Litterbox Woes & Cage or No Cage?

Question
Hello-:0) I'm back. Well we have been working hard on potty training the two little rascals, Lily is using it some of the time and we have some new progress from Oscar, which has presented a new problem, and possible solution to the old problem. He just does not like being in a cage, at all. Even if just for a couple of hours. I had a few pans placed around the house to see if he would use them while he was out playing. I noticed that he kept running to the back room every once in awhile, and I would call him back in, he would come running. I looked around for spots where he might have squatted, but i found none. So the next time I followed him, and he is running back into his room, jumping in his cage and using his box, then coming back out to play. He will ONLY use his box if he isn't in his cage, but when i put them up at night or when we leave the house, he will go wherever he wants. Any suggestions on this one?

Answer
Hi Lynze!

So happy to hear from you and know the 'kids' are doing better!  It sounds like they are doing well, actually :-)

I'm thinking that Oscar is not recognizing the extra litterboxes you've thoughtfully placed around for his  use as litterboxes!  Next time you scoop the most used litterbox, put a food good scoops of the wet litter into the top of the unused litterboxes. This will let his nose know as he runs past "HEY, OVER HERE!!"  Hopefully that will help with his bathroom habits outside of the box and save him a few steps too, because NO ferret will consistently use ONLY the box in the litterbox. Someday he's going to be out and having too much fun to run that far :-)  Fortunately, there will be the 'stinky' boxes to lure him. As soon as he starts using them, you can stop putting used litter in them :-) - it means he got the message.

Now, as far as not using the litterbox when he's in the cage.........sounds to me as if he is telling you he is NOT happy being in that cage. "mommy, if you let me run loose, I will be a good boy, but if you cage me up in here, I'm gonna poop everywhere!!"   Just like a teenager, eh?  LOL   It's really important to keep the litterbox in the cage especially clean (or put in multiple boxes if the cage is one of those nice big four level ones).  If you scatter blankies on the floors (especially the corners) throughout the cage, he will NOT go potty on clean baby blankies or your nightgowns, sweats, etc....anything nice and soft.   I go to thrift stores and get baby blanket (get the ones that don't have loose weaving or loose threads, because their toenails get stuck in them and they can actually tear their toe off while trying to free themselves - another reason to keep toenails trimmed closely and frequently.  You can also scatter their toys around in the cage - maybe he's bored while in the cage? If you put in little balls with bells in them - or go to the thrift store and get all kinds of baby toys that make sound and lights - just be sure the ferret can't get his head thru any hole in any toy - and be sure all plastic on the toy is hard, no rubber, no small parts to come off to be chewed on and swallowed for intestinal blockages.

If they have snuggly blankies thru-out the cage, toys to play with if they get bored, and a clean litterbox to use, (and of course fresh food and clean water), they really will be safer in a cage when you're not home.  He will get used to it, really he will - and he'll be a LOT safer inside the cage.  There are just too many things a ferret can get into in a house unsupervised  for hours at a time!! It's almost a certain recipe for disaster and at the very least, intestinal obstructions from chewing on things they should not be.

Hope those things work for you - they are tried and true methods :-)   Let me know if there's any way I can help you at any time.  And give me an update in a week or two if you would?

sincerely,
jacquie rodgers