their stinkiness becomes a little too much, PETPOST Ferret Shampoo is the best shampoo to keep smells at bay and leave your ferret’s coat and skin smelling, feeling, and looking as fresh as ever before. 

Specially formulated for these little furry creatures, this specialist shampoo is loaded with all the right ingredients to clean your ferret’s fur without losing any of the natural oils that keep their coat in tip-top condition. 

Both nourishing and deodorizing, this fabulous formula will keep smells away and ensure your ferret’s coat is clean, glossy, and feeling fluffy beyond belief.

As the owner of three (and very different) ferrets, finding a shampoo that suited all of their individual needs was tricky as their fur and skin types are completely different. With an albino hob and angora marked Jills, I needed a shampoo suitable for all types of ferret fur. 

Despite both my Jills and Hob loving this shampoo, if you have a whole heap of kits, a water-avoidant ferret or even fancy something with a little more organic or fragrant, the list of the best ferret shampoos below will most definitely leave you and your ferrets with a whole heap of sweet-smelling supplies that will keep your furry friends looking the best they pawsibly can. 

Best Ferret Shampoo: Top Picks

With each of our furry friends as unique as ever, there really is no one shampoo fits all approach to our list of the best ferret shampoos.

With PETPOST Ferret Shampoo recommended as the best overall shampoo for ferrets in your home, if you fancy something a little different, take a peek at the list below and find your little cuddly creature the best shampoo for them. 

PETPOST Ferret Shampoo: Best Overall

Have particularly smelly ferrets in your home? Well, this shampoo is a must-buy! Made with natural ingredients from Safflower Oil and Aloe, this shampoo will 100% get rid of any nasty smells associated with urine, feces, and even during cycles of heat. 

Its patented odor-lock technology helps keep smells at bay ensuring your ferret stays cleaner and fresher for longer. This shampoo is particularly great for owners of male ferrets that can emit stronger smells prior to castration and in their heat season (between March-September). 

Both nourishing and deodorizing, this shampoo helps rejuvenate your pet’s fur, skin and roots to ensure a maximum clean.

Due to its naturally sourced ingredients, this shampoo leaves your ferret’s fur clean but doesn’t contain any formulated scents so you may need to add a little extra spritz of ferret perfume to their fur after using this shampoo. 

Pros: 

• Formulated to stop odors and smells
• Great for male/female ferrets during heat

Cons:

• Slightly odorless so doesn’t emit any scents after use on your ferret’s fur

Best Premium Ferret Shampoo: Ferretsheen 2in1

For those wishing to spoil their furry ferret during bathtime, this ferret shampoo is definitely worth the price tag.

This shampoo is great for ferrets with dry skin as its nourishing oils soothe skin without stripping their skin and fur. Packed with pawfuls of naturally nourishing and skin-soothing ingredients like aloe and jojoba oil, this formula not only cleans your ferret’s coat but deodorizes too leaving them feeling and smelling furrresh! 

Have extra smelly ferrets in your home? Or even multiple ferrets living in one cage?

This shampoo is brilliant at eliminating tough odors and the tea tree based shampoo cleans your pet’s fur without stripping their coat of natural oils.

Despite its price tag, this coat cleansing shampoo is fabulous for keeping your ferret’s smell long after bath time is over – perfect for those days where smells can linger and last. 

Pros:

• Leave your ferret’s fur feeling and smelling fresh
• Natural ingredients to nourish and cleanse the skin

Cons:

• Higher price than other shampoos

Best Shampoo For Baby Ferrets: Kaytee Critter Shampoo

Finding it hard to find a shampoo suitable for the new ferret in your home?

As one of the safest shampoos for our small animals on the market, Kaytee Critter Shampoo has all the natural, nourishing, and kind-on-skin ingredients your ferret needs to keep their fur feeling fresh. 

Suitable for ferrets and other smaller pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters, this special shampoo gently cleanses your ferret’s coat whilst conditioning to keep their fur free from dirt and soft as ever before.

However, it is more recommended for baby ferrets as ferrets entering maturity can have stronger odors which this shampoo may struggle to deal with. Free from any harsh chemicals, this totally tearless and PH-balanced formula means you can scrub your baby ferrets in the tub 100% worry-free. 

Pros:

• Great price  – perfect for first-time ferret owners
• Suitable for kits with its soft and safe formula

Cons:

• More suitable for baby ferrets than mature adults

Most Popular Ferret Shampoo: Marshall Aloe Vera Ferret Shampoo

This ferret shampoo has a unique blend of eucalyptus and aloe vera, which helps give your pet ferret a clean and fresh scent.

Marshall brand products are some of the best ferret products on the market, and this is just one of their amazing shampoos on offer. The shampoo gently cleanses your pet’s body, while also keeping the coat soft and shiny.

Aloe vera is a known hydrating and moisturizing agent, so you don’t have to worry about drying out their sensitive skin.

I would only watch out if your ferret is having a particularly smelly time, like during heat. This fresh scent may not be enough to cover all your pet’s odors, however, paired with one of the sprays on this list and you’ll be set!

Pros:

• Marshall is a well-loved and well-known brand
• Hypoallergenic, so it’s great for sensitive pets

Cons:

• May not be strong enough to cover all your pet’s odors

Best Water-Free Shampoo: Bodhi Waterless Shampoo Lavender

Does your ferret hate bathtime? Does water make them anxious and act out? Well, Bodhi has a solution for you.

Suitable for all the furry friends in your home, this luxurious lavender scented spray cleanses and refreshes your ferret’s fur without even stepping foot near the bathtub. 

Free from nasty ingredients such as parabens and sulfates, this 100% naturally sourced shampoo will keep your ferret’s fur clean and fresh all day long.

With just a simple spray on those stinky areas, leave to stand for 60 secs and simply rub in and have your ferret as fresh as a daisy in no time and no worry. 

What is even better is that this waterless shampoo is not just for your ferret’s fur. Spray onto areas of bedding, upholstery, or anywhere smells stick to keep your home and pet smelling the best ever.

Although not a complete replacement for bathing your ferret, it is a great way of keeping them fresh in between those fundamental washes 2 to 3 times a year. As one of the most expensive products on our list, this shampoo is a great investment if you have more than one furry friend in your home.

Pros:

• No need for water – great for hydrophobic ferrets
• Great long-lasting and calming scent

Cons:

• High price tag

Best Alternative Shampoo: Tropiclean Deodorizing Pet Spray Papaya

For those with more than just ferrets in your home, Tropiclean Deodorizing Pet Spray is one of the most natural, versatile, and freshening pet sprays on the market.

Suitable for all the furry friends in your home, including your ferret, Tropiclean’s papaya scented version of their deodorizing spray immediately transforms your home into a tropical paradise from the first spritz. 

Available in a range of scrumptious scents, I believe the papaya mist to be the best for a long-lasting, natural and sweeter smell than others in the range but the choice really is endless with this superb selection of delightful deodorants for your pet. 

Simply spray onto your ferret’s tummy, back, cage, blankets, and toys to eliminate nasty odors and keep your pets and your home smelling sweeter than ever before.

Do your ferrets hate bath time? This is a wonderful way of keeping your ferrets clean and fresh in between those dreaded bath times. Made with 100% natural ingredients such as papaya, coconut, aloe, and camomile, there is no added nastiness in this blissful bottle of pure paradise. 

Pros:

• Super scent – great for masking nasty odors
• Suitable for any pet in the home

Cons:

• Won’t replace bathing but is great as an alternative for minimizing water anxiety.

What to look for when buying ferret shampoo

Ever get bored of scrolling through the long list of ingredients on pet products? Unsure of what ingredients are the best for your fun-loving ferrets?

With three furry friends in my home, I needed a shampoo that would suit all their cleansing needs without any extensive research or homework. 

From the right ingredients to blissful benefits, here is everything you need to be on the lookout for when purchasing a pot of ferret shampoo today. 

Incredible Ingredients

One of the best and most widely used ingredients in ferret shampoos in aloe vera. Known for its cleansing and soothing properties in both humans and pets, be sure to select a ferret shampoo containing their calming, soothing and nourishing plant. 

Tea tree and mint are also often key ingredients that help control odors often caused by urination and sweat. These natural ingredients helps keep your ferret smelling clean and fresh without stripping their fur of essential oils and nutrients

Oils such as Safflower and Jojoba are fabulous for their natural nourishing of your ferret’s coat, keeping their fur thick and glossy all year around. 

Deodorizing Superpowers

In addition to nourishing skin and fur, there really is nothing more important when grooming your ferret than finding products that help eliminate odors.

As some of the smelliest small pets we can have in our homes, keeping your ferret clean and fresh can be a tricky task. Even outside of their heat seasons, choosing not to bathe or deodorize your furry friend can leave you with a stinkier smell than ever before. 

Be sure to choose shampoos and grooming products dedicated to eliminating odors. Alongside your ferret’s shampoo, invest in all-natural and kind-on-fur deodorants like Tropiclean to keep your ferret smelling fresh all day long. 

What to avoid in ferret shampoos

To keep your ferret’s skin and fur in the best condition, when on the lookout for the best shampoo, here’s a list of the ingredients you should most definitely avoid. 

1. Mineral Oil – found across cosmetics and even baby products, this active ingredient is derived from Propylene Glycol which can lead to issues in kidneys and liver in your little furry friends. 

2. Sulfates – No matter what bottle of shampoo you find, keep clear of any ingredients listed with the term “sulfate” within it. Known to cause oral and digestive issues, this is one ingredient you want to stay well clear of in any of your ferret’s grooming products. 

3. Parabens or artificial preservatives are also a definite no-go in your pet’s grooming products. Leading to itchiness and irritations in skin, opt for more natural, healthy and wholesome alternatives like vitamin C & E which will nourish and soothe skin unlike nasty added parabens.

DIY Ferret Shampoo

After searching the web for homemade ferret shampoos, I stumbled upon a recipe that was great for the sensitives of my Jills. Suffering from itchy skin, I wanted to bathe them in a DIY formula suited for sensitive skin. Made with nothing more than:

• Oatmeal
• Baking Soda
• Warm water

This fantastic recipe is great to cleanse your ferret’s fur whilst soothing and nourishing sore and sensitive skin.

Just simply grind the oatmeal to a fine powder, in a blender or food mixer, and add to the remaining ingredients.

Once the ingredients are well mixed, add to your ferret’s wet fur and lather in. Oatmeal, known for its soothing and kind-on-skin properties is a great ingredient for hypoallergenic ferrets and owners with new ferrets in their home.

With just these three simple ingredients, you too can try your hand at creating a ferret shampoo 100% nourishing and 100% natural. 

Top Tips for Grooming your Ferret

As the owner of three fantastical ferrets, I remember grooming my ferrets for the first time was frightful rather than fun. Not knowing how much water to fill the bath, how to clip their nails or even clean their ears was all too new for me. After a few mishaps and soaked showers, grooming your ferret really can be as easy as A, B, C. 

Add a little taurine malt paste to your ferret tummy to make nail clipping easier than ever. Check out our best ferret’s treats post for more information on Beaphar’s Malt Paste treats – a great way to keep your ferret’s calm whilst you clip their nails away.

Bathe your ferrets in no more than 2 inches of water into your bathtub. Being rather anxious about water, your ferret will prefer less water in the bath for their first shampoo session so keep your bath to a minimum to avoid stress-inducing behavior. 

Clean your ferret’s ears at least once every two weeks to help reduce dirt build up. Use a cotton ball or swab, lightly moistened with warm water to help reduce the wax build up or dirt around their ears.

Cleaning your ferret’s ears can help reduce odors and keep their ears in tip-top condition. However, under no circumstance, do you ever insert a cotton swab into your ferret’s ear as it can result in severe problems for your little furry friend.

FAQs:

Select a Super Shampoo

Grooming your ferret may seem like a troublesome task. With their sharp claws and nibbly teeth, often your ferrets will find a way to stay out of the water. However, like any pet, grooming is essential and requires a little TLC and patience at the start. 

For novice owners or ferret-loving experts, finding the best ferret shampoo has never been easier!

Created with the finest ingredients to naturally clean and nourish your ferret’s skin and fur, PETPOST Ferret Shampoo is everything you need to keep your furry friend looking and smelling as fresh as a daisy.

Available on Chewy, with just a simple click, you can ensure your ferret’s bath time is just as spectacular as a trip to the spa.