How to House Train a Ferret

According to the Vancouver B.C. Ferret Information Rescue and Trust Society (FIRST), the ferret is the third most commonly kept uncaged pet in North America following dogs and cats. Ferrets are treasured for their feisty temperament, curiosity and happy personality. The average lifespan of a ferret is between 8 to 10 years. They are highly intelligent and clean animals who like to choose a specific corner area to use as a latrine, which makes them quite easy to housebreak. The ferret is also extremely predictable when it comes to bathroom habits. They will normally only relieve themselves following sleep.

Things You'll Need

  • Ferret cage
  • Corner litter pans
  • Newspaper
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Instructions

    • 1
      Ferrets are the third most common housepet in North America.

      Lock your ferret in its cage during the night. Ferrets sleep between 18 to 20 hours per day. Immediately upon waking, a ferret will eliminate. The ferret will always do its business in a corner because a corner offers protection from predators at a vulnerable time. Place a corner-shaped litter pan into the cage corner the ferret likes to use. Corner cage litter pans can be purchased at most pet supply stores. Line the litter pan with folded newspaper. A ferret does not dig like a cat when using the litter box, so it will simply do its business on top of the newspaper.

    • 2

      Watch the ferret closely and wait for it to eliminate into the litter pan in its cage. Offer the ferret praise when it does, then open the door and allow the ferret free access to one room of the house. Most ferrets will spend an hour or more playing and eating.

    • 3

      Watch the ferret in case it should head to a corner of the house to eliminate. If you see the ferret backing into a corner of the house, promptly grab the litter pan from the cage and place it into the corner for the ferret to use. If the ferret uses the litter pan, offer it praise.

    • 4

      Place the ferret back in its cage when it grows tired and close the door. Repeat the entire process explained in steps 1 through 3 over and over again until the ferret has an idea of what is expected of it. Once you determine which corners of the house the ferret likes to use as a litter box, keep a pan in that corner constantly for the ferret to use. Allow the ferret into other rooms of the house one at a time and repeat the corner housebreaking in each room. Once the ferret returns only to that corner of the house or its cage to eliminate, it is house trained.

      It is not uncommon to have to place a corner litter pan in all major rooms the ferret visits in the house, because most ferrets will use the corner of whatever room it is in rather then travel across the house to use a litter pan.