I let my ferret out of his cage frequently, to make sure he gets his exercise. Even though his cage is readily available for him to go in as he wants, and I have a litter box out for my cat, he keeps using corners of my apartment, and more recently, under my couch. I tried putting a litter box in a common corner he frequents, but all he did was dig and spill it everywhere. Is there a scent they don't like, I could use in those spots? I just don't know what to do. He also refuses to use his litter box in his cage, except for once in awhile he'll use it. I clean it at least once a day, sometimes twice. This is somewhat recent, and I'm not sure what caused him to start doing this. He acts fine otherwise, and his diet/water hasn't changed at all.
Ferrets are what is called latrine animals. They tend to use the same spot over and over. Once the odor is there, they will continue to use the same spot wich is usually in a corner or a doorway. It is not really the litter that they are drawn to.
Put a great big blanket crunpled up or a conforter in the corner/areas to keep him from going there. Try using an upsidedown clear cover from a sheet cake that you got from the store. Cut off a long side and a short side to make your own corner litter box without sides that heh as to step over. Line it with newspaper that is folded sp that it goes up the sides. You can uses a couple of clothespins to hold it in place if you want. Put a little shredded paper or wood stove pellets that have a lilttl urine on them (you can take some soiled stuff out of the litter box that was used or even poop that you collected from ....). Put the new litter box near the corner/area he is using. Once he is using this box, gradually move it to a place that suits BOTH of you. Have several "litter boxes" available for your ferret when he is out. They have a hard time making to a litter bax that is too far away. The kibble food with all the fillers is just too much for their tiny intestines. A raw diet is so much better.
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Remember, feed your ferret a good quality food. MINIMUM 40% protein (from MEAT) and 20% fat-MORE is even better. And ferrets do NOT have to stink, higher quality food makes a difference. There is a brand that stinks going in, stinks coming out and makes the ferret stink horribly. It begins with an M and I will not use it. I hope this helps.
I would also offer raw chicken wings, turkey neck, cubed beef ... to munch on. Especially b-abies tend to chew on everything like puppies do. Give them a raw chiken wing and they will love it. It is better for them then any commercial food and if they only eat raw, they will have 1/5 the amount of poop-that is not an exageration. They do need the bones and the organ meat if you decide to go with a raw diet. I have one that loves the rib bones from chicken He acts as if they are potato chips.
Feel free to contact me.
ferretsanctuary1@aol.com
757-463-8942
hes a ferret not a cat
