Message Number: YG2292 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Brett Middleton
Date: 2001-04-06 12:39:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Rat-tail treatment

"Regina J. Hart" <ferret@u...> wrote:
> For example, right now all four of my ferts have nasty, blackhead
> covered rat-tails. Ick! If anyone has a sure cure for that
> unsightly situation, I'd be happy to hear it!

One of the regulars on alt.pets.ferrets (Russ Prater) highly recommends
Johnson & Johnson Clean & Clear. There are about 10 different flavors
of this, most of which contain either salacilic acid or benzoyl
peroxide -- read the labels until you find the flavor that uses
"Triclosan" as the active ingredient. He suggests the following
procedure:

> I wet the tail, apply some CLean & Clear and massage it real well,
> working up a good lather. Then I rinse the tail well and take a round
> sharp pointed toothpick and scratch out all the blackheads. I do that
> daily until the tail looks real good, about 1.5 weeks. Then I back
> off to about twice a week until I don't ever see any blackheads. The
> I go to a maintenance routine of once a week until the hair returns.

I have my doubts about the toothpick bit, but I imagine scrubbing with
a soft toothbrush would do about as well.

Brett

*SLMW 1.0* "It never hurts to help!" -- Eek the Cat