Ferret Wont Litterbox Train

Question
i have five ferrets, and all of them are potty trained except ONE, he just wont
care to even crawl down to the bath room whats wrong with him and what do
i need to do to train him crrectly??

Answer
Hi Katie:

That can be really frustrating when the rest are doing so well and one seems to just not be getting the message. You don't say how old they are, or if they are all the same age and have all been with you the same period of time.  Things such as him coming from a different home, where maybe he had some time to develop some *bad* potty habits before coming to your home can make it more difficult to train him,but it's never impossible!  The key is patience.

One other reason that can cause not only slowness in literbox training, but almost a seemingly 'retarded' act at times. Is he usually the last to look , last in line, the follower, but the silly one of the group?  If so, there is just a bit of a possibility he *may* be a deaf ferret. Little deafies are usually easy to spot once you know what to look for.  They have white around their head and neck area,sometimes even extending down onto their little noses. Their noses *look* more pointed, I think it's just an optical illusion becuse of the white blaze on the face though.  Anyway, IF you think he may be deaf, please write back and I can give out information on deaf ferrets - they really aren't trouble; rather deafies tend to be the sweetest, most loving and often the smartest of all ferrets!

Whether it's one or a hundred ferrets, the same ole way works to litterbox train them. That is to keep them in a small enough area when you can't watch them every minute that they are up and moving around that you can have a couple of litterboxes and the rest of the floor COVERED with food dishes, bedding and toys they love. Ferrets will NOT poop in or near their fod, bedding or toys.  A bathroom is a good place to start. If you work during the day, make SURE if you have a bathroom cabinet that it's locked shut with a baby lock (vanity type sink) AND remove ALL items from the bathroom the ferret could possibility get to, dig into, jump up onto, etc...a bathroom just isn't the safest place for a ferret, but for litterbox training, it's about the perfect size - OR, IF you have a ferret playpen, that will work excellently also...then do the same trick. A litterbox no more than every 6 to 8 feet away from each other. Also, put down some newspapers. Maybe your ferret doesn't like litterboxes. If you are using triangle litterboxes, invest in a couple rectangle high-sided litterboxes - that *cured* two of my male ferrets immediately years ago. Who would have though shape of a litter box could make that mch difference? But it did.

Look at the litter you use and how often you scoop it and change it. Some ferrets are just really particular and will NOT use a box that already has a lot of poop in it, OR they don't like the feel of Yesterday's New on their feed; so before you give up, try some clay litter - the old fashioned NON=CLUMPING (ONLY) kind. Clumping litter for ferrets is deadly, so please be sure you get the non-clumping one. Then you can  even tear newspapers into strips OR even just lay flat sections of newspaper in the expty, clean litterboxes.  

Just keep trying different things. Some ferrets are just really particular and once you find his 'secret button', he will 'click' and fall right into line with the other kids and make you all the more proud of him because you know he had to work for it (and you did too! LOL)  It CAN and will be done with just a few little tricks - don't know if it will be the first try, or the tenth, but it WILL happen.  Hang in there - be gentle and remember that punishment for not using the box doesn't do any good. The *most* we can do is place a poop into a clean litterbox so it will smell like poop and they will KNOW it's the right place to go potty....I cringe when I hear about people sticking their ferret's noses in their poop and telling them "NO!" like training a dog (and a really bad way of training dogs too!!) and it breaks my heart, so just had to mention it. Usually with ferrets, if an owner shows a ferret 'power' over them instead of loving guidance, they will end up with a ferret who will be confrontational and possibly even nippy in later years because they won't know who to trust , so they try not to trust anyone just to be sure they don't get hurt :-(

Anyway - enjoy those babies and when you are ready, just start making a change or two at a time. I think putting him in a small room with a litterbox or two, some toys, food, water and blankies is a good place to start.  OH, (almost forgot!! LOL) and when you DO see a poop or pee in the litterbox, make a BIG DEAL over it!  COOKIE TIME!!! Woo hooo, cookie time.... gently show them the poopie and say "GOOD BOY!!!' "POTTY GOOD BOY!!" and immediately have a healthy treat in hand to give.  Remember healthy treats are MEAT based, don't have any sugar, fruits or vegetables in them.

Enjoy those sweet babies!  Take lots of pictures - five is a GREAT number and life can be SO fun with that many in the house!! :-))

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers