A wild black-footed ferret at its burrow. Photo: J. Michael Lockhart/USFWS
Ferrets are natural born diggers. Their wild American cousins spend the majority of their time in underground burrows made by prairie dogs, and can “remodel” these tunnels as they see fit. It’s a survival trait that our fuzzies certainly haven’t forgotten, and some will happily make a huge mess out of the only digging materials they have available: their bowl of kibble or litter box.
Since digging is an instinct, it’s not realistic to expect your ferret to learn to never do it. In my experience, the best way to avoid so much sweeping or vacuuming is to just to minimize the damage!
First, start with locking crocks for your ferret’s food and water. I mount them up a few inches from the cage floor, so that my boys have to stand up on their hind legs. It doesn’t mean it’s difficult to eat or drink, but it takes away the best scooping and tossing leverage. It’s all that keeps Hocus from “snorkeling” out every drop of water, and me from having to mop once a day. (I personally don’t recommend water bottles as the only water source in the cage. Ferrets tend to not drink as much as they need from bottles.) Another option is to put the food or water bowl inside another larger, heavier bowl or pan that will catch the spills and be harder to tip over.
Lock Crocks: Easy to drink, not to dig
When it comes to litter, a fresh, clean litter box is only a new toy. Leave a little bit of used litter or waste in the corners to help remind your ferret what the box is really for. If you switch litters, be prepared for a few messy days, until the novelty of the new stuff wears off. (Remember, no clumping cat litters, which are dangerous to a ferret’s respiratory system. Find safe litters here.) Use a high-sided box to help contain the litter, and fasten it to the cage to keep it from being tipped over.
Then, let your ferret express his digging urges in a fun way with a “dig box.” This is simply a container filled with a few or several inches of any ferret-safe material, like
- Uncooked long-grain rice (NOT instant rice, which is a hazard if eaten)
- Starch packing peanuts (NOT Styrofoam)
- plastic Easter eggs (stock up when they’re on sale!)
- plastic balls (like a kid’s “ball pit”)
- play sand (available at home improvement stores)
- shredded paper
- shallow water (have towels ready)
Starch peanut fun
We use a plastic tote with a hole cut in the lid, which reduces scatter. It’s easy to swap out the digging material, then store the tote away when playtime is over.
More helpful ferret articles:
The endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is a fascinating species that is currently being re-established in North America. Read all about the BFF and recovery efforts at blackfootedferret.org. And check out the ferret cam at the Smithsonian National Zoo webpage — “Thalia” just had kits!
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Is Mega-Sorb ok for ferrets? We have been using it for years and it doesn’t clump or anything that I know of, it is actually for horses but we find it far better than anything like saw shavings (not dust of course!), if you know about Mega-Sorb any info would be great! thanks.
Hi Rob! I’ve never heard of Mega-Sorb, but if it’s like the compressed pine pellet bedding often used for horses here, it should be fine. I’ve also seen it packaged as cat litter.
Hi Keri,
I am desperate. Can you recommend a safe spray or powder for fleas to use on my ferrets.
Thanks – Cindy
Hello Cindy… here’s an article from Pet Ed on fleas and ferrets:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=11+1290&aid=541
Our flea & tick shampoo can be used on ferrets:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+5+18816&pcatid=18816
However, treating the environment (their cage and your house) is just as important as treating the ferrets themselves to finally get rid of fleas altogether. I’m checking with one of the vets about specific sprays and powders. You’re right to question what is safe for ferrets… owners usually end up using “off-label” products, because few things are made specifically for ferrets.
For the future, I would definitely check out monthly preventives. I have a prescription from my vet for the cat version of Revolution ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21673 ). My ferrets get the “kitten” 0-5 lb tube once a month. Ferrets are also susceptible to heartworm, and Revolution covers that too. When ordered from DrsFosterSmith.com, it comes out to about $12 a month per ferret, and I haven’t had a flea/tick/worm/mite problem yet! Our pharmacy will even contact your vet for you.
Advice from Dr. Kathy: “I think Revolution would still be a good choice even in the case of an existing flea infestation. The key to success is to deal with the entire flea cycle both on the animal and in the environment. Revolution will kill existing adult fleas, and then prevent any eggs from hatching. If there is an existing infestation, no matter what, it’s going to take months (maybe 6-12) of consistent use to get all the fleas under control, since there will be existing larvae and pupae in the environment that will have to develop into adults in order to be killed. Some people don’t realize that and they stop using the product too soon, and then they believe the product has failed because they see adult fleas again.”
She also recommends checking with your personal vet for recommendations. It’s a good idea to take them in for a visit, because fleas can lead to other conditions like anemia which may need further treatment. Good luck, Cindy!
Brilliant, I will continue using mega sorb I am fairly certain a while ago it was recommend by vets because it will soak everything up but it does not create a lot of dust causing the ferrets any breathing problems.
Thanks for the reply Keri!
We are moving our ferrets indoors as they have been living outside for a little while during the summer, is it ok to use cat litter for them, or should we be looking at something more specific? it is mainly to help in masking the smell of their mess in doors. thanks in advance!
Clay cat litters are not considered safe for ferrets. In the US, there are lots of paper-based litters available, like recycled paper pellets (Marshall’s Premium litter, Yesterday’s News) or soft small-animal style beddings (CareFresh), or non-clay cat litters like World’s Best brand. I sprinkle baking soda in with the litter to help with odor, too.
Also, your ferret’s food plays a huge part in not only litter box odor but overall ferret smells. A good food without lots of grains and fillers like corn can make a big difference!
I have been having a serious problem. I got another ferret and they were both doing good. They got used to each other very quickly. They love playing together. Until about 2 weeks ago, they started going everywhere in the cage and nowhere in the litterbox. Ive removed a level or two because it became too much to clean. It got to the point where i would take apart the cage everyday and clean it completely and used the natures miracle stain and odor remover because it had great reviews. Nothing is working. Ive moved stuff around and blocked the corners….but then they go in the middle of the cage, ive bathed them a couple times….its just getting to be too time consuming…i dont know what to do anymore. i really dont want to get rid of them:( My boyfriend and i keep arguing over it:( PLease help!!!
Hi Jessica! I know exactly how you feel! They can be so frustrating at times. And it’s not uncommon for their litter habits to change when something else around them has changed. Back to the basics!
First off, get rid of all the levels in the cage. What type of litter box are you using? Small or single ferrets often are good with the triangle-shaped boxes, but larger or multiple ferrets tend to think it’s not enough. They like to fit all four feet in at the same time. Get a large square ferret pan, or a low cat litter box, or even a plastic Rubbermaid-style container. I once used an under-the-bed style storage container with a long notch cut out of one side to make a low entrance. Make it as easy for them to use as you can — you already know they have short attention spans and won’t work hard to find a bathroom. You could also try more than one box to take up one whole side of the cage.
Then fill the rest of the floor up with blankets, dishes, and toys. Leave the cage that way for as long as it takes — days or even a few weeks, until both are using the box reliably. It might seem cramped, but it’s for everyone’s good in the long run. Whenever you catch one using the box, give lots of praise and a treat.
I have also heard of ferrets that refuse to use a litter box after a different ferret has. Try to keep the box as clean as you can (but always leave a small amount of dirty litter behind to remind their noses what the box is for). Having a larger box will also help by providing more places to go.
Also, what sort of cage do you have? I can’t say enough about the Ferret Nation. It’s expensive, but it is so worth it! It makes cleaning up any mess so easy with its huge removable doors and floor trays. Plus it has room for a really big litter box! I would never go back to another style of cage.