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Question
QUESTION: I have a lil bundle of fur, she is only 3 months old. I got her about a week ago, and when i got her she seemed normal, she nipped very hard, but i think i have broken her of that.  But i cannot get her to use a litter pan at all... if i put it in her favorite corner, she uses another. What is the best way to train her?  also, her bowel movemnts have been runny for the past few days, can a change in food do that, or could that be normal? maybe something she ate?  she does not like to eat out of the bowl, she digs it all out then eats it off of the cage floor...  is there anything wrong with her accidentally eating some of the bedding?  and is there a way to get her to eat from the bowl instead?  Thanks!

ANSWER: Hello Kay!

Congrats on the new fur-baby!  I bet she is a ton of fun at that age, and they are SO cute.  Don't be surprised if she is a bit nippy!  I don't think I've ever met a kit who didn't bite.  They don't mean to hurt you, it is how they play.  Other ferrets have very thick skin, so what you consider to be a hard nip dosen't hurt them!  It is good you are breaking her of the habit.  An untrained ferret who never learns to play gently is a problem and will continue to be a biter for the rest of their lives.  The ferret is not mean, he or she just never learned.  This is how MANY end up in shelters.  Spend lots of time with her, teach her how to play appropriately, and you will have a WONDERFUL pet for many years =3

The best way to train any animal (and children!) is through positive reinforcement. Assuming she is caged when you are not around, she will more than likely have to "go" when you wake her up to play.  At this time, place her in the box and tell her to "go potty" or some other command she will remember.  Keep placing her in the box until she goes.  Then, reward her with a treat and some kisses.  

There is some information as well as litter training ideas here:

http://www.thechipster.com/fert-man.html   

Ahh yes, a diet change will be more than likely to cause some GI upset.  You are lucky!  Mildly runny diarrhea is nothing compared to some diet changes I've seen!  Or, It could be due to stress from a new environment since you've only had her a week.  I would not worry much unless it gets worse or does not clear up in the next few days.  Make sure she is eating, drinking and acting normally.    

If you do ever change her diet again, slowly add more and more of the new food to the bowl.  This allows her stomach to get used to the new brand slowly.  Also, make sure you are feeding a high quality food!  Diet is EVERYTHING with these guys, and I don't want your little girl to have health problems in the future!  

Here is a previous question I answered about diet.  You should check it out =D  

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Ferrets-2277/2008/6/food-ferrets.htm  

Be careful about your ferret eating bedding!  They are notorious for eating strange things and getting intestinal obstructions.  what sort of bedding do you use?  You should steer away from carefresh since they tend to like to eat the fluff.  Also, do not use any sort of wood chips!  They can have toxic oils and can cause upper-respiratory problems.  I use towels, hammocks and soft blankets to line the cage.  There is less of a change she will want to chew on these materials (although some do, so always keep your eye on her!).  Blankets and towels are easier (and cheaper!) to clean then any other sort of bedding and they are a reduced risk.  Also, I imagine they are more comfy!

As far as your last question, try putting a small amount of food in the bottom of a large ceramic dog bowl.  That way, even if she tries to dig it out most of the kibble will still end up in the bowl.  Or, if that does not work, try placing a shallow tray under the bowl to catch any falling kibbles.  This should help contain the mess a bit.  

Good luck!  Let me know if you think of any other questions.

-Cindy P.   



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: My little furball has been doing better since i found the original food she was on. Bowel movements are mostly normal...  sometimes still a little runny.   But I did have another question about bedding.  Is corncob bedding ok for ferrets? can it harm them if eaten? Thanks!

Answer
That's great to hear she is feeling better!  Diet changes can certainly cause an upset tummy.  Corn cob bedding should be fine provided she has no interest on chewing the pellets.  Corn cobs are not digestible (in fact there is many a dog with an intestinal obstruction from them).  Corncob bedding is not expensive and is dust free/toxin free so that will work well for you.