Aye, descenting. When a ferrets gets scared it scents, like a skunk, and a rancid gloop comes out. the surgery takes the scent gland out the anus. Unnessary pain. The smell is from oil glands all over the ferret. Ferrets are smelly buggars, and washing them makes them smellier cause the oil glands work twice as hard to get the oil back. Just keep the cage as clean as possible and remove the shit once or twice a day.