Crapping In Sleeping Box

[Chaff 3,414]

Having just built my 2 young ferret's (last year's) a new cage which is 3 times the size of their old one. They one or both have taken to dumping at the end of their sleeping box. They have been in their new home for about a week. They use the far end most the time but must get caught short at night as every morning so far I have taken crap out of sleeping compartment.

Is this because they are still unfamiliar with their surroundings or something else?

[LaddyLurcher 260]

Maybe the sleeping area is a bit big so they think it won't affect there bedding if they go in the other corner.

[norseman 424]

Mines done the same when I moved them to a much bigger hutch. I used to put objects in the places I didn't want them to shite. the penny dropped eventually.

[Chaff 3,414]

Maybe the sleeping area is a bit big so they think it won't affect there bedding if they go in the other corner.

Wondered that myself it smaller height wise but longer 30 inch deep perhaps I should cut some ply in and make smaller.

[dazbrowne 13 333]

Mine the same pal built them a big run thinking that will sort it now the little fookers shit at the door where I come in!

[The one 8,396]

Your sleeping areas to big next time you clean it out use bleach to mast the smell of there old feces and move some to where you want them to crap

[Micheala Robinson 400]

If making it smaller isn't a option I'd stick a food bowl in every corner!

They won't or at least shouldn't poo near their food.

I'd use a non imonia based cleaning product, they recommend no bio washing powder.

[ferretracer 24]

Yep as mentioned, clean it out with a bleached or equliavent and put some of there poo in the corner/tray you want to go in, dose,nt allsway work and some are more stubborn than others. My lot are in a a 12x6 shed with 2 lots of shelving down one side and have the run of all of it, so have 7 places where they do their business and sometimes will still go elsewhere. And yet some will wake up from the furthest bedding box down 2 ramps and come across to front corner to do there business and straight back to bed. They are funny animals with some weird quirks

[Arry 18,536]

I have a strip of 1"x 1" weld mesh a one end of my hutch and they crap on that 90% goes straight through into a seed tray filled with saw dust peat sand any thing thats at hand. Well few weeks back I was cutting logs with a chain saw and used the saw dust chipping to fill the seed tray, never twigged at first but one of the ferrets started to crap up the other end of the hutch. I cleaned with bleach even the wife's smelly hand wash to no avail. Then I wondered if it was the smell of the chain saw dust. So changed the saw dust in the seed tray with peat and put a handful of the saw dust where they had been craping, end of problem. I don't know if it was the type of wood I was cutting or the small amount of chain oil that would have on the dust.

 

Cheers Arry

[Chaff 3,414]

I have a strip of 1"x 1" weld mesh a one end of my hutch and they crap on that 90% goes straight through into a seed tray filled with saw dust peat sand any thing thats at hand. Well few weeks back I was cutting logs with a chain saw and used the saw dust chipping to fill the seed tray, never twigged at first but one of the ferrets started to crap up the other end of the hutch. I cleaned with bleach even the wife's smelly hand wash to no avail. Then I wondered if it was the smell of the chain saw dust. So changed the saw dust in the seed tray with peat and put a handful of the saw dust where they had been craping, end of problem. I don't know if it was the type of wood I was cutting or the small amount of chain oil that would have on the dust.Cheers Arry

Like the idea of the seed tray compost bog must make life easier when cleaning out. Also save a bit on bedding might give that go

Cheers Chaff

[Malt 379]

Your sleeping areas to big next time you clean it out use bleach to mast the smell of there old feces and move some to where you want them to crap

Was going to say the same - put a scoop full of crap in the place you want them to crap next time you clean them out.

[Chaff 3,414]

 

Your sleeping areas to big next time you clean it out use bleach to mast the smell of there old feces and move some to where you want them to crap

 

Was going to say the same - put a scoop full of crap in the place you want them to crap next time you clean them out.

Cheers for advice fellas I am shoveling shit every morning going to make sleeping box smaller tomorrow and see what happens

[Arry 18,536]

 

I have a strip of 1"x 1" weld mesh a one end of my hutch and they crap on that 90% goes straight through into a seed tray filled with saw dust peat sand any thing thats at hand. Well few weeks back I was cutting logs with a chain saw and used the saw dust chipping to fill the seed tray, never twigged at first but one of the ferrets started to crap up the other end of the hutch. I cleaned with bleach even the wife's smelly hand wash to no avail. Then I wondered if it was the smell of the chain saw dust. So changed the saw dust in the seed tray with peat and put a handful of the saw dust where they had been craping, end of problem. I don't know if it was the type of wood I was cutting or the small amount of chain oil that would have on the dust.Cheers Arry

Like the idea of the seed tray compost bog must make life easier when cleaning out. Also save a bit on bedding might give that go

Cheers Chaff

 

One thing you have to keep an eye using this method is corrosion of the weld mesh as their crap and piss seems to be acid and eats the metal away, it will need replacing after two or three years. Stainless steel would be better, but the bottom of a supper market trolly would last years. They just seem to know to crap on the mesh, apart from the odd hiccough as explained earlier. The strip of mesh is about 9" wide and runs front to back at one end of the hutch.

 

Cheers Arry

 

Edited January 5, 2017 by Arry

[The one 8,396]

When I made the new hutch I put a plastic bread tray full of shavenings where I wanted them to sleep there was a slight misunderstanding and they crapped in it took it out power washed it puts shavens back in with a few house bricks and they sleep in it I took the bricks back out and the twelve Jill's sleep in there now in a mixture of shavenings ,wings and fur

[Chaff 3,414]

After defreezing their water bottle this morning only one ferret came out the other not moving alive but limp just given her some warm milk and put her back to bed be gutted if she goes was showing signs of a good worker,life lesson for my kids if she goes as they have named them