For anyone who has ferrets - Help needed!!

GemmieNoWobbles
GemmieNoWobbles Posts: 398 Member
edited November 2024 in Chit-Chat
Help! OK I have 2 ferrets. They are a year and a half (ish old). They have been litter trained and both were good up until about 6 months ago and one of them seems to have a blatant disregard for the litter trays. It almost seems he "goes" in the most annoying places on purpose. Example, we let them out in our kicthen to run around but Kafka (the naughty one) just takes a dump right in the middle of the floor.. he doesnt even back up to a corner, although admitedly sometimes he does go in a corner too... its like he decides oh need to go and just goes no matter where he is. He defies all ferret logic. In the cage he even peed in the water bowl!!

He peed next to my foot the other day when I was doing the washing up... he's out of control. I have tried the No! Tactic, I regularly pick him up and put him in the tray as a this is where you go (incase you have forgotten), treat re-inforcement when he goes in the right place... but nothing sticks. He has also taken to biting me everynow and then. Its like he knows I'm annoyed with him. Its really getting me down. The other ferret is a little darling, he ALWAYS goes in the right place and is an angel.

Help with my out of control ferret??

Replies

  • tangal88
    tangal88 Posts: 689
    Have you checked with vet to confirm you are not dealing with an illness issue.

    An intestinal infection, or bladder infection, or other illness can cause a small animal to stop using the litter box. And deposit waste in odd places.

    Next suggestion - do you have enough litter boxes?

    Ferrets like cats, can sometimes become extremely picky about using a clean box, clean litter etc.

    Sometime giving them an extra fresh box, that is kept very clean, can solve the issue.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Have you been to Ferret Forum ?

    http://forum.ferret.com/


    In the meantime, buy some enzyme cleaner to get rid of the odors so they don't continue to go in the wrong spot. Any other cleaning products will not work to get rid of the odor, and once you use another cleaning product on it (if it is on fabric or carpet) the enzyme cleaner won't work.

    Go to any pet store and ask for an enzyme cleaning product.
  • VelvetKey
    VelvetKey Posts: 193 Member
    I second the "extra litterbox" poster -- that can make a difference. I don't have ferrets, but I have rabbits and they are litter-trained as well. I know that having a second litterbox in my living room (opposite end of the house from their cage) cuts down on the amount of 'accidents' they have.

    Also, (and this is a rabbit behavior, so pardon my ignorance of ferrets), my male rabbit likes to mark 'new territory' by spreading his love around. Getting him neutered cut down on this behavior, but when I moved he was back into it. Now that I've lived in the house for almost 4 months the behavior has vanished.

    HTH.
  • GemmieNoWobbles
    GemmieNoWobbles Posts: 398 Member
    Thanks everyone. Yes he's been checked by the vet. Very healthy lil critter!!.

    Will try more litter trays!

    Thanks :flowerforyou:
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