I personally love the smell of ferrets. And the myth about their scent glands is mostly untrue. Their musk isn't caused by scent glands - those scent glands are only used when they feel very threatened, and they release the odor like a skunk does. But it's not nearly as potent and dissipates quickly. So there are probably tons of "de-scented" ferrets that didn't even need the surgery.
That being said, I'm quite sure the musky odor is caused by the oils in their skin. I personally love the smell of ferrets, I love holding them up to my face and kissing them and all that. But, they can be a handful. They're incredibly playful and poop a lot. They have very fast metabolisms. You can't give them the same kinds of treats that you give mice and rats, because in the wild they eat meat. You can't give them fruits and veggies, their bodies aren't designed to digest it so it can cause problems. Some people give them raisins very sparingly but even then, I'd recommend against it.
So yeah, as I tell anyone who's looking to buy an animal of any kind, even fish/snakes/etc., research before you buy. Animals don't get to choose who takes them home, so it is up to us to make sure that we know everything about them to ensure we give them the best possible lives that they deserve. Unfortunately, ignorance can kill an animal if you don't know what you're doing and don't give it the attention/environment/diet it needs to thrive.
If you can't tell, I'm strongly opposed to impulse pet store purchases.
