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Question: How do i litter train 2, brand new, baby ferrets.?

(Posted by: Hannah on 2010-03-08 08:19:04)

Yesterday, i got two baby (2 month) old ferrets. they were from a shelter. they didnt stay long enough to be litter trained, so i have to. usually (as i read) they choose one corner where they go... but they didnt. they used one place, more than others, so i put the box there, and nothing. im putting their potty in there, so they know. i moved the food and water the other places where they go, so they wont "go bathroom in the kitchen " but... nothing works. they choose corners to go into, so i may be able to use that to my advantage. i have a boy (shroeder) from the peanuts, and a girl (lucy) from the peanuts. lucy doesnt like treats, no raison flavored, or chicken, or ferretone or anything! just food. i might just try using plain food. hmmmmmm anyway, i was just wondering what i can do?!?! they're VERY smart, they already learned how their cage works (except little lucy insists on using the ramps, JUST for going up, and instead likes JUMPING down) whenever they start to "go " i pick them up and hover them above the litter box. any suggestions? ill use every serious answer, and try it, whichever one works best, will get best answer. omG! okay, so shroeder kept trying to go in one corner, and i kept picking him up and plopping him down again in the box, and he was just insisting on going where he wanted to go XD. so finally i moved the box, and he did it! all on his own! and then lucy came, and tryed to go in the corner i was originally shroeder in, and i picked her up and put her in the litter box. she sniffed it, then just went! thank you soooooooo much for your help! haha

Posted by: texasangel1334 on 2010-03-08, 08:25:06

I had a difficult time litter training my ferret. put litter boxes in every corner of their cage. ferrets go to the bathroom almost immediately after they eat, so if you feed the out of their cage make sure to bring them right to the litterbox. if you see them go in the litterbox let them out to play and eventually they will learn that they have to go potty before they can come out to play

Posted by: Steven C. on 2010-03-08, 08:29:32

You are doing the right thing with putting them in the litter pan when they are ready to go, but don't 'hover' them . Set them down in the pan and keep putting them back in it if they try to leave it before finishing. You might have a hard time going if someone was hovering you above the toilet too! FYI, while ferrets are very smart they are famous for accidents outside of the litter pan as well. Many owners just make the entire bottom level of the cage (wire not glass!) into a litter pan. To do this of course you should have a multilevel cage. Remember fresh food and water every day, don't bath them more than once every few months (using ferret shampoo not people shampoo), and play time outside the cage every day. Look online for ferret groups in your area. Here in Denver there are groups that meet monthly to exchange information, make friends, and let the fuzzies play together. Best of luck with your new pets.

Posted by: sicilian_principessa144 on 2010-03-09, 06:20:53

When they go to the bathroom anywhere but the litter box or the corner you want them to go potty, pick up the poop and put it where you want in the litter box or the corner you want them to go potty