Stashing issue

[bindiferret89]

Ever since I started the ferrets back on the raw diet last week, they've been stashing chunks everytime I give them to them, which is fine. I love that they stash them for later and they almost always get eaten.

The problem is...they are stashing them in a corner they consistently poop in! I try to keep cleaning it up so it's clean for them, but they keep going there and then putting their food there. Any ideas on stopping this? I'm afraid they're going to end up with some sort of bacterial infection from ingesting feces.

[Heather]

What you are discovering is the one disconcerting and rather disgusting habits that little weasels have. If you prowl through some of the threads you will read that ferrets stash their food booty in the litter box or as you've found in the same corner that they like to poop in . Weasels and others of their ilk take possession of food and other pilfered plunder by marking it....either by sticking it in their litter box or defecating on it. Disturbing for us, normal for them As far as I've ever heard, not one of our little furbrats have ever become ill from this rather disturbing habit. If it's hugely marked they won't eat it (rather like they won't eat meat that's gone bad ). It's their method of saying back off, it's mine.
ciao

[bindiferret89]

Thanks Heather! It doesn't gross me out that much...I've never had a kit that didn't roll in their own poo as a baby, they've slept in litterboxes, dragged food through the litterboxes before...I was just worried about them getting sick from it. Thanks for clearing that up for me! Silly ferrets.

[goingpostal]

One of my males prefers to eat in the litter pan, he always takes his mice in there. Glad I clean them out like mad because that's nasty.

[sherrylynne]

One of my females always stashes some food in the box. Another used to always poop on her food as a kit