Ours dont smell really, they themselves have a slight musky type smell, but it is not aweful or anything..but you dont want to meet a ferret that has not been fixed and decented..those are just NASTY! We also use a waterless shampoo (powder stuff) on them once a month, and bath (real bath) once every six months or so... but even then, not very often.

The only real smell I have ever noticed with ferrets comes from filthy litter box.. and ours is not. My hubby and I cannot stand litter box smell, so he keeps it very clean.