Instructions
Provide your ferret with an area in which to dig. The animal is used to digging in the wild, and if it gets its digging fix another way, it could stop digging in its food.
Hang the food dish from the side of the cage. Use a small food dish so that the ferret doesn't have a lot to dig through.
Feed each ferret 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food per serving. This will limit the animal's temptation to dig because there isn't really anything significant to dig through. This could mean you have to serve several meals per day because ferrets eat a lot.
Serve a little food in multiple dishes, rather than a lot in one dish, as an alternative to refilling the dish several times throughout the day.
Use dishes with a wide base. You can easily spread out the food, and the ferret won't be tempted to dig through the dish.
How to Stop Your Ferret From Digging Food Out of the Dish
Ferrets are born to dig. In the wild, they often dig through piles of dirt and, domestically, a food dish is often the only source in which to sink their paws. The ferrets can create a mess when digging through their food at home. The food often gets into the water, then the animals dig through the water, making a mess of their bedding or whatever else surrounds the dishes.