How to Keep Ferrets From Getting in Cabinets

You don't have to get down on your hands and knees to see the world as your ferrets see it to know that they can easily get into your cabinets. These curious critters are very smart and agile, and are quite capable of opening cabinet doors. They love to play and hide in cozy cabinet interiors. These structures are irresistible to ferrets and often contain objects and materials that are harmful to curious furries. And once a ferret accesses the interior of a cabinet, chaos ensues. Any household that includes a ferret must actively practice ferret-proofing to keep the pets and the cabinet contents safe from harm.

Things You'll Need

  • Plastic childproof latches
  • Tube sock
  • Bungee cord
  • Heavy cardboard
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fit cabinets with sturdy push-down childproof latches. These inexpensive plastic devices can be mounted on the cabinet door interior with self-adhesives or with screws, depending on the type you choose. Use adhesive mounts for glass or acrylic doors and screw mounts for wood cabinets. They work equally well for single cabinets or double adjacent doors.

    • 2

      Run an old tube sock through the door pulls of adjacent cabinet doors. Tie the sock tightly to secure the doors shut. Use this method if appearances aren't a primary concern or if the cabinet is in an area where it isn't highly visible.

    • 3

      If you have knobs instead of pulls on the cabinets, thread a bungee cord around knobs to secure cabinet doors. Make sure the bungee is tight enough so that the ferret cannot pry the doors apart.

    • 4

      Wedge a stiff piece of heavy cardboard in a doorway to keep ferrets out of the room if you can't exclude them by closing a door. Make the barrier at least 3 feet tall to keep the ferrets from climbing over it.

    • 5

      Relocate medications, cleaning supplies and other hazardous materials from any cabinet that you can't secure from busy, furry paws.

    • 6

      Cage your ferrets when you are asleep or away from home.

    • 7

      Confine your ferrets to their own safe, ferret-proof playroom when you let them out of their cages if you have the space.