| Litter Training Ferrets can be trained to use a litter pan, but unlike cats, they don't take to it automatically. To litter-train your ferret, start him out in a small area, perhaps his cage, and expand his space gradually as he becomes better trained. If it's a big cage, you might need to block off part of it at first. Fasten the litter pan down so it can't be tipped over. Keep a little dirty litter in it at first, to mark it as a bathroom and to deter him from digging in it. Don't let it get too dirty, though; some ferrets can be pretty finicky about their pans. Likewise, ferrets and cats often don't like to share pans with each other. Most ferrets won't mess up their beds or food, so put towels or food bowls in all the non-litter corners until your ferret is used to making the effort to find a pan. Bedding that has been slept in a few times and smells like a sleeping ferret will be even better than clean bedding for convincing a ferret that a corner is a bedroom instead of a bathroom. Ferrets generally use their pans within fifteen minutes of waking up, so make sure yours uses the pan before you let him out, or put him back in the cage five or ten minutes after you wake him up to come play. When he's out running around for playtime, keep a close eye on him, and put him in his litter pan every half hour or so, or whenever you see him "pick up a magazine and start to back into a corner" (as one FML subscriber put it). Whenever your ferret uses a litter pan, whether you had to carry him to it or not, give him lots of praise and a little treat right away. Ferrets will do almost anything for treats, and they're fast learners. Within a few days, your ferret will probably be faking using the pan, just to get out of the cage or get a treat. That's okay; at least it reinforces the right idea. Positive reinforcement (treats and praise) are usually much more effective than any punishment, but if you need one, use a firm "No!" and cage time. Rubbing the ferret's nose in his mess won't do any good. He can't connect it to it being in the wrong place, and ferrets sniff their litter pans anyway. As with all training, consistency and immediacy are crucial. Scolding a ferret for a mistake that's hours or even a few minutes old probably won't help a bit. If he picks the wrong corner If your ferret's favorite corner isn't yours, you have a few choices. You could put a pan (or newspaper, if it's a tight spot) in it; ferrets have short legs and attention spans, so you'll probably need several pans around your home anyway. Otherwise, try putting a crumpled towel or a food bowl in the well-cleaned corner, making it look more like a bedroom or kitchen than a latrine. "Accident" corners should be cleaned very well with vinegar, diluted bleach, or another bad-smelling disinfectant (don't let your ferret onto it 'till it dries!), specifically so they don't continue to smell like ferret bathrooms but also as a general deterrent. For the same reason, you probably shouldn't clean litter pans with bleach, certainly not the same one you're using as a deterrent elsewhere. Urine which has soaked into wood will still smell like a bathroom to a ferret even when you can't tell, so be sure to clean it very well, perhaps with Simple Green or a pet odor remover, and consider covering wooden cage floors with linoleum or polyurethane. Nobody's perfect Although almost every ferret can be trained to use a litter pan, there is individual variation. Ferrets just aren't as diligent about their pans as most cats, so there will be an occasional accident. Even well trained ferrets tend to lose track of their litter pans when they're particularly frightened or excited, or if they're in a new house or room. In general you can expect at least a 90% "hit" rate, though some ferrets just don't catch on as well and some do considerably better. At least ferrets are small, so their accidents are pretty easy to clean up. Finally, if your ferret seems to have completely forgotten all about litter pans, you might need to retrain him by confining him to a smaller area or even a cage for a week or so and gradually expanding his space as he catches on again. Written by Pamela Greene |
| Training not to nip? Like kittens and puppies, ferret kits must be taught not to nip. A ferret which has been bred to be a pet shouldn't be vicious or bite, but ferret play does include mock combat, and young ones won't know how hard they can put their teeth on you without hurting you. A playing ferret may run at you with his mouth open or even put his teeth on your hand, but if he presses down hard enough to hurt, you need to discipline him. Just remember, ferrets aren't malicious, they just need to learn what behavior is acceptable. A very few otherwise calm, gentle ferrets will react in an extreme way to a high-pitched noise such as a squeaky toy (perhaps only one particular toy) or the sound of rubbing fingers on a window or a balloon. Nobody's quite sure why that sets them off, though it seems to be a protective instinct of some sort. If your ferret is one of those few who bites wildly at the source of such a sound, my best advice is, don't make that sound around them. Sometimes a ferret which has been mistreated will bite out of fear, or an older ferret might bite because of pain, either in the mouth or elsewhere. In either of these cases, strict discipline isn't going to do any good. For an animal in pain, of course, take it to the vet. For an abused ferret, try one of the alternatives mentioned below, and have a lot of patience: the ferret has to learn to trust someone when all it has known before is abuse. In all cases, positive reinforcement (giving treats and lots of praise when the ferret does well) works much better than punishment, but if you need one, use a "time out" for a few minutes in a cage or carrier. Similarly, don't set the ferret down when he struggles and nips -- you'll be teaching him that that's the way to get what he wants. Finally, whichever method you use, consistency and immediacy are very important. Alternatives to nose-flicking Flicking the ferret's nose while his teeth are on you is a pretty common form of discipline, but it might not be the best. Your ferret might end up associating you with bad things rather than good ones. Also, it's a very bad idea to use nose-tapping or other physical discipline on a ferret who has been mistreated or who acts unusually aggressive or frightened. There are several alternatives, which you might want to try in combination: · If the ferret is biting too hard in play, try using a signal he already understands: a high-pitched "Yip!" (or "Hey!" or whatever), like the noise one kit makes when another is playing too roughly. On the other hand, if the ferret seems to interpret that as a sign of weakness, switch to a deep, commanding voice and act as stern as you can. · Stopping the game by gently pinning the ferret down until he gets bored can work well, too. · Confining the misbehaving ferret to a cage and ignoring him for a few minutes can be very effective, especially if there's another ferret wandering around conspicuously having fun. · You can cover your hands with Bitter Apple, either the spray or the paste, so nipping tastes bad. · Some people have had good luck with either pushing a finger into the ferret's mouth (sideways, behind the back teeth) or holding the mouth open from behind (being careful not to choke the ferret) immediately after a bite. Most ferrets find either of these uncomfortable, and it associates the unpleasant feeling with the taste of finger. · If you need the ferret to let go, try covering both his nostrils with your fingers. If he still hangs on, don't keep them there long, though. · If the ferret isn't one of those who absolutely hate to be scruffed, that can help. You might also shake the ferret gently by the scruff, or drag him along the floor while you hiss. Both these mimic the way mother ferrets reprimand their kits. Obviously, don't be so rough that you hurt him. You can also cover his face with your hand, which he probably won't like. Written by Pamela Greene |
| Ferret Rescue and Adoption of South Texas |
| Diggers! Many ferrets love to dig. They'll dig in their litter pans, under the cushions of the couch and at the carpet near closed doors. To get your ferret to stop tossing litter all over, start out by putting less in the pan, and keep it just clean enough that there's a dry layer on top. Litter digging tends to be a kit behavior, perhaps because kits have so much energy and are often cooped up in cages, so with time and luck your ferret will grow out of it. It's nearly impossible to train a ferret not to dig at all, so you're better off protecting your property and removing the temptation. Some digging, especially in the litter pan, can be out of boredom, so playing with the ferret more can help, too. You can also help control your ferret's digging by giving them somewhere approved to dig. A box filled with dirt, sand and gravel, rice or ferret-safe packing peanuts are some choices, then set into a larger box to contain the mess, digging is great fun to a ferret. Your ferret may also enjoy digging outside, if current on all vaccinations and closely supervised of course. How can I stop my ferret from digging in his food or water? A lot of ferrets like to dig in their food or water bowls. If the bowls are in contained areas and the ferrets are willing to eat off the floor, the easiest solution is to provide a back-up water bottle and ignore the digging. You can also put the bowls in larger pans to contain the mess; use separate pans for the food and water, so the spilled food doesn't get soggy and spoil. Heavy bowls that angle inward can help, or for more diligent water-bowl diggers, you can switch to a bottle. Likewise, some people find that a J-type rabbit feeder works well for food, though others find that just gives their ferrets a lot more food to joyfully spread around the room. At least one person used a PVC p-trap with a smaller opening instead. Another nearly dig-proof design is to put the food in a covered plastic Tupperware-type container and cut a hole in the top just big enough for the ferret's head. Written by Pamela Greene |
| Training |