How can I stop my young ferret messing on the floor?

Answer 1

I must have extra special ferrets since they have always used their litter boxes. The advice I can give you is to make sure your ferret uses its litter box before you let it play. They tend to have to poop about every 30 minutes so you should always take it back to the poop box within that time. If you are letting them play on the floor in your house putting a litter box nearby won't help because your ferret will be to busy exploring to realize it can poop nearby and it will probably seek the nearest corner. My ferrets will make a noise or jump on me if they have to poop and that is why I've never had a problem. You should watch the behavoir of your ferret it it runs to a corner and speads out that means that it has to potty...then you better run it to the nearest litter box!!

Answer 2

You can't. Ferrets never get 100% trained. They usually average about 80-90%. What you can do is put a litter box right on the floor near or on top of that area. Move some old feces into the box, so he knows that it is a litter box. Hopefully he will go in it.
My little guy will always use the one in his enclosure, but only gets the outside of it about 60% of the time.

Answer 3

First of all...despite popular belief, ferrets are not born knowing how to use a litter pan. :) You may think when you bring them home from the pet shop or shelter that they are litter trained but it is just not the case.

Second of all...ferrets will NOT go out of their way to poop in their box. If they are out playing and running around and the sudden urge comes on, they will pick the nearest available corner to go in.

Here is what I suggest: Place a litter pan in the corners of the room that your ferret seems to frequent. Try to use the same litter that the pet shop or shelter you got him/her from used. Keep the litter pan very clean leaving only one poop so that they remember what it is for. :) I'm serious! Make sure you are actively showing your ferret what to do. In other words...if it looks like he is ready to "do the deed", pick him up and put him in the box. If he poops on the floor, immidiatly put the poop in the box and then show him where you put it.

I have found that providing the biggest ferret litter pan you can find is the deal breaker. Ferrets like to be able to have their whole body in the litter pan when they go. So instead of buying the small pan for 6 bucks...buy the large one for 10. Like I said above make sure to have a pan inside the cage and one or two outside of the cage in the corners where they seem to like to poop.

Lastly...all ferrets are hit or miss. I have been lucky to own one or two over the years that went exclusively in their litter box. They will always have accidents...its just the way it is BUT you can keep these accidents to the minimum if you follow through with my suggestions.

Good luck and take care of those fuzz-butts!

Answer 4

I have always found ferrets to be quite clean. I take it you do have a litter tray for him??
When he does mess on the floor take the mess and put it in his litter tray (and leave there for a while) also then take him to the litter tray. Then he will realise where it sould be. Also make sure the litter tray is no where near his bed, they really like to distance the bed area from the toilet are. They are generally very quick and VERY clever at working things out. Good luck

Answer 5

You have to train the human before the animal old saying. read up on ferrets its what the do the frolic get into trouble that's what their all about. if you have one or more they will play together ferrets love other ferrets or other animals you have to if you only have one be creative find different objects for them to play with. get a book on ferrets it will help you.in the wild they dig,dig ,dig and get into trouble looking for food.