1. Lock the doors and confine your ferret to one area. If possible, seal off any cracks under external doors or holes leading to other areas of the home. This will help prevent the ferret from running off and hiding in a place that’s hard to find.
2. Search any small confined areas. Ferrets love to hide in small, dark spaces—such as under dressers, behind/under furniture, under piles of clothes or blankets, in cabinets or closets, etc. It’s wise to enlist at least one other person to help you look.
3. Use a flashlight. The beam may reflect off the ferret's eyes or fur if it's hiding in dim area.
4. Set out a box or cage as a hide-area that the ferret is familiar with. The ferret may gravitate towards the comfort of a known object, and go inside to lay down. Sometimes leaving the box out overnight can lure the ferret out so you can find him in the morning.
Searching Outside:
1. Check areas where your ferret may be hiding. Any hole or cavity is fair game. Check burrows underneath shrubs or trees, and anywhere else your ferret may have burrowed such as under porches or sheds.
2. Move slowly. If your ferret is nervous or scared, making quick or loud movements may send it deeper into hiding. Keep your voice calm and quiet, and crouch on the ground to reduce your size and appear less threatening to your ferret.
3. Use a can of cat food or tuna to attract your ferret out. Sometimes, the allure of food is all it takes to coax your ferret out from hiding. Use treats or strong-smelling food to tempt the ferret out from wherever it’s hiding.
4. Call out frequently and calmly to the ferret. Try using soothing words like its name or any special phrases that you often use with the ferret.
5. Leave out a dirty t-shirt or a piece of clothing that you’ve recently worn. The smell may help to comfort the ferret and encourage it to come out of hiding. Put it near their cage if possible, or where you are hiding or setting up a trap nearby.
6. Trap the ferret. If the ferret will not come out of hiding after several hours of searching, you can try setting up a Have-a-Heart Trap baited with its favorite treat or food. You may try building your own trap cage at home as well with a cardboard box and wire mesh.