I used to rescue ferrets and I showed my ferrets all over the country, I had 46 ferrets at one point. Many people do keep single ferrets but multiples are happier as they love to play. The Jills arent a problem with smell as long as their hutch is kept clean, the hobs will smell a little. the most important part of keeping ferrets is to handle them regularly, feed them well, they naturally prefer a raw meat diet but James Wellbeloved does a very good ferret food. As long as you handle them very gently, "never with gloves on" I judged and shown ferrets and only got bitten once, totally my fault.