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Post by maddiesmom on Jun 22, 2009 17:32:38 GMT -5
I found a cheap, simple toy to make that Izzy seems crazy about  Of course, I only thought about it after she started it... by accident heh heh A pop can... with bells or pennies in it or any other item you can think of that will make noise (or in Izzy's case, vibrations) and ductape the mouth of the can closed (it can be sharp otherwise). I have colored ductape, and a couple cans going now - she's loving it! Rolling them around the living room, jumping on it like a barrel. Amusing to say the least! Anyone else have any "recyclable" ideas? |
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Post by crystalineshadow on Jun 22, 2009 18:10:39 GMT -5
I actually make them tubes out of 2 liter soda bottles. Wash them out and cut off both ends then tape them together with clear tape. They don't get the best traction inside so you can't use them anywhere but flat on the floor and being perfectly clear they get stepped on alot. If you are really lucky they can be placed over the ends of the ferret bubble tubing (some of my pieces will fit and some won't) which is good because it is quite difficult to get a good corner (or heaven forbid a 'T' connection) in a 2liter bottle tube. My guys will sometimes play with just the plain 2liter bottle (as long as the cap is off) and will stash my soda cans if I'm not careful, however two of my three came to me addicted to Mountain Dew and for several months the only toy my youngest girl was interested in was an empty Mountain Dew bottle with the lid taken off. It was really funny watching a pound and a half ferret trying to make off with that huge bottle (or failing that, trying to enlarge the opening at the top so she could get to the soda inside). Of course, if you leave the lid on or rinse out the bottle, it's no fun anymore... some addictions are really hard to break.
I also have a box half full of wadded up brown packing paper (stiffer than newspaper, softer than a paper grocery sack) which I have leaning over at an angle. They really enjoy climbing halfway up the side and then sliding down again and quite often I find them asleep at the bottom under all the paper when it comes time to put them in their cage for the night.
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Post by tss on Jun 24, 2009 18:34:01 GMT -5
Easter eggs, after easter.. I found a BUNCH at a yard sale and made a dig box with them.. There are a few "matalic" looking ones, since I can tell them appart from the others I place some Ziwi Peak in them.. That way they like to try and crack them open.. Another thing that is lots of fun is chicken feathers, if you have a chicken feather pillow you could use feathers from it.. They go crazy digging in them. I was given a huge chicken that died of old age, I plucked it and washed the feathers then dried them.. Later on the ferrets got to eat the chicken too :-)
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jun 25, 2009 21:41:56 GMT -5
empty plastic pill bottles (washed) filled with different things that make different noises...
- a couple of small pebbles, or some rice, or jingle bells, etc.
Anything witha ecure lid that can be filled to make a rattle as long as it's safe/ferret-proofed! Even deaf ferret benefit from this enrichment - they can feel that someting's inside the "rattle" - especially if the container has thin walls.
-jennifer
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Post by wuvweasels on Jul 7, 2009 19:38:17 GMT -5
-1 cardboard box -lots of crumpled up newspaper balls -a few treats Fill box with newspaper balls, toss in treats (and ferret) and sit back and put your feet up |
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Post by vahl on Jul 7, 2009 22:25:51 GMT -5
-1 cardboard box -lots of crumpled up newspaper balls -a few treats Fill box with newspaper balls, toss in treats (and ferret) and sit back and put your feet up I have actually done this as well as I took a big box and filled it with shredded paper as well. That makes for a great dig box and its soft enough you can do a light toss into the box which baby and arnold just adore. They bounce right out flinging paper everywhere and keep coming back for more. Sable on the other hand just digs down to the bottom and takes a nap (untill Baby and Arnold start their wrestling matches in the box). |
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Post by maddiesmom on Jul 19, 2009 10:45:22 GMT -5
these are cool ideas! I'm hoping that they will stop me from spending so much money on cool ferret toys! lol The easter eggs have been a HUGE hit! |
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Post by kate on Jul 27, 2009 18:45:26 GMT -5
For cardboard boxes - I'm pretty sure everyone knows this but just in case someone doesn't  : Turn them upside down and cut holes into the sides large enough for them to run in and out of. My guys LOVE these and play in and out of them endlessly. They can also make nice out-of-cage nesting boxes. |
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Post by sherrylynne on Jul 27, 2009 18:55:39 GMT -5
Take several different sized boxes, cut coordinating holes, duct tape together. Presto- instant ferret maze/castle  |
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Emilee
Cageless and Roamin' Free
Posts: 240
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Post by Emilee on Jul 30, 2009 18:04:56 GMT -5
For cardboard boxes - I'm pretty sure everyone knows this but just in case someone doesn't : Turn them upside down and cut holes into the sides large enough for them to run in and out of. My guys LOVE these and play in and out of them endlessly. They can also make nice out-of-cage nesting boxes. That's what I do with mine. I'll find a shoebox, tape the top lid on, and cut a few holes in it. The ferrets will fight over it!!! Mine love trying to fit into tissue boxes, too, and if someone gets stuck they're easy to rip open! Other than that I give them paper bags from restaurants that smell funny, or other bags like their YN ones or Evo ones. Plastic bags from places like Wal-Mart are also an occasional treat around here. (Occasional so I can keep my eye on them!) Or just fill a small plastic bottle with things and tape the end. I've put in things like long grain rice and it drives them NUTS! |
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nibblesandspazz
Going Natural
Forum Artist Extraordinaire[/color]
Posts: 165
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Post by nibblesandspazz on Aug 29, 2009 0:52:32 GMT -5
for those who test their ferrets blood sugar or their own (like in my case) fill the empty test strip bottles with rice, a bell or something else that makes fun noises. then put the lid back on and cut 2 squares of fabric large enough to cover the bottles and then some. place the bottle between the fabric pieces then stitch around the edges of the fabric. now you have a jingly toy your ferrets can carry
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Post by weloveourweasels on Sept 7, 2009 21:21:44 GMT -5
I made this castle/maze over a half a year ago. It has withstood the cat sleeping on it without caving in. Thereis a hole I cut after thepix were taken on the top box that makes a little room out of the box and there is another hole inside leading to the center of the boxes. They all play in there often.I have made several different mazes with different kinds of tape and none of them lasted until I made this one with clear duck tape. Loki wondering why there is always a cat on her maze   |
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nibblesandspazz
Going Natural
Forum Artist Extraordinaire[/color]
Posts: 165
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Post by nibblesandspazz on Sept 23, 2009 4:27:08 GMT -5
I've discovered, duct tape fixes everything...and makes great ferret toys! These are some bottles i cut the ends off of and taped for my babies to run through  soda can boxes I taped together and cut the ends out of  these are some of their other toys. the blue barbell is nibbles favorite toy. the doll is plastic and from a happy meal. elmo is a baby toy i picked up at a thrift store  |
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Darlene
Cageless and Roamin' Free
Posts: 287
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Post by Darlene on Oct 8, 2009 18:33:00 GMT -5
Today on another group a lady posted how she had friends and co workers save plastic bottle caps,which she used in a dig box instead of rice. Her ferrets loved it.
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nibblesandspazz
Going Natural
Forum Artist Extraordinaire[/color]
Posts: 165
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Post by nibblesandspazz on Oct 9, 2009 14:03:21 GMT -5
my new little girls favorite toy is a bottle of wild turkey filled with rice  i told my mom she needs to drink alcohol more often so my babies can have more toys lol |
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