Let me just say, I've had ferrets in the past and when you want to trim their nails they will fight it... But if you hold them on their backs by the scruff of the neck they will fall asleep and will allow you to do anything you want to them. So the fact that the shelter hasn't done this suggests to me that they aren't doing quite as much as they could be doing, since it's pretty painful for them to walk with super long nails.


If you do decide to get him give him some medicated baths to soothe the dry skin. They do start to lose fur with old age though, so that could be it.