Housing / Bedding

Choosing a Cage

Contrary to one popular “ferret myth”, ferrets should not be left to roam your house without your supervision. There are just too many dangers lurking in homes to leave these curious creatures to their own devices. This means your fuzzy will need a home of his or her own – one that is safe but allows them room to move around and entertain themselves when you are not home . Ferret cages come in many different sizes and shapes, they come in a variety of materials, and they can be “store bought” or homemade.

Here are some general guidelines to help you choose the right home for your fuzzy or fuzzies. Any cage should be large enough to allow your ferret room to move around, and not have their litter box, their bed and their eating area be right on top of one another. Therefore, it is suggested that a cage for one ferret be at least 3 feet wide by 2 feet deep by 2 feet high. If you have more than one ferret, you will need adequate space for all of them. It should be well ventilated, as there will be litter box(es) inside the cage. Ferrets have sensitive respiratory tracts, which causes them to be susceptible to fumes emitted by their urine and feces. When ferrets are kept in fish tanks it is impossible for there to be adequate ventilation to disperse these fumes. This means a wire cage should be used as opposed to an aquarium tank or other close-sided unit.

Be sure the wire cage you choose was designed for ferrets because the recommended spacing between bars/wires is not the same for all animals. The wires in your ferret's cage need to be close enough that even the smallest of heads can not cannot fit in between them. Serious injury and even death can occur if a ferret gets caught between the bars. Also make sure that any ramps or shelves that are made of wire have small enough openings that their feet will not get caught. Be sure the doors close securely so that these clever little creatures can not open the doors on their own. (If you have a particularly smart or stubborn fuzzy, you can purchase clamps, cage clips, snap bolts or large binder clips to help keep the doors closed). Check to see that the doors are located in a convenient place for cleaning of the cage (all levels) and litter boxes. Additionally, be sure the doors are large enough to take the litter boxes in and out of. It's really difficult to clean a litter box every night if you can not take it out of the cage! You can get cages that have large slide-out pans in the bottom, which makes this job much easier. Ferrets do not need a wire mesh bottom in their cages, however if you choose a cage that does have a mesh bottom be sure the squares are no bigger than 1/4 inch square and give your fuzzy plenty of things to cushion their feet.

A ferret cage made of galvanized wire with a powder coat or PVC coated wire and a plastic bottom are probably the most frequently chosen materials for ferret cages. Wood is not recommended to be used in any part of a ferret cage as it is impossible to completely sanitize it and some wood contains chemicals that are harmful to small animals. Research all the options that are available for safety, function, comfort and price. Check pet stores, ferret magazines and other ferret related web-sites and ask other ferret owners to see which option might be right for you and your fuzzy. AND…whether you choose to buy a cage or build your own, take the security, safety and comfort of your fuzzy into consideration as your fuzzy will depend on this space as you depend on your house!

Where to Put Your Ferret's New Cage

Just like people, ferrets need their houses to be in areas that provide them with the things they need to stay safe, happy and healthy. Another “ferret myth” is that ferrets can live outdoors. Ferrets that are housed outdoors are prone to disease, exposure to heat, cold, elements, predators, and possibly death. Ferrets are fairly very sensitive to temperature and should not be left in temperatures below 40 F or above 80 F for any length of time. Also, your ferret may escape from its enclosure and if this enclosure is outside, your ferret may get into some very dangerous situations very quickly. For these reasons ferrets should be housed indoors.

Look around your house and find an area that will be quiet enough for your ferrets to get in their daily dose of beauty sleep ( approximately 16-22 hours per day ferrets do this a lot! ). However, don't put your fuzzies so far off the beaten path that they can not see you at least a few times a day and that they are forgotten about. Ferrets also need a space that is not too drafty or damp as these conditions can leave your pet susceptible to illness. Finally, be sure your ferrets are in a room with good natural light but that does not put them in the direct path of the sun. Extended photoperiods (natural light cycles) have been noted by some vets as a possible contributing factor to adrenal gland disease. Ferrets are prone to heat exhaustion and heat stroke and therefore leaving them in the sun even for what seems a short period of time can be too long!

Some ferret owners have “ ferret rooms” which is a wonderful idea if you have the space. It gives them a space that they feel comfortable in and gives you only one room to clean up after them. Regardless of whether you have one cage or many, remember that these small creatures depend on you to give them a space that they can live in without concern for safety, comfort or health.

Filling Your Ferret's New Cage

Once you choose a cage you will need to fill it with bedding, at least one litter box, a supply of food and water, and something to entertain them while you are not available.

Ferrets should be given at least one litter box (see Litter and Training ). You may find that your ferret wants more than one place to go the bathroom. If this is the case, you will need to add more litter boxes! The litter box should have sides that are high enough to prevent accidents but low enough on at least one side for your fuzzy to get in, even when they are in a hurry.

Your ferret will also need at least one food bowl and access to fresh water. Food bowls are prime targets for being tipped over by our mischievous little friends. One solution to this is either a heavy ceramic crock or a bowl that attaches to the side of the cage. Either of these options is fine as long as the fuzzy can reach it easily enough to eat. Water may be offered either in a bowl (again a heavy ceramic crock or bowl that attaches to the cage is preferable) or in a water bottle. Much of this decision comes down to personal preference and whether or not you fuzzy will drink from a bowl or water bottle. A couple of things to keep in mind is that a water bowl is a great place to play for some ferrets to play and snorkel (leaving the cage flooded when you return) and water bottles can be noisy in the middle of the night if your ferret is close by!

Ferrets also LOVE to play even when you are not there to play with. Providing your ferret something to play with and enough space to play in while you are gone will give you a less stressed ferret in the long run. Please remember that you will not be supervising this playtime and that any toy you leave in your ferret's cage MUST be ferret proof (see Toys/Playtime ).

Something you will notice about your ferret almost immediately is that they like to burrow under things. This is true during play and during sleep. Be sure to give your ferret plenty of things to tunnel in and sleep under as they will spend the majority of their time snuggled up and asleep while you are not with them. Ferrets can actually experience “cage stress” if they do not have a place to hide and call their own. There are quite a number of commercially available items that are made just for ferrets, but really your ferret will be just as happy with an old t-shirt or sweatshirt as some of the more expensive items available . Some favorite types of bedding include hammocks , snuggle sacks, or cuddle cups, which can be made at home or purchased in a store.

The bottom of the cage can remain uncovered, however if it is made of wire mesh it may be easier on the ferret's feet if it is covered. Some materials that can be used to cover the bottom of any ferret cage are old carpet remnants, a fitted piece of linoleum or Plexiglas, a thick piece of fleece or any other creative covering. You can give your fuzzy just about any kind of material to sleep in/on, however many ferrets will actually eat certain types of material or plastics which could cause blockages (see Blockages/Hairballs ). This means that no matter what you put in your ferret's cage, you should inspect it regularly to make sure he or she doesn't think it is a snack!