New ferret owner

Question
hello, we are new ferret parents and have no idea what we are doing. I have been researching a little bit here and there. Is it common for ferrets to poop on the edge of the litter box? ours does it only on the edge and it is making a huge mess. what is best to clean his ears with? and have you heard of using cat wipes to clean them in between baths? how often can we bath him? and is it safe to take him out during the cold months? I have lots more questions but I will not overwhelm you. Oh, one more thing, he is litter trained, but I am nervous to let him run around the house for to long, in case he needs to go potty? how can we tell if he needs to pee? Im sure these are obvious questions for experienced ferret parents, I am sorry if they seem silly. Thanks Lisa

Answer
Hello Lisa,

Congrats on the new fur-kids! I'm sure you've discovered by now that they are tons of fun, but also a bit of a handful =)  I will try to answer your questions as best I can.

Ferrets can be challenging to litter train, but it IS possible with a bit of persistence.  It is wonderful that your ferret is using the litter box readily enough.  There are ferret-boxes with high sides specifically for that purpose.  Make sure the litter box is big enough too!

As a side note, make sure you are using dust-free products such "Yesterday's News".  Remember, never use clay-based cat litter.  These can cause serious upper-respiratory problems.  Also, do not use any form of wood chips or care-fresh.  Some wood chips contain toxic chemicals and care fresh can be ingested and cause obstructions!! Yesterday's News pellets are absorbent and nontoxic and readily available in most pet stores.  

Here is more information on the product:
http://www.yesterdaysnews.com/

I use slightly damp Q-tips to clean my ferret's ears.  (Make sure it is not wet, just damp enough to remove all of the wax).  

You can safely bathe your ferret about once every two weeks.  More often baths will cause his oil glands to kick into hyper drive, making him even more stinky!  Generally I wash all of my ferrets' bedding while I bathe them.  You'd be surprised how much stench fabrics hold! I doubt the cat wipes will do much good.  Ferrets DO have a distinct smell, but it should not be offensive.  As long as you wash the bedding frequently and clean the litter boxes, your ferrets should be *relatively* stink-free.

It is safe to bring your new ferret outside for very short excursions during the winter.  I will let my kids play in the snow (on a leash ONLY and under strict supervision) for about 5 minutes at a time.  Ferrets ARE prone to colds, so do not take them out for long.  

The good news is most ferrets will need to go to the bathroom as soon as they wake up.  Before my kids had the run of the room, I would make them each go potty before letting them roam free.  Once they went, They would be good for 4-6 hours.  You can tell a ferret needs to go to the bathroom if they are extra-wiggly when being held or begin scoping out or backing into corners of the room.  Remember, accidents DO happen.  Especially with ferrets, be VERY happy if yours uses the box 95% of the time!  

I hope this answers your question.  Again, congrats on the new ferret!  It will take time, but you will learn all of his quirks.  I will be away for the next two weeks, but if you have any other questions I would be more than happy to answer them when I return.  If you need an answer before then, any of the other experts on this site are very knowledgeable.  

-Cindy P.