Post by JAMFuzzies on Jun 3, 2008 0:58:12 GMT -5
"As far as litter training goes this has been my experience:
You should get a proper litter box that is big enough for the Ferret to fit comfortably inside of it, this especially applies to the males since they are generally bigger and in my experience much pickier.
Youll also need proper litter which I talked about earlier. Having a cage with many levels can make the job a bit more difficult, since it presents more toilet opportunities. Some places in the cage you cant put a littler box and the Ferret may decide it likes it there better. I would suggest closing off the areas of the cage you do not want the Ferret to go to the bathroom.
Narrowing down the space makes the training much easier. You should set up multiple litter boxes throughout the cage, then gradually narrow it down when the Ferret picks the spots it most likes.
This happened with Rodney, though I didnt actually have to block the other areas of the cage because he couldnt get up to the other levels by himself in the beginning.
I started off with repeatedly placing him in the litter boxes before I let him out of the cage and many other times as well. They can be stubborn but you have to be persistent with training. He understood the purpose but since he was small he was unable to climb to the other levels, but conveniently he was able plop down to the bottom levels. So in order to go to the bathroom he'd have to be able to climb to where they were but he could not which presented a problem.
I then put in a pretty larger litter box on the bottom floor. It also had food, water, and bedding down there so he was all set. He began using the litter box regularly and eventually never missed. When he got a bit older he learned how to climb up to the other levels and since he had been using the litter box for a while, he knew what the others ones were for, and used them without me even having to get him to.
Like I said, my males are a lot more picky than my girls. The males do not like using potties that are "too dirty" or "too clean" They are very bratty when it comes to their preferences, especially Rascle! Another tip for training them is to place some of the ferret feces in the littler box. This can help the Ferret see thatm that is the bathroom and that is where they should be going.
I would not suggest rewarding your Ferret with treats after they do the deed because that could get them thinking they will get a treat each time they go to the bathroom. They need to learn how to do it without those sorts of incentives. I praise mine though, tell them good job and pet them. You should show them that they are doing what you want them to do.
Hopefully this will become habit for them. Remember accidents do happen, some Ferrets are spot on, but in the end you can't really expect perfection."
You wouldn't think such a small little thing could be so jammed pack with personality and spunk. They are really clever creatures, also. For example, they'll pretend to use the litter box but not really do it. They go through every step except actually doing the deed. They can be complete sweethearts one minute, but after they wake up a bit, they'll be rambunctious little buggers who are all over the place. They figure things out and their ways into things that seem impossible. Yes, they get into everything. Yes, they like to be little devils, but I love them."
You should get a proper litter box that is big enough for the Ferret to fit comfortably inside of it, this especially applies to the males since they are generally bigger and in my experience much pickier.
Youll also need proper litter which I talked about earlier. Having a cage with many levels can make the job a bit more difficult, since it presents more toilet opportunities. Some places in the cage you cant put a littler box and the Ferret may decide it likes it there better. I would suggest closing off the areas of the cage you do not want the Ferret to go to the bathroom.
Narrowing down the space makes the training much easier. You should set up multiple litter boxes throughout the cage, then gradually narrow it down when the Ferret picks the spots it most likes.
This happened with Rodney, though I didnt actually have to block the other areas of the cage because he couldnt get up to the other levels by himself in the beginning.
I started off with repeatedly placing him in the litter boxes before I let him out of the cage and many other times as well. They can be stubborn but you have to be persistent with training. He understood the purpose but since he was small he was unable to climb to the other levels, but conveniently he was able plop down to the bottom levels. So in order to go to the bathroom he'd have to be able to climb to where they were but he could not which presented a problem.
I then put in a pretty larger litter box on the bottom floor. It also had food, water, and bedding down there so he was all set. He began using the litter box regularly and eventually never missed. When he got a bit older he learned how to climb up to the other levels and since he had been using the litter box for a while, he knew what the others ones were for, and used them without me even having to get him to.
Like I said, my males are a lot more picky than my girls. The males do not like using potties that are "too dirty" or "too clean" They are very bratty when it comes to their preferences, especially Rascle! Another tip for training them is to place some of the ferret feces in the littler box. This can help the Ferret see thatm that is the bathroom and that is where they should be going.
I would not suggest rewarding your Ferret with treats after they do the deed because that could get them thinking they will get a treat each time they go to the bathroom. They need to learn how to do it without those sorts of incentives. I praise mine though, tell them good job and pet them. You should show them that they are doing what you want them to do.
Hopefully this will become habit for them. Remember accidents do happen, some Ferrets are spot on, but in the end you can't really expect perfection."
You wouldn't think such a small little thing could be so jammed pack with personality and spunk. They are really clever creatures, also. For example, they'll pretend to use the litter box but not really do it. They go through every step except actually doing the deed. They can be complete sweethearts one minute, but after they wake up a bit, they'll be rambunctious little buggers who are all over the place. They figure things out and their ways into things that seem impossible. Yes, they get into everything. Yes, they like to be little devils, but I love them."