1. Location Is Essential For Your Pet Ferret.
The key to training animals is to tie in natural behaviors with their training.
Use a high corner litter pan, high back litter pan, or long John litter pan that fits perfectly into any corner to help encourage
your ferrets to use it. If you observe your ferret favoring one corner to eliminate, then it's best to put the litter pan
there. Place a food dish, water bottle, and a sleeper bed in the remaining 3 corners. This will further encourage your ferret
to use the litter pan since ferrets do not tend to eliminate where they eat, drink, or sleep.
TIP: Remember, ferrets instinctively use corners to eliminate. Knowing this simple fact will
help you litter train your pet ferret, fast.
2. Keep Litter Pans Clean, But Not Too Clean
When your pet ferret does its buisness in a place other than the litter box, it's helpful
to scoop up the droopings and place them in the litter pan. This reinforces the idea that the litter pan is the proper place
to go to the bathroom. Fill litter pans with Super Pet Critter or any type litter that isn't clay type litter, because it
is different from the bedding used in the material is suppose to be used to eliminate. Once your ferret begins using the litter
pan regularly, the pan should be cleaned daily with a litter scoop. Cat litter scoop or ferret one is ideal. However, it is
always good to leave a small amount soiled litter in the clean pan. The scent serves as a little reminder for your ferret
to continue to use the litter pan.
3. Remember, Be Patient Accidents Can Happen
In the beginning, it helps to restrict your ferrets to its cage or small area (like
a room, if unsupervised) durning training. If your ferret has troubles remembering to use the litter box in its training territory,
it often helps to put a high litter pan as I mentioned earlier in EVERY corner. Then, gradually remove one litter box at a
time, until your ferret is accustomed to using just 1 corner litter pan in one corner. Remember, a ferret's digestive system
is such that it cannot "hold it" very long after eating. If your ferret has a large cage or large space, multiply litter pans
may be necessary so it always has quick accesss to the "bathroom". When you observe your ferret using the litter box, positively
reinforce that good behavior by rewarding your pet with a treat.
Litter Training Your Ferret Is As Easy As 1-2-3!
Ferrets have a natural behavior to go to the bathroom in corners. In nature, this helps keep their dens clean. This preference
for going to the bathroom in corners mean that ferrets can be litter box trained. With a little patience and some positive
reinforcement, training your ferret can be quick and simple.
Just
remember these three tips:
1. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
2.
CLEAN BUT NOT TOO CLEAN
3. ACCIDENTS HAPPEN
ALWAYS
REMEMBER: Reward your ferret for positive behavior and do not punish it for unwanted activities. This is the key for a happy,
well-behaved pet ferret.
