Litterbox with no clips./Litter trainging ??

Question
I got a new 6mnth old baby ferret and he insists on moving it. I need something that will hold it down as well as to the side of the cage.
Also I am starting him on litter box training and had a question about that. I tried some of my yesterdays news in there but he thinks it is a toy and digs in it. So I have placed a piece of newspaper in it(one layer) so that he gets used to the idea first. So was wondering, I know he will end up digging in it when I put litter in it again, so what can I do? Keep in mind he will dig in it even if he has used it. For now I am just glad he's using it with the newspaper in it.

Answer
Hi Chelsea:

The best way to anchor a litterbox is to drill (use an electric drill) two holes (just large enough to push the large screw through) in the two sides of the litterbox that are up against the sides and back (or front) of the cage; then get two heavy duty screws and two very large washers 2"-3" across, and two wingnut washers.

Push one of the screws thru from the inside of the litterbox to the outside of the cage, and put the wingnut washer on the outside of the cage and tighten it down.  Do the same with the other screw and other hole you have drilled in the litterbox.  To check if it's right, you should see two heads of screws inside the top of the litterbox and the wingnuts should be outside of the cage with a large wingnut keeping it from slipping back thru the cage bars.  Wish I could draw you a picture, but hopefully you can get a mental image.

Now, to get him to use the litterbox.....when you put litter back in the box, place a few poops IN the box and tear out a piece of newspaper that has been urine soaked and put it just barely under the first layer of litter so he can smell it. He will see, smell and know that this is where poops and pee go :-)  It works.  If you need to put in more poops and pee, then do it. He won't dig in the box if you 'mark the territory' for him.

Another suggestion - he seems to want to dig, as many ferrets do.  You can give him a safe and healthy place to dig if you can put either children's play sand (keep it wet if you use this, otherwise it is very very dusty to use in the house) OR a few 40-lb bags of long grain white (be sure it's NOT instant rice) rice in a very small plastic children's pool or sandbox. You can even use a large cardboard box and cut a hole in one end so he can get inside and dig (it will help keep it off the floor too!)  Be sure to leave the top open so you can watch - they are a riot to watch in a 'dig box!'  I personally liked rice better, but one of my ferrets ate it, so do watch for that. It's not good for them to eat dry rice, so be sure they don't eat it.

My kids loved having their clear dryer hose tunnel buried under the sand and/or rice and they would run thru the tunnel, then try digging it up.....was very entertaining until they tired of it.  Definitely something every ferret should have the opportunity to do!

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers