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Post by alyvrae on Jan 13, 2011 20:28:31 GMT -5
Hey all!  I'm having a bit of an issue that I'm not really sure how to deal with. One of my ferrets, Anubis, is going through a phase that is making me want to pull my hair out, and possibly sob like a little girl.  Every time I put him back into the cage after playtime (and yes, I do give them all sufficient playtime - 4 hours at least) he digs his litterbox. It doesn't matter if there's poo in it, and he KNOWS he's not supposed to do it. He knows the litterbox is for poo, and I think he's just doing it for attention, because he knows whenever he does it I'm gonna go over there and scruff him. I don't think he cares if it's negative or positive, he just wants my attention! Agh!  It wouldn't be such a problem if he didn't do it EVERY time, and he'll do it for about 30 minutes. He won't stop unless I completely ignore him, but by the time he's done, 3/4 of the litter is now on my floor. I let them out a couple of times a day and I literally can't afford to keep going through this much litter. And sanity.  Can anyone shed light on what might be going on? Is it a phase that will pass? None of my other ferrets do this, they all know what the littebox is for! Thanks so much. |
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 13, 2011 20:30:15 GMT -5
Of course he's doing it for attention. And it's working  The only thing you can do is just keep ignoring it. Hopefully after a couple of weeks, he'll have learned it's not working anymore  |
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Post by otterwoman on Jan 13, 2011 21:49:16 GMT -5
Maybe try just lining the litter box with a piece of folded newspaper, then he can't throw it around. That's all I use, and I change it out once or twice a day.
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Post by miamiferret2 on Jan 13, 2011 22:20:25 GMT -5
He's doing it for attention. My ferret does bad things then he looks at me like: "that's right! WHAT?! You gonna do something about it???" Aaaand, as a result, I use newspaper. Although sometimes he shreds the newspaper. Little jerk. I don't even keep him in a cage.
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 13, 2011 23:59:01 GMT -5
My Vincent digs in the box when he figures it's time to come out of the cage. He'll dig for a couple of minutes, come to the front of the cage to see if I am watching. If I'm not, he'll go back 2 or 3 more times and dig, realize he's being totally ignored(you can't even look at them, let alone speak to them ), and lie down with these big sad eyes waiting for the door to be opened |
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Post by Heather on Jan 14, 2011 0:05:42 GMT -5
Boris was a cage rattler when he first came. Then he discovered that the ramp that I use for them to get in and out of their FN142's are left hanging on the side of the cages when they're locked up. Now, he and Captain Jack sit there and see who can bounce the ramp the loudest. They usually stop if I ignore them, but it often takes them awhile  . ciao |
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Post by katt on Jan 14, 2011 4:58:41 GMT -5
Ooooh ferrets. I feel your pain! It is SO hard, but really you must ignore him. The newspaper might work for a while but then when you want to go back ti kibble I am sure he'll dig again. They KNOW it makes a mess. Anyways, while you wait for him to learn not to dig, if you can get a small, hand held vacuum cleaner, like a dust devil, you can vacuum the litter up and toss it back into the box. haha Just be sure to not vacuum other stuff or remove anything that you do suck up on accident. That will help you save SOME of the litter at least! Also, put less litter in the box. Good luck! I know things like that can be VERY frustrating! haha |
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Post by shilohismygirl on Jan 14, 2011 18:42:07 GMT -5
Yeah, mine do 'bad' things when they want me to come get them out of their cage. I can fix the problem, and they'll only find something else. The best deal is to ignore it. Example: They used to tip their water bowl, so I put easily removable clips on it; plastic ones that I can remove. They try to take em' off, but can't, and so I win on that one. No more bowl tips. Then, they push the feeding den out from the wall, and spend time playing/bouncing on the top making a ruckus. I fix that problem by affixing the box to the cage so they can't push it out. Then, they decide to take up litterbox digging. Silly things. It is really frustrating at times, but don't let it get you down. Just ignore it for awhile, and he'll quit.
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Post by Heather on Jan 15, 2011 0:21:26 GMT -5
The litter box in the one cage that Lady "B" and Attila called bedroom was attached with "u"bolts. That meant that the litter box wasn't held tight to the cage but couldn't be dumped or shoved away and only a very tiny ferret could fit between the cage and the litter box (a marshals, but everyone in that cage were PVs) Attila discovered that with his size (just under 5lbs)that he was strong enough to get underneath the litterbox (largest cat box) balance it on his four legs and then he would bounce it. The racket was astounding....the litter box, slamming against the cage wall and the top of the floor above, litter bouncing all over the place (of course it didn't stay in the litter box) and him singing his caged ferret blues (he was deaf :  Why he had to lay in there and scream I will never figure out. Rather reminded me of the jail scene of the prisoners using their metal coffee cups and screaming that they wanted out. That was my Attila He could keep it up for about 15 or 20 min if I didn't go in to investigate, then he could keep it up for another 15 or so minutes if I went in to tell him to shut up. Yelling at a deaf ferret is useless, but it makes one feel better ciao |
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 15, 2011 0:30:54 GMT -5
That would have been priceless Infuriating as could be, but hilarious |
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Post by Heather on Jan 15, 2011 0:37:36 GMT -5
Considering that the ferret room backs onto my bedroom....infuriating is right I've never had another ferret as strong as Attila, so that game has long since been silent. I miss Attila but not his "Jailed Ferret Blues" ciao |
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Post by rarnold18 on Jan 15, 2011 1:02:21 GMT -5
Thankyou for sharing your story about Attila, Heather. It gave me a much needed giggle! (my oldest got his progress reports from school yesterday and has an F in one of his classes and I swear I feel like I'm going to explode!)
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Post by alyvrae on Jan 15, 2011 2:40:32 GMT -5
LOL! That is some story!!
Thank you guys so much for your help. I'll be putting your advice to good use! *shakes her fist*
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Post by mjohn143 on Jan 15, 2011 9:23:13 GMT -5
Heather -- omg lol!!! That seems like one of those things where you are so mad, but it is funny so you laugh. lol
alyvrae -- What kind of cage do you have? I am asking bc I copied Kerit with her litterbox set up and it is the BEST litter situation I think in the world. It only works for FN (well I am sure you kind find similar measurments for other cages, it would just involve shopping around). I am gonna find her pic and post a link to it. It is pretty much just a giant litter box at the bottom and they can't dump it or fling litter out!! They will (mine at least) play in it and get poo covered sometimes, but I think they have finally learned this means bathtime, so they've let up a little on that.
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Post by mjohn143 on Jan 15, 2011 9:30:27 GMT -5
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