ferret issues!!???

Question

i have a pet ferret...i need sum potty training ideas. please.
he lives in a cage mostly. a very big cage. =]
please help me out here. he litterally poops in all 4 corners of his cage!!! please help me guys.
PLEASE!!!
:]

Answer 1

You can buy corner liter boxes from the pet stores.

A ferret is not a natural litter box user like a cat. A ferret is more like a dog that you want to paper train. Supervision and consistancy are the keys. A dog won’t naturally go to a paper to relieve itself if you let it go anywhere/anytime. You have to watch the dog, and when you see it act like it’s going to “go” you carry it to the newspaper, make it stay there, then praise it and reward it. If you don’t show it what you want, and are inconsistant, it simply won’t learn. Same with a ferret. The first thing in the morning when it wakes up, put it in the litter box. Make it stay there until it goes, reward and praise as it goes. Supervise during the day; carry and reward what you want it to do.

The first day home, the ferret should be confined to a small area - if necessary, to his cage - while he gets used to the sights, sounds and smells of his new surrounding. The domestic ferret is a “clean” animal. He will relieve itself well away from his source of food and his sleeping area. Keep a close eye on your new pet. If you see him using the litter box for its intended purpose, lavishly praise him and give him a drop of diluted Ferretone/Linatone as a reward. If he begins to relieve itself elsewhere, shout a loud “NO!” pick him up and place him in the litter box. Make sure he finishes there; praise him and give him the Ferretone/Linatone treat.

After that first day or so, give him the freedom of a room. You may have noticed that the ferret always uses a corner of the litter box. In the room he will also tend to use corners. Place litter boxes in strategic corners of the room. It’s also a good idea to place strips of plastic carpet runner, newspapers or vinyl flooring samples under each of the litter boxes to protect carpets from accidents. It may also be a good idea to place the runners in corners where there is no litter box. Again repeat the close-observations-and-reward when your ferret uses the litter box, or the shout-and-carry when he does not.

Most ferrets very quickly learn that he gets a treat when he goes to the litter box. After a while they may frequently run there and pretend to relieve themselves just to get the reward. They are great actors and actresses.

If you notice that your ferret is backing up to the litter box, but relieving himself just in front of it, you might try cutting down the front of the box. A ferret will often simply back up until he feels something against his backside, then take a step or two forward and let loose. Cutting down the front side of the box to about 1-11/2 inches may help.

When the ferret is using the litter box regularly, you can expand his territory. Repeat this gradually until he has the run of your home (or at least those areas where you are willing to allow him to roam). Litter boxes will usually be required in each room, however. The ferret is very careful about protecting his food and bedding from his waste-products. Outside of those areas, he really doesn’t see the reason for the fuss. If a litter box is available and they can get to it in time, they figure, “Great!” If they can’t, “Hey, my food is way over there, and my bedding it way down there. What’s the problem?” You can use this to your advantage by placing part of his bedding or a dish of his food in the corner you don’t want him to use and you don’t want to put a litter box. Chances are good that he won’t use that area as long as the bedding or food dish are present.

If the extended freedom proves too much for his litter-training program, reduce the area and try again. Very few ferrets will be 100% “accurate,” 100% of the time. Most ferret owners would be overjoyed with even 85%. One new owner asked me “How can I keep my ferret from going to the bathroom on my kitchen linoleum?” My answer, “Take up the linoleum!”

“Accidents do happen.” Ferrets often find places to relieve themselves through smell. If they went there once, they’ll probably continue using that spot. You can reduce that likelihood, either by giving up and putting a litter box there; or by a thorough cleaning with a good cleaner or a mixture of 1/4 white vinegar and 3/4 club soda. Some of the enzyme based cleaners made for pet stains also work well. Don’t use a cleaner with ammonia. Urine contains ammonia and the smell of the ammonia in the cleaner will send the wrong message.

A ferret will not use a litter box he considers too dirty. Clean the box on a regular basis, but not too clean. Leave a small bit of waste, or a little soiled litter. Otherwise they may think that you got them a new sandbox, and will have a GREAT time digging in it and throwing the litter everywhere.

Answer 2

Ok first of all if you have bedding such as carefresh, paper, or wood throw it out. Using that as bedding not only wastes money, time, energy and isn't suitable for ferrets it also makes them almost impossible to litter train.

For bedding use old sheets, baby blankets, fleece bedding, old cloths such as t-shirts, and sweatshirts. They and you will be much better off for it. (nothing is as cute as a ferret snuggling down in a sheet). They are much happier with those kind of things for bedding.

Using that as bedding a lot of time deters them pooping on them and will help immensely with litter training.
Next place their food and water in two of the corners. Ferrets are clean animals, they won't go where they eat and drink.

Then in the remaining corners place litter boxes. That way they don't have a choice. Attaching them to the cage might be needed, sometimes ferrets will push them away from the corner and go behind it.

Helpful Hints

Don't use triangle litter boxes, ferrets don't like those. Just go to the store and buy a few small cat boxes, you don't need some special kind made for ferrets and most of the times the ferret will refuse to use those.

Use yesterday's news for cats for the litter

Place some of their poop in the litter box so they smell it.

Clean up any and all accidents as soon as they happen.

Stay patient, they will eventually get it. They will just try and drive you up the wall first.

I have six ferrets right now and none of them came to me litter trained, I needed to work with all of them and they now are perfect about it. It took a little bit but it happened, and soon it will for you, just keep working at it.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Lindsey HD totally got it.

Get a big rectangular box, or just get a cat litter box and have someone cut it for you.

Find the corner he most likes to poop in, and arrange the cage around it, put his bed across from it or on another floor, put his food on another floor.

In his litter box, put some of his fresh poop in there so he knows thats a litter box and not a dig box. If he digs in it, try to put as little as possible and towards the backend of the box.

In all other corners put different things, fluff up an old shirt (ferrets wont go on their bedding, well most dont :P) or put some treats or kibbles.

Remember training takes lots of time and patience, and no ferret will be 100% trained. There will always be a few messups especially if its a bigger cage for the ferret.

Goodluck!

Answer 4

I agree with the first 2. But I have a few ideas that helped me. First, look to see which corner they use the most. That is where you should put the litter. I do use cat litter, But only the unscented and non-clumping. I do use the triangle litter boxes and they do not mind. They back right in and do what they do best. Also put a section of a new paper under the box for any spillage of litter or incase they miss the box. Mine will be playing and one needs a time out, but the younger one does not always let the other one go in piece.

Answer 5

I agree with everything your 1st answerer says except that our ferret didn't object to a triangular litter box, we were either lucky or it just depends on individual preferences. It *is* really important to use a litter that is very different from the ferret's bedding & to clean up any accidents immediately, which does take vigilance for awhile. If you catch your pet in the act of going where he shouldn't be going, place him into the litter box. Also, reward him when he does use the box (our girl would do anything for a few drops of Ferretone).
It took me about 3 weeks of patience & persistance to train our girl but once she had the idea really well, she was as meticulous about using her box as a cat. It helped *so much* to keep the mess & odor under control.

Answer 6

Hi I've had ferrets for about ten years, and some of them are really good about using the box, but most of them only use it if they happen to be in it when they have to go. I cover the bottom of the cages with newspaper, think birdcage, so it's easy to just remove all the waste at once. The standard statement that they are cute, clean and cuddly is a lie,lol. I give them cute.

Answer 7

the best idea i can think of is get a corner litter tray and then block off the other 3 corners of his cage we have 5 ferrets and they all use a large sided litter tray we get the odd accident but then again our ferrets are not kept in a cage they live with us