***FERRET LOVERS***how do you keep your cage clean?

Question

I clean the cage all the time and it is neverending! Seriously, there has to be an easier way! We use litter boxes and all they do is throw it around. They poop out their cage too! What are your tricks? Theyre too cute to not deal with it but it doesnt have to be so hard does it?

Answer 1

For one I use cages that have very deep litter pans and use the whole bottom of the cage as one big litter box. If I have a ferret who uses shelves for potty, I remove them and replace with hammocks or other hanging fabric - tubes/tunnels.

Now if you don't have this option, you need to attach the litter boxes to the cages. If they are male, the pan needs to be very deep.

I also use wood stove pellets as they are easier to keep clean. No cedar maybe pine but I recommend to use fir.

Eventually they catch on. Well most but not all. My friend's little Ninjee is a real pill. We put some carpet scraps in there and loose blankets. It has helped.

Answer 2

Try a litter tray which can be fastened to the cage, or something heavy enough for them not to move. I use a big old casserole dish. Rectangular is best, corner trays are harder to train to.

If they're digging in the litter, make sure you're providing something else for them to dig in instead, like a dig box filled with rice. If they still dig in the litter tray maybe just line it with a sheet of newspaper, or nothing. I have no lining in mine because of digging.

Have you spent time working on litter training? Place the tray in the favourite poop corner, place bedding, food and water to take up the rest of the corners. Put a fresh poop in the back corner of the litter tray. Keep the rest of the cage clean and poop free at all times. Try using lots of plushy fleecey blankets to cover all the floor, they're less likely to poop on these. When you see them backing up to poop place them in the tray. When they go in the tray reward them with treats or fuss. Stick at it, it takes time.

The litter tray needs cleaning daily, maybe twice a day. Some ferrets are fussy and won't use a dirty tray as they don't want to get their paws mucky.

As for out of cage time, training is virtually impossible.. if they have a favourite spot you can try a tray there.. personally I just put some paper / an old towel that can be washed down in the favourite poop corner of the room...



Now that they use the tray, I clean that every morning, and in the evening if it needs it, and wash the bedding and scrub the floor twice a week. It's more than sufficient and doesn't take too long.



I also noticed that about a month after switching to a raw meat and whole prey diet there was a lot less poop.. just an interesting observation, if it's something you'd be willing to consider. It has a lot of health benefits for the ferrets, but can take some work to switch them over and make sure the diet is balanced. The holistic ferret forum is a great starting point if you want to look in to it.

Answer 3

Try putting some holes int he litter box and zip tie it to the cage bars? Ferrets are nearly impossible to fully litter train so good luck. You should be cleaning the poop up every day. Ferrets have a 3 hour digestive system so they poop about 8 times every 24 hours.

Answer 4

Lock on litter boxes are a ferret owners best friend. My 3 used to sling their boxes or drag them around the cage. I bought lock on boxes like http://www.ferret.com/item/marshall-ferret-litter-pan/650737/ .



As for pooping outside of the cage it happens sometimes. But to make it less make sure they go potty before leaving the cage. Eventually when it is time to come out they will automatically run to the litter box. I did this by when it was playtime I would take one at a time and sit him in the litter box he would leave I would put him back then when he did his business I would give him a treat and let him out.

Answer 5

You have to clean their cage every day or the most every other day or else it would have an odor and their cage would be messy.



Try cleaning their cage with wipes and they might not go back to the spot that they were using.

Answer 6

get em fixed & a bigger cage & a bigger litterbox.