In This Chapter
- Getting your ferret’s house ready
- Organizing fuzzy’s bedroom and bathroom
- Picking a food dish and water bowl
- Adding all sorts of accessories that you and your ferret will love
Before you bring your new ferret home, you should be
completely prepared for his arrival. If you’re all set for your new bundle of
joy before he arrives, you’ll spend less time “ferreting” for forgotten items
and more time bonding with your baby.
This chapter presents the must-haves for your ferret to live
comfortably and safely in your home, as well as the accessories that will
enrich his quality of life. You find everything you need to know about ferret
accommodations: from the house and furniture to the bathroom accessories and
wardrobe. If you already have a ferret and all the necessary accommodations,
please read this chapter anyway to make sure you haven’t forgotten something.
With so many things to think about, overlooking an item or two is easy.
Setting Up Fuzzy’s Cage
Preparing the cage is where true fuzzball lovers often show
their fanatical yet creative sides. Cages range from simple, single-level
ranches to multilevel mansions with guesthouses. The cage you choose depends on
your taste and what you can afford, both financially and spatially. The effort
in choosing is worth it, though. After all, your ferret has to stay in his
house when he’s not out playing, so you should work on creating as stimulating
an environment as possible. The following sections cover the necessary cage
considerations, from size to location.
Remember
Ferrets are carnivores. You should house ferrets only with other ferrets or by themselves. Although most pet ferrets don’t recognize small animals as food, they may play small animals and birds to death. Many ferrets, though, have a strong predatory urge. I’ve known people who’ve lost rats, mice, sugar gliders, birds, and guinea pigs to pet ferrets. If you insist on interaction between your ferret and other animals, supervise them closely and cautiously.
Size matters: Picking the proper cage
The cage for one or two ferrets should be at least 3 feet
wide x 2 feet deep x 2 feet high. This size is the absolute minimum. For
households with more ferrets, I suggest going to multilevel cages (see Figure
5-1). As with most pets, the bigger the cage, the better. Whatever size you
choose, be sure your fuzzy’s cage has enough space for a playroom, kitchen,
bedroom, bathroom, and, of course, your baby. You wouldn’t want to eat, sleep,
and play in your toilet, and neither would your ferret.
Fuzzy blueprints: Making sure the design is right
Many, many types of pet cages are more than adequate for
your ferret. Due to the complexity of the ferret’s housing needs, though,
ferret owners really should consider bringing in the custom ferret cage. This
can be a cage special made by professionals or built with your own bare hands
if you have the skills and talent. I recommend two things, however. First, make
sure the doors are big enough so that you can put a larger litter box or even a
nest box in the cage. And, if you do include larger doors, make sure you attach
extra door latches to prevent gaps and escapes. (For more on nest boxes, see
the sidebar “Bob Church’s simple steps to saving fuzzy’s sanity” later in this
chapter.)
Pick up a ferret magazine and see how creative ferret humans
can be with cage designs. Construct a cage on your own, or with professionals,
that fits all your ferret’s needs. I present the keys to a good cage in the
following list, and I go into greater detail in the sections that follow:
Remember
- Ample size: The floor space should be roomy to allow for ample playing and comfortable snoozing.
- Good ventilation: Poor ventilation combined with stinky, damp patches of urine and stool can lead to illness and disease.
Avoid aquariums and similar enclosures for housing your ferret. These habitats lack proper ventilation and can cause serious illness. Besides being too small and cramped for an active carpet shark, they’re made for fish, not ferrets!
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| Figure 5-1: Snap bolts can keep your ferret safely confined when you can’t supervise him. |
Warning!
- Small openings between wire and secure doors: Ferrets are master escape artists. They’ll try to stick their heads into or through any opening they can get their snouts into. They can and will push open doors with their heads.
Severe injury or even strangulation can occur in an unsuitable cage. Make sure that your cage design features no large openings and that, if necessary, snap bolts reinforce the doors on the cage (snap bolts are the snaps at the end of a dog leash; see Figure 5-1).
- Sturdiness and easy access for cleaning: Certain ferret cages come with pull-out trays to catch the litter and food crumbs that fall to the bottom. If you’re lucky, you’ll find or build a cage that has a built-in metal litter box that pulls out.
Tip
I found a company called Corner Creek Acres, which is located in Ottumwa, Iowa. The folks there build beautiful, spacious cages for incredibly reasonable prices. They ship, too. The company offers many designs but will custom-build any cage to your specifications. These cages are among the best cages I’ve come across for small critters such as ferrets. You can contact the company by calling 641-684-7122.
Materials
Perhaps the best types of ferret cages are made of sturdy
galvanized wire. I prefer the black vinyl-coated wire because it’s not only
decorative but also easier on your ferret’s feet. If the cage’s floor is made
of wire, be sure the little squares are no bigger than 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch.
Ferrets have little feet, and spaced wire can be hard on their sensitive pads.
And you certainly don’t want anything wide enough for your ferret’s feet to
fall through.
Tip
A company I love is Kritter Koncepts in Cambridge, WI. It makes custom black vinyl-coated wire cages that are both attractive and affordable. You can reach Kritter Koncepts at 608-423-3124, or you can view its Web site at www.kritterkoncepts.net.
You should consider covering a wire-bottom cage with as much
soft material as possible to prevent sore or injured feet. Here are some
options you can consider:
Remember
- You can cut a piece of carpeting and fit it into the bottom of the cage. If you use carpeting, you must take it out and wash it thoroughly or replace it as necessary. Dirty bedding usually accounts for most ferret odor, so your nose will tell you when the time has come!
You need to supervise ferrets with carpeted cages. They love to dig at the fibers, and some ferrets find the fibers simply delicious, which can be dangerous. Also, be aware that your ferret can snag its claws on carpet fibers and other fabrics, which may cause him to become trapped or injured. Keeping his nails trimmed will help (see Chapter Cleaning Time: Not All Ferret Fun and Games), but it won’t necessarily prevent this problem.
- You can use a fitted piece of linoleum flooring or Plexiglas to cover the floor. I like the linoleum because it’s flexible and the easiest surface to clean.
Warning!
Cages made of wood are impossible to completely sanitize, because the material is porous and easily absorbs urine. Your ferret may chew and ingest the wood, or damage to the teeth may occur. And certain treated woods can contain harmful chemicals. Three strikes, you’re out! Likewise, certain metal surfaces may contain lead and zinc (which is just as toxic as lead; most cages no longer have lead, but the galvanizing process may still include zinc); when ingested, these materials can be harmful to your ferret. Do your cage research before you dish out the money to save yourself a pile of trouble in the end.
One story or multilevel?
Although a single-level cage will do the job, it just
doesn’t seem appropriate for the captive lifestyle of a ferret (see the
chapters in Part I for basics on the ferret lifestyle and Part V for more on
ferret psychology). Ferrets are active and inquisitive. And as ground dwellers,
they love to burrow under piles of stuff. But they also enjoy racing up and
down the ramps in a multilevel cage like the one in Figure 5-2. Multilevels
also add more opportunity for you to attach cage accessories that are almost as
important as the cage itself (see the later section “Acquiring Accessories and
Other Stuff Fuzzy Needs”).
Here are some factors to consider when creating/purchasing a
multilevel cage:
- The ramps in a multilevel should be made of wire because solid ramps act more like slides than ladders.
- Multilevel cages should have multiple doors to access the different levels.
- You should consider adding a litter box to the upper level.
- At some point during the routine cleaning process, you’ll have to reach into the far corners of all levels of the cage, so be sure you can access them.
- You should provide snap bolts at the doorway gaps for extra security.
Tip
Leave the single level cages for the hospital cages or for those ferrets that may be injured or too old to navigate ramps safely.
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| Figure 5-2: Most ferrets greatly appreciate multilevel cages. |
A home within a home: Finding a place inside for the cage
Placement of his cage is vital to the health and happiness
of your ferret. If you can, place the cage where he can see you several times a
day. It should be a quiet, comfortable place, conducive to snoozing when
necessary, but it shouldn’t be so far out of the way that the fuzzy’s forgotten
in your daily routine. Some ferret lovers actually dedicate entire rooms to
ferrets and their cages. When I kept my ferrets in my home, my cages were
connected by colorful tubes. I never knew which ferret would be sleeping in which
cage! Sometimes, as many as eight were piled snuggly onto one hammock, although
I had four to five hammocks throughout my maze of cages.
Here are some other pointers and reminders on indoor cage
placement:
Warning!
- Extreme blowing air can cause your ferret to get sick. Drafts, or air movement itself, don’t make people or animals sick. Cold air blowing continuously on the cage isn’t good; however, cool air is fine. Also, hot air blowing continuously on the cage isn’t good. Extremes are the problem, not the air movement itself.
Putting a cage near an outflow vent of an air conditioner or furnace is bad because of the dust and debris that may be blown out during the first few seconds. This can cause respiratory irritation or infection. It may also cause eye irritations.
- High humidity without good ventilation will cause distress. Basements and small, poorly ventilated rooms often are damp and great breeding grounds for bacteria. If you must house your ferrets in a high-moisture area, use a dehumidifier.
- Too much light will interfere with sleep cycles. It’s important to have a cage site that can be darkened at night. Erratic photoperiods and long light cycles can be a health problem for ferrets, so they need to be able to have about 10 to 12 hours of complete darkness. (See Chapter Finding and Treating the Big C and Other Lumps for info on adrenal gland disease.) Another option is some sort of light-eliminating covering over the cage for part of the day.
- Loud noise will stress your ferret and interfere with the sleep cycle. Avoid placing the cage next to televisions or stereo speakers. The loud noise is very disturbing and if used at night can interfere with the normal sleep cycle.
- Place the cage on tile if at all possible, and pull the cage at least 6 inches from the wall. A ferret’s toilet habits can get sloppy, and you’ll most definitely be cleaning both the floor and wall surrounding the cage routinely. You may want to consider putting up a large piece of acrylic glass to cover the wall closest to the cage. If you absolutely must put the cage on carpeting, invest in more acrylic glass or place a large piece of linoleum under the cage. Ferrets love to scoot up into the corners of their cages and poop out the sides!
Heading off cage stress |
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Cage stress is often associated with a ferret’s inability
to escape to a safe place. You can identify a ferret suffering from cage
stress by watching his behavior. Some signs may include the following:
It’s imperative that your fuzzy have somewhere dark and
warm to hide and get away from all that’s going on around him. You can use piles of fluffy bedding or a snooze sack, for example.
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Providing safety and security helps prevent cage stress.
If you have a particularly nervous ferret (see Part V of this book for more
on ferret psychology), you can cover part of his cage with a sheet or large
towel.
Wooden parrot nest boxes can make great hidey-holes and
sleeping spots for ferrets. In addition, a nest box can make for a fun
climbing experience. Insert a few cuddly pieces of bedding into the box, and
place the box into the cage or your ferret’s play area. Watch for wood
chewing. If you notice a lot of wear and tear, replace the box or scrap the
idea altogether. Also, wood is porous and difficult to clean. Ferrets
generally don’t poop or pee where they sleep, but the young, sick, or
disabled may be the exceptions to that rule. Check parrot nest boxes
frequently for soiling and throw them out if they do become dirty. The urine
will also eventually release ammonia, which is unhealthy for a ferret to
breath.
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A room with a view: Finding a place outside for the cage
As more and more people recognize the importance of natural
lighting for ferrets, ferrets have been moving outside to experience Mother
Nature first hand. Housing your ferret outside is a complicated issue that
needs a great deal of consideration on your part, in addition to extreme
diligence to health and safety. Not only does your cage have to be completely
escape-proof and at least partially covered, but your ferrets also need
heartworm protection. And cage placement is one of the most critical aspects of
keeping ferrets successfully outside.
I keep my ferrets outside, and they come in for personal
playtime. They thrive outdoors, but I pay close attention to their needs,
checking on them two or more times a day. I also have more than one ferret,
so they can cuddle when it’s cool out. Outdoor housing isn’t for the lazy or
the scatter-brained caretaker. Here are some tips on outdoor cage placement:
- Extreme cold and cold wind can kill. Below-freezing weather exposure without a heated sleeping area, or exposure to freezing wind, can kill your ferret. Placement of the cage in the sun during the winter months is totally acceptable. You can cover one side of the cage for shade but place the nest box in the sun. Additionally, you need more than bedding to keep him warm. Nest boxes packed with straw will work. Avoid cloth, because it can get moist and freeze. Cloth also is a poor insulator. Move food, water, and litter boxes close to the nest box so that he’ll come out to eat, drink, and go potty. Also, use a heated water bowl. You can purchase one online so your ferret won’t snorkel during cold months. The best protection, though, is considering housing him indoors during the extreme winter months.
- More dangerous than the cold is the heat of the sun and high humidity. Although ferrets enjoy the warmth that sunlight provides, direct sunlight with no relief can be deadly. Ferrets can get heatstroke or heat exhaustion if kept in hot places, even for just a short time. A temp of 80 degrees Fahrenheit or higher — especially with high humidity — is dangerous for your ferret. Be sure you shade a large part of the cage at all times so the fuzzy can escape the sun’s hot rays. Place your cage under the comforting shade of trees if you have them. And be sure the nest box is always in the shade. Also, consider adding a litter box filled with water as a nice pool. Placement of cages on hot decks is ill-advised. Again, you should consider moving your ferret indoors when the weather becomes extreme.
- Fenced yards are optimal. Keeping your ferret’s cage shaded in a fenced yard will keep predators such as foxes, coyotes, and dogs from getting to your ferret. It will also keep your curious neighbors out, thus keeping your ferret safe.
Tip
Some people think keeping ferrets outdoors is abusive. If done properly, it can be very healthy for your ferrets. With the exception of talking briefly about building an outdoor supervised play area for ferret enrichment (see Chapter Enrichment: Yours and Your Ferret’s), this edition of Ferrets For Dummies doesn’t go into the specifics of constructing permanent outdoor enclosures, due to the complexity of the topic. However, I can recommend a phenomenal book that discusses this subject in great detail and length to anyone serious about outdoor housing. It’s called Ferret Husbandry, Medicine and Surgery, 2nd Edition, by John H. Lewington (Saunders/Elsevier Limited). Even if you keep your ferret outside for only a few months a year, the book is well worth owning.
Warning!
Of course, there are some places that you should just flat out avoid putting your ferrets:
- Garages: These are full of danger. Besides being devoid of healthy natural lighting, many garages can get overly hot in the summer and lack necessary ventilation. Most people keep chemicals in garages, including gasoline, that give off harmful fumes. And cars coming in and going out certainly add to the dangerous pollution.
- A deck: These heat up like a stove. Have you ever tried to walk barefoot across a hot wooden deck in the summer? It’s like walking across hot coals. A cage placed on a deck in the summer will roast in the hot sun, even if it’s covered.
Making Your Ferret’s Bed
Ferrets absolutely love to tunnel and nestle in their
bedding, so knowing what and what not to use is important. Whether you cover
the cage bottom is up to you (see the earlier section “Materials”), but be sure
to fill bedroom areas with plenty of old T-shirts, sweatshirts, pillowcases, or
towels. You want to provide good snoozing sites and hiding places for your
ferret. One neat piece of bedding is simple to make: Simply snip off the legs
of an old pair of pants or blue jeans. You can also buy custom ferret snooze
sacks and fabric tunnels at any major pet supply store or online ferret supply
store, but if you’re handy with a sewing machine, you can easily make them.
These accessories are attractive and cozy.
You should wash all bedding regularly to aid in reducing
odors. Keep a clean, fresh supply of bedding on hand to use when you’re washing
the dirty stuff.
Warning!
Inspect your ferret’s bedding routinely. Some carpet sharks find cloth an irresistible delicacy and chew holes in the fabric. These ferrets shouldn’t have cloth. The danger comes from the ferret actually swallowing chunks of cloth. You’ll find that certain ferrets need stronger types of fabric, such as denim, to prevent “cloth grazing.” Small holes also pose a danger when your ferret is playing or digging around to get comfortable. He’s apt to poke his head through a hole, and if he twists and turns just right, he may find himself trapped, and strangulation may occur. So toss the holey stuff. Finally, raggedy fibers and materials like terry cloth can catch on long claws, so toss the raggedy stuff and avoid fabrics like terry cloth.
Setting Your Ferret’s Table
Picking out your ferret’s food and water supplies doesn’t
have to be as tedious as picking out good china as a newlywed. However, not all
food and water dishes will live up to your ferret’s high standards, and he may
put them through a battery of destruction tests before you can finally settle
on the best feeding tools. Ferrets are extremely cunning little buggers. The
average ferret can master even the most ferret-proof dish — meaning almost all
dishes can be flung about the cage, tipped over, chewed up, pooped in, dug out,
or slept in. You need to find the best possible dish and attempt to outsmart
your ferret by adding a few clever accessories to keep the food and water clean
and in their dishes. Remember, it’s all in the presentation! The following
sections show you the way.
Bob Church’s simple steps to saving fuzzy’s sanity |
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Besides enrichment (see Chapter Enrichment:
Yours and Your Ferret’s), a ferret’s need for
security is perhaps his most overlooked necessity. People think of ferrets as
gregarious creatures that need little alone time. The fact is, however, a
ferret needs a place to call his own — a place to defend, if necessary,
against the onslaught of other ferrets. A lack of privacy and self-protection
is a leading cause of stress in ferrets. A nest box, which makes for a great
bed and climbing area, is the perfect solution to this problem. You can build a nest box for your fuzzy on your own. And
if you think building a nest box would be too expensive and time consuming,
ferret friend and enthusiast Bob Church makes it too easy for you to refuse!
It should cost you only five or six dollars per nest box. Pick out the following tools:
Rubbermaid and generic totes are inexpensive, and you can
find them in most department and hardware stores. They’re easy to clean and
disinfect, are durable, and provide the darkness necessary to make an
adequate nest box. Remember! A ferret needs complete darkness! These totes
are strong but can be easily cut. They’re attractive and functional both
inside and outside of the cage, but you must properly measure if you plan to
use the tote inside the cage. The PVC fittings are smooth and rounded,
ensuring that your ferret doesn’t rub himself and get chaffed. Males can’t
hook themselves on edges, and the PVC is easy to clean. But it may be
challenging to find the PVC fitting, which is probably mysteriously hidden
somewhere in your local hardware or home-improvement store. Just tell an
employee, as if you know what you’re talking about, that you’re looking for
“a PVC 2" x 3" x 4" flush downspout that’s the adapter fitting
that attaches a 4” round pipe to a 2" x 3" rectangular downspout.”
The opening of the fitting should be just large enough for the |
defend. The worker should
happily lead you through a maze of unidentifiable stuff to this perplexing
fitting. Memorize this spot and hope that the store doesn’t rearrange before
the next time you come looking to build a nest box. Rubbermaid probably
didn’t know it at the time, but it designed its tote to be a nest box for
ferrets! The recessed panel on the narrow side of the tote is a perfect
location for the PVC fitting. Just follow these steps to create your fuzzy’s
nest box, and refer to the figure as needed to see how you’re doing: 1. Place the
rectangular part of the fitting flush onto the storage box, and trace around
the outer edge with your black marker. You can put the fitting high or low, but putting it higher
up makes it easier for your ferret to defend. On the other hand, if your
ferret has hind-end weakness or is older, you may want to put the fitting on
the lower end. 2. Because you want
the PVC fitting to fit tightly into the tote, don’t cut along the line you
just traced; instead, carefully cut just inside the line (figure a). Round the corners instead of making them 90-degree angles
to keep the plastic from tearing when you actually insert the PVC fitting.
You’re almost there! You should now have a gaping hole in the narrow side of
the tote box. You put the fitting in this hole, but first you must make the
plastic a little more supple so that you can easily insert the fitting. 3. Fill your tub or
sink with hot water, and immerse the cut end of the tote into the water. Let the plastic soak for a few minutes. The heat of the
water will soften the plastic, but not for long, so you have to act fast and
carefully. 4. While the
plastic is still soft, push the rectangular part of the fitting through the
hole (figure b). The fit will be tight, so you’ll need to give the fitting a firm push. The plastic will slowly give way and reform around the fitting to create a secure connection. When the fitting is in place, your hard work is done. Just add some soft, warm bedding (figure d), pop on the storage box’s lid, and let your ferret (figure c) do the rest! |
Remember
Serving your ferret’s food with a sturdy dish
Pet dishes come in just about every size, shape, color, and
texture. Their makers guarantee amazing things, such as non-tippable, indestructible,
and easy to clean. And for the average pet, these claims are true. But a ferret
sees a challenge in all that surrounds him, and a simple food dish is no
exception. You need to choose the dish that best suits your ferret’s needs.
Remembering a few things may make your purchase easier and more successful. In
the following sections, I prepare you for the food challenge that lies ahead
and give you some bowl options.
Stay away from food dish materials such as flimsy plastic
and unglazed pottery or ceramic. Stick with stainless steel, thick plastic, or
heavily glazed ceramic.
Fuzzy feeding challenges
Your ferret is bound to find the one weakness of the bowl
you purchase for him. Bowls are gnawed on, tipped, and tossed. They’re buried
in bedding and even in litter boxes. Almost any bowl, attached or detached, is
subject to becoming a sleeping area. Unless you buy an itty-bitty bowl or have
a ferret the size of a housecat, you’ll just have to be amused with this
enchanting trait.
Less amusing is how many ferrets love to dig their food out
of their bowls. This is another trait you must learn to live with. If your
ferret cage has multiple levels (see the earlier section “Setting Up Fuzzy’s
Cage”), you can place the food dish anywhere on the top level or put it away
from the corners on the lower levels (ferrets like to poop in corners). You
should discard contaminated food immediately. Likewise, a poopy food dish is an
unsanitary food dish; wash it right away.
Attachable bowls
You can fasten small metal C-clamps from a hardware store
around the bowl, hanger, and side of the cage to prevent dish tragedy (see
Figure 5-3). Although attachable bowls don’t prevent digging, they do work to
prevent tipping and catapulting. You can also drill a couple of holes in a
sturdy plastic dish and fasten it to the sides of the cage with cable ties or
even thin wire.
Another option is a wire dish hanger that simply hangs over
the wire of the cage. If you choose this option, grab your pliers and bend the
holder until it can’t be lifted off the wire. Oftentimes, this type of holder
falls prey to the “flip and tip” method of kill. With only the top fastened to
the cage, the ferret can lift the bottom and fling the food out of the cage. A
simple garbage tie or piece of wire can secure the bottom of the hanger to the
cage, too.
Even attachable bowls have flaws. Not all are ferret-proof
as far as becoming detached. The round stainless-steel bowls that fit snugly
into an attached round wire hanger are great until the fit becomes just a tad
loose. Being the predator he is, your ferret will sense the minute weakness of
the dish. With a push and a shove of his back feet, a ferret lying on his back
can easily flip the dish right out of its holder and into a soiled litter box.
Quality ferret food certainly isn’t cheap, so choose carefully the manner in
which you present it to your ferret.
Weighted bowls
Unless your ferret is Hercules (and he may very well be), a
heavily weighted dish or one made of a heavy material (such as thick ceramic)
helps minimize the distance he can catapult the dish across his cage. If you
can’t fasten your ferret’s bowl to the side of his cage, get the heaviest bowl
possible — preferably one that’s wider at the base to make it more difficult to
tip over.
Warning!
Always place heavy ceramic bowls on the lowest level of the cage. On higher levels, these bowls can be quite dangerous if they’re pushed off and tumble onto a fuzzy below.
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| Figure 5-3: Use a Cclamp to secure your ferret’s bowl, and you’ll come to believe that they were made with the frenzied ferret owner in mind |
Plastic bowls
If you’re determined to buy a plastic food dish, make sure
you purchase the heavy-duty type. The less porous the composition of the bowl,
the more sanitary and easier to clean it is. Avoid lightweight plastic. It’s
easily damaged, and as a result of constant scratching and gnawing, small
grooves and holes, which can be difficult to see, accumulate and harbor harmful
bacteria.
To fully sanitize a plastic dish, you need to dip it into
boiling water for about 5 minutes. You can also sanitize the bowl with a 30:1
water to bleach solution and let it soak for 20 minutes. Remember to wash it
and rinse it well after soaking.
Hydrating your ferret with a water bottle
Up until now, I’ve said little about water dishes, and I
have a simple explanation as to why: Most ferret owners don’t put their
ferrets’ drinking water into bowls. Ferrets love to play in water, and they
view water dishes as mini-pools.
The water bottle is perhaps one of the greatest and least
appreciated inventions made available to pet owners. You can easily clean it,
it doesn’t tip over, and it provides uncontaminated water throughout the day.
The last point is very important, because providing a constant supply of clean,
fresh water is essential to your ferret’s well being. Note: Water bottles work best when you fill them at least halfway,
so keep this in mind when feeding and watering.
Bottle sizes vary, from those suitable for a mouse to those
large enough for dogs and cats. A bottle that’s too small yields little water
and empties quickly. One that’s too large, such as those designed for dogs, can
be difficult for a ferret to operate because it requires a much harder push.
Fortunately, bottle makers have taken some of the thought out of the process by
making several specifically for ferrets. If you can’t find a bottle at a pet
supply shop, a guinea pig or rabbit water bottle is appropriate.
Picking out a bottle is just the first step. You also must
attach the bottle to fuzzy’s cage and train him to use it. Find out how in the
sections that follow.
Warning!
An older or weaker ferret, or even a ferret with bad or sensitive teeth, may find it very difficult to drink from a water bottle. He would prefer to become dehydrated rather than take an uncomfortable or painful drink. Ferrets like this are exceptions to the rule; provide them with water bowls rather than water bottles.
Attaching the bottle to the cage
Ferret water bottles are designed to mount on the outside of
the cage (see Figure 5-4). Bottles hung on the inside of the cage are fair
game; most ferrets will quickly seize and dismantle them. Also, outside
mounting is convenient for you, because you have easy access to the bottle,
which you should change daily
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| Figure 5-4: Water bottles should be secured from outside the cage |
As with anything your ferret sees, if his water bottle isn’t
firmly attached, you’ll find it on the floor the next time you check his cage.
And you’ll have him staring pitifully out at you with his “What took you so
long to get here?” look.
Remember
A water bottle doesn’t work too well if your fuzzy can’t reach it. I’ve seen many people place their pets’ water bottles way too high or way too low without even thinking about it. Position the bottle at a comfortable height so that your ferret doesn’t have to strain himself by reaching too high or crouching too low to snatch a drink. Also, keep in mind the number of ferrets residing in the cage. If you have three or more in one cage, consider adding another bottle. For multilevel cages, providing water bottles on the top and bottom levels is a good idea.
Training fuzzy to use his water bottle
When training a newcomer to use the water bottle, place a
shallow dish of water just beneath the bottle until the water bottle level
indicates that the ferret is using it. Taking away his water bowl prematurely
can lead to dehydration. Also, you should separate a ferret that’s still
learning to use a water bottle until you know that he’s drinking from it. It
won’t do him any good if other ferrets are drinking from the bottle and you
assume he is, too.
Most animals quickly discover that water flows from the tube
when the stainless steel ball is gently pushed in. I have even witnessed my
ingenious ferrets holding the ball in with a toenail to allow for more water to
flow out.
Keeping the water bottle filled and the cage clean can be
temporarily tedious, but it’s well worth the effort in the end. Just through
curiosity, most ferrets figure out the workings of the water bottle and do so
without risking dangerous dehydration, illness, and possible death.
Designing Your Ferret’s Bathroom
Ferrets are naturally clean animals that can and should be
trained to use a kitty litter box. Therefore, you need to equip your ferret’s
castle with a suitable bathroom. Believe it or not, you have some things to
consider before running out and buying the first plastic cat box you see. The
first thing is the size of the cage door through which you plan on shoving the
litter box (this is where custom cages with built-in, pull-out litter pans can
be convenient; see the earlier section “Setting Up Fuzzy’s Cage”). In most
instances, you won’t have a problem, but be sure to double-check the size of
your door. I’ve had many brilliant ideas foiled due to the width of the cage
door! There are some very big housecats out there and some very big litter
boxes.
You also need to consider the size of the cage and of your
ferret family. Your ferret’s cage should have at least one litter box, but
large cages and cages with several ferrets should contain a minimum of two
boxes. You’ll find that corners are coveted spots for pooping, and a corner is
the best place for a litter box. Keep that in mind when shopping for cages, as
well.
Warning!
Never, ever use plastic litter-box liners in any ferret litter box. Your ferret will tear them to shreds, and ingesting this material can cause serious blockage.
Choosing the right litter box for your ferret
The type of pooper(s) you have determines the most suitable
litter box for you. His age and health status make a difference, too (see Part
IV for more on health issues). Here are some things to think about:
- Ferrets who aim high (those, for example, who scoot their butts up to the corners and aim for the peaks of the poop hills) need litter boxes with high sides. Ferrets that don’t much care where they go (the ones, for example, who enter the box and squat down to do their business as soon as all four feet are in) are probably okay with a low-sided litter box.
- As ferrets age, they may lose mobility in their hind legs, which can make getting into litter boxes more difficult. The same holds true for the sick or injured guys. Invest in a low-sided box for a debilitated fuzzball, even if he has a temporary condition.
- Baby ferrets are full of energy, and they can and will get into almost anything. If your ferret is too small to get into a litter box, it may be too soon to be training him to use it.
- If you have a super-duper big cage, a covered litter box may be feasible. Perhaps you need a combination of both a low-sided box, which may do well on the bottom level (see Figure 5-5), and a high-sided box, which you can put on a top level if it fits, or vice versa. Also available are smaller triangular boxes that fit only in the corner of the cage. They sit low in the front and very high in the back. However, most ferrets prefer to use litter boxes that they can get all four feet in.
Finding the right litter box for your ferret may be a
crapshoot at first. If you’re a good observer, you can figure out what your
ferret’s litter-box needs are. On the other hand, I’m a good observer, and I
have ferrets that make me move the boxes all around. I think they do it just to
keep me on my toes!
Plastic litter boxes
Your ferret will most likely have a durable, plastic kitty
litter box that comes from a pet shop or pet supply store. These are
inexpensive and easy to replace when they become worn out. Also, they come in
many shapes and sizes to fit your ferret’s cage and needs. You may also find a
particular color that fits your choice of decorating.
What about those plastic boxes with rims around the top to
help keep the litter in the box? Some people like this feature. I find the rim
to be an ineffective weapon against talented litter pitchers, which most
ferrets prid themselves in being. Additionally, most rims aren’t fitted well
enough to the litter boxes and become just another object tossed about the
cage.
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| Figure 5-5: A ferret in a low-sided litter box at the bottom of the cage. |
Slide-in metal litter boxes
Some ferret cages have built-in metal slide-in/pull-out
litter boxes. Just open the little door and pull out the box for easy cleaning.
This type of box fits snugly into its own space, which eliminates the need to
secure it. This may sound perfect, but it has its own problems. My ferrets drag
their bedding into it, so I’ve inserted a short Plexiglas barrier to prevent
this. Perhaps the worst thing about this type of box is that after a year or so
— depending on the amount of urine it receives — the bottom of the metal pan
slowly corrodes, which leads to holes.
Here are a few things you can do to prevent the corroding,
or at least delay it:
- You can line the bottom and 1/2 inch of the sides with contact paper. The contact paper is okay, but it doesn’t last very long and eventually peels or cracks when you clean it.
- You can cut a fitted piece of linoleum and place it on the bottom of the pan. This fix works fairly well, but you must remove the linoleum regularly for cleaning when urine leaks under it.
- Another solution I’ve heard of is that you can spray the bottom of the metal pan with a safe coating, such as cooking spray, in between cleanings. You also can paint the bottom with a nontoxic paint or coating, such as Teflon.
Tip
Most metal pans are longer than a typical plastic litter box. However, I put a plastic litter box on my ferrets’ favorite side of the metal box, and I fill the space that’s left over with litter. So, my large metal box is divided into two, and the unprotected side gets little use — except for when I fail to clean the box as often as I should. This solution may seem to defeat the purpose of the built-in metal box, but the kitty litter box still fits in snugly, pulls out with the metal box, and isn’t tossed about the cage.
Picking out the perfect litter
Don’t think that the cheap, generic litter you can force a
cat to use will do for your ferret. In most cases, cats are cleaner about their
toilet habits. They go into the box, do their duty, politely cover it up, and
exit quickly to be sure that no one saw who issued that smell. Ferrets are
different. They dig and burrow in their litter. They toss it about as they
roughhouse with each other or a favorite toy. Some drag their bedding into the
litter box and go to sleep. A litter box is to most ferrets what a sandbox is
to a creative child. Therefore, picking litter for your ferret requires more
than simply picking up the cheapest litter in the kitty aisle of your grocery
store.
The litter you choose for your fuzzball should be absorbent
and as free of dust as possible. Also, get bigger pieces because litter gets
stuck in the strangest of places and can cause illness. The following list
presents the options for your litter-snorkeling fuzzy:
- Pelleted litters: I prefer pelleted litter to the other types of litters available, and many consider it the best litter for ferrets. It exists in many forms on the pet market. Most are made from plant fibers or recycled newspaper. For the most part, pelleted litters rate high on the absorbency scale. Some of these litters are even considered digestible in case of accidental or intentional ingestion. Most varieties are fairly dust-free and free of perfumes, and they’re difficult for a ferret to shove up his tiny nose. Although no litter is completely safe from the throws of ferret paws, pelleted litter is heavier and bigger, making it a little harder to toss overboard.
- Wood stove pellets: Made of compressed wood chips, wood stove pellets are rapidly becoming a favorite litter among ferret owners, right up there with pelleted litters. Wood stove pellets are inexpensive and do a great job of controlling odor. You can find this product at major homeimprovement centers and many other stores.
- Clay litter: Clay litter is very popular among both cat and ferret fanciers. It’s cheap, abundant, fairly absorbent, and you can find it anywhere, even the grocery store. Most clay litters, however — even the ones that claim to be 99-percent dust-free — produce a ton of dust. Just because you can’t see it when it settles after the initial pour doesn’t mean the dust isn’t there. Regular playing, digging, and walking on the litter upsets the dust.
Warning!
Respiratory problems can develop over a period of time if your ferret inhales too much dust. Bits of clay litter (along with scoopable litter) easily find ways into a ferret’s ears, eyes, nose, and mouth. Also, clay (and scoopable) litters can stick between a little ferret’s toes, not to mention cling to his little butt when he scoots it across the litter after going. Additionally, because ferrets burrow through litter and sit in it, clay litter coats their hair and dries it out as well as attracting more dirt to the coat.
- Scoopable litter: Scoopable litter is another popular choice. The absorbency of high-quality scoopable litter is excellent, making it convenient and easy to clean. It may have a pretty smell (before use, of course) or it may be odorless. Many, but not all, scoopable litters can be flushed right down the toilet along with the poop and urine. However, scoopable litter is incredibly dusty. The consistency is as fine as sand, making it easier to inhale and ingest. This is one I don’t recommend for ferrets.
You must take extra caution with newly bathed or wet ferrets. Like dogs, ferrets go bonkers after baths. They roll around and wipe themselves across every surface available, including the litter box. Water + scoopable litter = cement. It dries quickly and can be very tedious to clean. Your ferret’s eyes, ears, nose, mouth, toes, and behind can be subject to scoopable-litter impaction.
- Corncob litter: Although it’s decorative to some degree, my experience with corncob litter says that you’re just asking for trouble. First off, this litter is so light and airy that most of it is out of the litter box in no time. It isn’t very absorbent, and it molds quickly; and mold can lead to respiratory disease. And many ferrets just can’t resist nibbling on it a little, which can lead to a bowel impaction. Perhaps the only good thing I can say about corncob litter is that it isn’t dusty.
- Newspaper: You may find that a plain sheet of newspaper or shredded newspaper works well for your ferret’s litter. Although it isn’t pretty, newspaper is cheap and does the job. Litter material is the only reason I subscribe to my local newspaper!
Acquiring Accessories and Other Stuff Fuzzy Needs
Ferrets are curious, active, and intelligent creatures.
Picking out a suitable cage and throwing in the basic necessities isn’t enough
to make your fuzzy comfortable and happy. A ferret needs stimulation. You can
add some extras to his cage, his playtime, and his life for his amusement and
yours. Have a little fun and regularly rearrange his townhouse. Doing so also
makes the cage look neater in your home. In the following sections, I introduce
the accessories you can add to your ferret’s cage and the accessories you can
use to travel around with your fuzzy.
Fluffing up extra snoozing sites
No ferret’s home is complete without at least one hanging
hammock (see Figure 5-6). Hammocks come in all shapes and sizes. You can
purchase one from a pet store or make one yourself. A hammock should be made
from soft yet durable fabric and have hooks or clasps on all four corners to
attach it to the top of the cage. Your fuzzy’s hammock should be located near a
shelf or ramp so he has safe, easy access to it.
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| Figure 5-6: A typical ferret hammock that can be hung inside the cage. |
Some hammocks look more like hanging sleeping bags. Your
ferret can choose to sleep right on top of it or snuggle between the two layers
of fabric. I’ve had some ferrets who liked to squish inside a hammock with
another pile of ferrets heaped on top of them. It reminds me of circus clowns
crammed in a VW Bug (just when you think it can’t possibly hold anymore . . .).
Remember
You need to provide warm, dark places for your ferret to hide out and sleep in. Ferrets need to burrow and feel safe. You can utilize nest boxes for optimal stress control. A general rule is that the number of nest boxes should equal the number of ferrets plus one. If you don’t give your fuzzy security, he’ll likely suffer cage stress.
Tip
Because tunneling is a ferret’s favorite extracurricular activity, you may want to hang some plastic tubes in your fuzzy’s cage. Ferrets enjoy running through them and even curling up for a nap. The tubes are easy to clean and colorful, so they brighten up the cage area. You can find them in major pet supply stores or online ferret supply stores. They’re made specifically for ferrets.
Ferret toys galore!
Ferrets are materialistic critters with an eye for
valuables. Although you probably won’t be able to prevent the thieving of some
of your prized possessions, you can provide your ferret with his own valued
toys. In addition to providing entertainment, toys help to satisfy your
ferret’s natural instinct to hoard food. But you need to know what toys are
safe and what toys are bad ideas.
Good toys
Your ferret should be able to enjoy an assortment of toys
both in the cage and out. Try to keep up with his level of intelligence and
curiosity, and provide him with as much excitement as possible. Here are some
toys you can use:
- Hard rubber balls (maybe even one with a bell safely inside)
- Cat toys that are made of hard plastic
- Tennis balls and racquetballs
- Paper bags and cardboard boxes
- Human infant toys, such as plastic keys and rattles and terry-cloth-covered squeaky things
- Large ferret balls — the kind that have holes in them for entering and exiting
- Fun tunneling toys like PVC piping, clothes-dryer hoses, and ferret tubes
- The best ferret toy ever: you!
Tip
Ferrets love noisy toys, so find some safe toys that have bells inside or that squeak. You can hang some toys in his cage for extra fun — large, dangling parrot toys work well. Squeaky toys, though, should never be left unsupervised in the cage or in the play area, because they can be chewed. Instead, use them for one-on-one enrichment (see Chapter Enrichment: Yours and Your Ferret’s).
Remember
You need to inspect toys routinely. Throw away any toys that have stuffing pulled out, and pay close attention to squeaky toys, because ferrets have been known to pull out the squeakers and ingest them.
Toys to avoid
Exercise caution when purchasing playthings for your
fuzzball. Most of the toys in the market are designed for dogs and cats.
Ferrets love to chew and gnaw and destroy the stuff they covet so fiercely.
However, their bodies don’t process the junk in quite the same manner as dogs
and cats’ bodies do. If your fuzzy eats something he shouldn’t, you’ll find
occasional bits of foreign gunk, such as rubber or plastic, in his poop. More
often, what doesn’t choke him usually finds a nice place to settle in his
stomach or intestine and causes just enough damage to warrant immediate medical
attention — not to mention extreme panic for you. A best-case scenario: You can
give a major dose of kitty or ferret hairball remedy (1/2 tablespoon) to help
push it on through. A bad-case scenario: Fuzzy has to have surgery to remove
the blockage. And the most awful scenario of all: Death that could’ve been
prevented.
Here are some things you don’t want to use as ferret toys:
- Any toy made of latex or soft, flexible rubber/plastic, including unsupervised squeaky toys
- Anything with small pieces that your ferret can chew off and swallow
- Objects small enough that your ferret can get his head stuck in them
- Toys that show signs of ferret wear and tear
Your ferret will try to pilfer through your belongings and
come up with a few toys you’ve obviously forgotten about, including socks,
shoes, car keys, lipstick, and various other sundries. If you’re a smoker,
watch your cigarettes, too. Ferrets find them wonderfully fascinating, but
they’re not only toxic, but also can cause obstructions. You also should avoid
bedding that contains foam rubber or stuffing.
Remember
Ferret owners should monitor their ferrets when it comes to playing with certain toys. For example, I don’t include plastic bags in the “toys to avoid” list, mainly because ferrets love them! They make great enrichment toys. You do need to monitor their use, though. Don’t leave the bags in the cage or unattended with your ferret. Bags and other potentially dangerous items can make great play items if you’re diligent at watching and supervising the play. That’s not to say, however, that all toys are safe even with proper monitoring. Some objects are flat out dangerous. Use common sense.
Leashes and harnesses for your ferret
Ferrets can learn to be walked on leashes, provided that
they have comfortably fitting harnesses. Leashes and harnesses are especially
important if you plan on taking your ferret outside for romps or when you have
guests over who want to get to know your fuzzbutt. You can purchase many types
of harnesses, but the long, slender body of the ferret makes him a difficult
fit. You should choose a harness made specifically for ferrets — one that’s
H-shaped across the back and that fastens around the neck and belly (see Figure
5-7).
Just like a puppy, your ferret will resist the sudden
restraint on his freedom. He’ll twist and turn and play tug of war as though
he’s truly claustrophobic. He’ll do the typical alligator roll and fake a
horrible torture. Believe me — he’ll get over it. As long as you can squeeze
your finger under the harness, you can be sure that it isn’t too tight. Ferrets
are master escape artists. Any looser and your ferret will be free in no time.
Be patient and persistent with your teachings and reward him for good behavior.
Unless you use the harness only when taking him to the vet, he’ll eventually
associate it with playtime. (For more tips on getting him used to the harness,
see Chapter Putting Your Ferret through Basic Training: Easy as 1-2-3?.)
Not cuckoo about collars |
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Some people put collars on their ferrets with little
success; others do so with good results. I suppose it depends on the ferret’s
personality and his ability to tolerate a collar. A ferret’s head isn’t much
wider than the neck it’s attached to. I find it next to impossible to keep a
collar on for long, including those “designed specifically for ferrets.” A
collar is a collar. It’s all round, and
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it’s no match for a ferret who wants to eliminate it. Collars
become coveted objects for the hideyhole, though. They also get caught on
things — especially if they have bells on them. This may cause entrapment or
strangulation. Use a collar with caution. You’ll never catch one of my guys
wearing one!
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| Figure 5-7: Leashes and harnesses keep your ferret safe outside and when meeting people. |
Finding a good travel taxi
A travel taxi is probably one of the first accessories
you’ll want to purchase after you have your ferret’s cage set up. After all,
your baby needs to arrive home safely. Ferrets are neat, and it’s fun to show
them off, but a vehicle isn’t a safe place to showcase your fuzzy. He can get
stuck under the seat and under a pedal. He can obstruct your view by cruising
on the dashboard. All this stuff can cause an accident, and an unrestrained
fuzzy is too vulnerable to come out of a serious accident in one piece.
Consider the following when looking for an appropriate
travel taxi:
- A simple, small, plastic cat carrier can comfortably accommodate a couple of ferrets for short trips to the vet or to grandmother’s house. The carrier should contain a soft towel or other type of bedding for comfort and snoozing. Most carriers are designed for adequate ventilation, so that shouldn’t be much of a worry.
- Avoid folding cardboard carriers that shelters or pet shops may send you home with. It doesn’t take long for a ferret to figure his way out of one by scratching or chewing. Cardboard carriers also can’t be properly sanitized. You don’t want to have ferret pee leak through the bottom of a cardboard carrier and onto your car seat.
- Carriers that open like suitcases are okay for short trips, but for longer trips, a carrier with a wire-grated, front-opening door (see Figure 5-8) is more appropriate. Larger carriers of the same type (made for small or medium-sized dogs) are appropriate for temporarily housing ferrets on trips, because one can hold a small litter box in addition to the ferrets and their bedding.
Remember
As much as I hate to admit this, not everyone enjoys ferrets as much as I do. When traveling to the vet or other places, keep your ferret contained in case you run across one of these oddball people. My vet doesn’t like it when I come waltzing in with a 10-foot snake draped around my neck. It scares the poodle owners! So I bring snakes to the vet in reptile carriers. Your pet carrier (minus the snake) is the safest place for your furball anyway. Strangers poking at him may be too much stimulation for your little guy, and he may nip out of fear or excitement. Unless you’re in a comfortable and ferretfriendly environment, keep your fuzzy safe in his carrier.
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| Figure 5-8: Pet carriers should be securely built with narrow bars to keep the ferret from escaping. |
by Kim Schilling
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