Ferret Cages
The Cage
So you have made the decision that you want to house a pet ferret, now you need to get all the ferret supplies that your new pet will need to live a happy healthy life in your home. With their cage, you can get a multilevel condo so they can go up and down the different floors, you can get a standard cage with one floor, or you can go the full hoot and give them the allowance of an entire room that you ferret proof. Obviously you will want to do what’s best for your ferret but you may also be limited to the amount of room you can give to your ferret. Remember that they don’t always stay in the cage, so if you have to settle for a smaller cage, you can make it up to them by allowing them plenty of freedom around the home too. The majority of ferret owners will house their ferret in a cage or a condo; you can find many examples of these in your local pet store. There are many second hand cages that can be found on the Internet, in local newspapers and in specialist ferret magazines. Any cage design you decide to get should have a litter tray, feeding area and a sleeping area. Ferrets love to get into dark places and curl up to get away from everything, the cage should be equipped with a box or a fabric bag where the ferret can hide away in the dark, this is natural behavior for your ferret to get away from the household.
A ferret condo has a few different levels for your ferret to explore, they usually come fully equipped with hammocks, tubes, ladders, and have perfect places for ferrets to hide away in. You should not allow baby ferrets to explore the upper levels of a condo at first until they grow a little older and mature, it is easy for accidents to happen like falling off ramps or attempting to go somewhere they maybe shouldn’t.
Ferrets were once housed in aquariums sometimes, this is not recommended as they do not provide adequate air flow for your ferret, instead get a cage, condo or dedicate a room to the ferret. When choosing a cage and ferret proofing areas in your home, it is important to remember that if a ferret can squeeze it’s head through a gap, they can also get their body through.
Outside Playtime
You could also house your ferret outside, although if you do this, it is best to let them outside in the summer months first, this way they can naturally adjust with the weather as it changes to colder temperatures. If you keep your ferret outside they must have shade to shelter under from high temperatures and should never be left in direct sunlight. You must provide a shelter box for them to sleep in with plenty of straw or other warm nesting to keep them warm. The entire enclosure should be covered with a roof so they are protected from wind and rain at all times.
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Bedding
Good choices for sleeping materials are ferret hammocks or sleep sacks that hang from the cage. You can also put durable fabric on the different levels of the cage. Ferrets love to crawl inside soft materials. Always opt for tougher fabrics. Some ferrets may chew on fabric and can get blockages if they swallow pieces of material. Keep an eye on your ferret and make sure his or her bedding is not being chewed or is missing pieces (if they are, remove them right away). Ferrets should not be walking on wire grating or wire mesh alone. Be sure to cover the bottom of the cage and any wire mesh levels with throw rugs, fabric, old clothes or pieces of tough vinyl (such as pieces of vinyl flooring). You should use recycled paper litter in pellets or shredded paper, not clumping litter, or clay litter (unless it is dust free) in your ferret's litter box. Ferrets love to play in fresh litter boxes and will often run their noses through the litter. Clumping litter can clump in a ferret's nasal passages and cause respiratory problems. Look for pellet litter designed for ferrets containing recycled paper, and don't purchase ferret litter or bedding that contains cedar or pine chips.
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What You Need In The Cage
Litter Tray
A ferret litter tray or box should have one lowered side so that the ferret can easily walk in and out. The other sides of the tray should be fairly high, as ferrets like to back themselves into a cornet to do their business. A good tip is to leave some faeces in the litter tray all the time so the ferret does not try to play inside the litter tray. Note that you can use normal cat litter as ferret litter.
Sleeping Area
A sleeping area dedicated for sleeping and resting is needed for your ferret that contains all the appropriate bedding. If you have a wire cage you should place a box inside with bedding inside, they will not be happy with sleeping in the open cage as you can easily see through the wires. You should fix the box to the side of the cage so your ferret does not drag it all about the cage, they could easily drag it into the litter side of the cage and it end up soiled and need cleaning. If you are housing the ferrets outside you will need to provide enough soft insulating material for your ferret to keep warm at all times of the year. Some materials to avoid are sawdust as this can cause eye irritation; cedar chips can cause respiratory problems. Try and get pines chips, they should be available at any good pet store. If you are keeping your ferret indoors you can make bedding from an old t-shirt, sweater or towel, all makes good bedding and can be easily washed. Be careful of loose string as your ferret could swallow it and choke or cause a blockage inside.
Water
Fresh water should be provided throughout the day, at least twice daily. If you are using a water bowl and notice any objects floating inside, you should immediately change the water and rinse out the bowl.
Food Dish
When purchasing a food dish it is a good idea to look for a heavy dish, a lightweight dish will soon be turned into a toy and get flung around the place; ferrets are very strong for their size. If you do have lightweight food dish it is advised to secure it to the cage so it cannot be moved. The food dish should be placed near the sleeping area of the cage, not near the litter area as to ensure it does not get soiled.