Royal - I've had ferrets for 8 years and have never ever had a problem with smell. The smell is all how you keep them. Every pet store I have ever seen or been in keeps ferrets on pine or other wood shavings as a bedding and then have either the same stuff in litter boxes or another kind of bedding in the boxes - this doesn't work very well, most ferrets don't distinguish from one type of bedding and the bedding in their boxes - also ferrets prefer square boxes not triangular boxes.

Biting is easy to fix. Biting is caused from fear, mishandling, or excited/playful behavior. Scruffing can and does work if done properly if not done properly will only cause the biting to increase or have no effect at all. I have had ferrets that were "bad biters" ferrets that would latch onto toes or fingers and draw blood and not let go. Every single one of them, varying in age from a few months to a few years old, was quickly and simply "fixed" of this habit.

Ferrets are great pets! But most people don't understand how to care for them and they will smell and will bite and will tear things up. I never allow any ferrets free roam. Ferret proofing only goes so far - my fuzzies have a special room and a playpen, very easy very cheap. Never had any problems in EIGHT YEARS with cord chewing, carpet scratching, sofa diggin, various other destructive behaviors because I don't give any opportunity for such things.

I've had 5 ferrets in one cage (very large cage, I could fit into it..) plus two cat boxes in the same small (12 x 10) room and no smell. The products used to clean, as bedding, and how often you clean and how many boxes you have and diet all affect their smell. Most foods ferrets are given including Marshall and other prepackaged 'ferret diets' are not appropriate diets and cause more smell because of the increase in ammonia produced. Ferrets have very short digestive tracts, they need a high quality food or most of what they take in is expelled in a toxic mash out the other end.

I know this thread is really old, sorry! I just wanted to say that ferrets, if properly cared for, DO NOT STINK any more than any other animal. And they make great pets. I currently have 2 and will be getting another one as a rescue in a few days.