pooping on blankets & trying to cover it up!

[Chantal Dyke]

I have a 7 month old ferret, She has a large cage, and is very well trained. But on random days; maybe a couple times a week she will poop on the outside of her pans on blankets, then she will drag toys over and lay on top of the mess to cover it up. Not only that, but she will make sure she will step in it a few times so she can drag the mess all over her cage. Also, on these days, her pans are always clean.

Can anyone help me?

[Johnny and Demon]

Hum .. Really hard for me to help you out without any details ..

First of all what kind of litter pan and litter do you use ? Only Yesterday's News, Marshall Litter (same stuff) or puppy pads should be use with ferrets. Anything else will create respiratory problems. Ferrets like square/rectangle litter pan, especially high back litter pan. They hate and most of time won't use triangle litter pans.

Secondly, how big her cage is ? Ferrets do better in a cage such as the Ferret Nation because they need plenty of floor. Its also more easy to keep clean, and when she makes a mess, she won't accidentally "drag toys over" because she will still have some room to play and eat far from her litter box.

Sometimes, ferrets sudenly stop using the litter box because there's something wrong (blockage, illness or sudden change in litter pan or/and type of litter). If she does in her bedding and near her food area, she might be sick.

The fact that she's young and you said that she "drag her toys" and "she will make sure she will step in it a few times so she can drag the mess all over the cage" sounds like she doesn't have room enough, or she's stressed/bored, or her environment is not clean enough. ?

To my personal experience and by what I know from other ferrets owners I know, ferrets are very clean animals. They aren't natural litter box users such as cats, but they won't do in bedding and near foods. Ferrets usualy don't like to touch their pee/poop and its the reason why they will do "accidents" when they find their litter boxes are not clean enough.

[Chantal Dyke]

Boomer's cage has 4 levels, its a very big cage, and has 3 litter pans. her pans are the ones you said ferret's should have. boomer hads her poop/pee area, a play area, an area that has a tube in it for her to go through(she loves) and an area that has more blankets than anywhere else in her cage, and she sleeps there.
Now, i was told that its the type of cage she has. so i bought her a new cage two days ago. and she only done the same thing lastnight!
I've watched boomer. she will poop on the level her pans are on. right outside the pans. On the blankets. the pans will be cleaned(i clean them many times a day, and put new wood pellets in for her.) but sometimes she wont use the pans at all. then; she will go down a level, take one of her toys in her mouth and drag it up and lay it on top of the mess she just made....
Now, i was told that maybe its because i dont spend enough time with her, but that is impossible! because she is with me all the time! she gets to go for car rides, and i play with her in the grass on warm days. But she will still do this like a few times a week. sometimes she will have a good week, and not do anything, and be clean. but then other weeks are like hell. theres poop and pee everywhere on everything. including her paws.
i dont understand. and i was given this site to help me out. i hope you girls can! because i love Boomer very much, and i dont want her to be dirty!

[Johnny and Demon]

It could be illness and/or it could be stress. Not every ferrets love car rides and not every ferrets love the great outdoors. (& Ferrets are prone to heatstrokes, so be careful). I'm not saying that she doesn't like it, most animals love it - but some don't, so read the body language.

If nothing has changed in her environment, if you play with her at least 4 hours a day, then it could be illness or simply the food or a treat you give her that upsets her stomach ? Remember that ferrets can't digest fiber (corn, cereals, barley, ect), fruits, vegetables, dairy products and sugar. They are 100% carnivores.

What does her poop look like ? Poop can tell alot about whats going on with your ferret. Here's a "Symptom Chart" by the FLSAC : www.flsatlanticcanada.org/health2
Like I said before, usualy, ferrets suddenly stop using litter box because there's somthing wrong with them or/and they are sick.
I would contact Tressie for more idea I'm sure she can help you : [e-mail]

[Chantal Dyke]

i hope Tressie can help. because boomer loves car, and she loves the grass, and she doesn't get any treats other than "ferret treats". and her poop haven't changed sence i got her 5 months ago. thanks for trying to help though! it means a lot!

[Johnny and Demon]

Just to let you know, most ferrets treats are NOT healthy. 8 in 1 Bites are made with fruits which ferrets can't digest. 8 in 1 Yogies are made with sugar (main ingredient) which can lead to insulinoma and other health problems. Most treats (for cat and or ferrets) contain corn and other no-no's.

Have you checked the health chart ? Is she playing and so normaly ?

[Chantal Dyke]

yes, whatever i give her, i make sure its 100% good for her. mostly i give her dryed chicken for treats. she loves it.

[Johnny and Demon]

How's Boomer going ?

[Chantal Dyke]

............ 'better' i guess.

she stopped doing dirt on her blankets, she now does it in her pans at all times; but now she will drag all her toys/blankets ect in her pans when theres dirt in them :S

I really don't understand why she wants her blanets and toys dirty all the time.

[Johnny and Demon]

Do you bath her at all ?
Most ferrets try to get back their scent after a bath and many will drag themselves and their toys in the litter box .. If she does it after a bath, simply put her somewhere clean, where she can't get dirty until she's dry ..

About bathing, remember that bathing a ferret is unhealthy. You should only bath a ferret when she/he is really dirty (full of dirt/poo ect). Bathing a ferret strip away their essential oils so it results in dry coat, itchy skin. Moreover, the glands are over-producing oils and create more than an odor. you should only bath a ferret only a few times a year, unless your ferret gets into a lot of dust or dirt.
50% of ferrets get really stressed in water (they are trying to get out and grab you to get out, ect). DO NOT EVER BATH THESE GUYS ! Stress can cause ulcers. If your ferrets get dirty, use waterless shampoo. Your ferret shoud not need more than 2-3 bath a year anyway. They are indoor pets and only go outside under supervision. Cleaning the cage, litter pans and bedding every 2 weeks will keep your ferret from getting dirty and smelly.
Just like cats, ferrets don't really need a bath unless they are dirty.

[Chantal Dyke]

Boomer loves water, i let her swim around the bathtub like once a month, but i dont ever shampoo her. unless i really need to, like last month when we where outside and she rolled around in dirt. And, she runs on the couch after baths.

But, Boomer does this to be dirty, with her toys/blankets i mean. i truely believe she's dirty and theres no turning her around.
and you said every two weeks? i have to clean Boomers blankets and toys every two days because theres always poop and pee all over them. every morning i wake up, theres always something in her pan on top of her poop.. :S

[Johnny and Demon]

Its so weird Usualy, ferrets are very clean animals and won't do their business in blankets, bedding unless they are suffering from illness or they are stress (note that a sicek ferret is a stressed ferret and stress can lead to illness and ulcers). I just don't understand Boomer Have you tried to email/call Tressie for her help and suggestions ?

[Tressie]

Hi Folks,

I did reply to Chantal via private email.

Chantal its important that you don't think Boomer is doing this on purpose! Ferrets do not purposefully soil themselves or their things.

If she is healthy then it is a sign of some kind of stressor in her environment. She should only have one litter pan in her cage. Its too confusing for her to have more than one. Again the toilet area should be on one level and one level only period.

If she appears to be having trouble controlling her bowel movements she should be seen by the vet. Examine her bottom - is her anus protruding at all? This is a prolapse and in some ferrets it comes and goes and means they have trouble controlling their spincter. There is a fairly simple surgical procedure, a purse-string suture that will remedy the situation.

Are her stools firm or sloppy? Colour??

Again I stress her behaviour is very unusual and would indicate either a health problem or a stressor.

She may be a more sensitive ferret who does not tolerate too much stimuli in her environment, which includes light, noise levels (i.e. tv too loud, music, etc.) or visitors.

Could you post a photo of her cage? It might be easier to suggest changes if necessary if we knew exactly what her cage environment looked like.

Tressie

[Chantal Dyke]

yes, i got Tressie's email.

My little girl is always so calm and playful, i don't understand what could be Stressing her out if that's what's wrong... and she's healthy, the vet told me she is in wonderful health.

Her bowel movements are normal, or normal for her. When i first bought my little girl, she use to have green and running poop. But that changed after a few days of her being here in my house. Her poop is firm and it's brown in colour and its been the same way now for almost 6 months.

i don't truely know how to post a picture on here yet.. but she's in a super pet cage, 3 levels, the bottom level is her pan. the second level is her food/water, and her 3rd level is her blankets and toys. Plus; off from that she has her hammock. She loves her hammock.

She use to be in a big 8 foot tall cage, with 4 levels, but she was IMPOSSIBLE to train in that cage, i had to get rid of it.

[Johnny and Demon]

I don't want to sound rude, but some vets have no clue about ferrets. They are not the usual pets and need special care. As Tressie said and as I told you few days ago, its unusual for a ferret to do what Boomer is doing. It can be stress or/and illness.
Please carefuly read the symptom chart : www.flsatlanticcanada.org/health2
Here's a list of ferret knowledgeable vets : www.flsatlanticcanada.org/ferretfriendlyveterinaryclinics

Do you have any other pets at home ? Some ferrets are afraid of dogs (dogs can be rough with ferrets left unsupervised).
Have you done a fecal test to make sure Boomer is free of parasites ?
Do you have young children at home ? I'm sorry to say that young kids are very noisy and some ferrets don't really appreciate it ...
Is Boomer's cage near a TV or something ? Ideally your ferret's cage should be in a quiet area so she can rest in the dark and calm down when she needs to ..

Be very aware of your ferret's body language. A bottle brush tail that won't go back to normal means your ferret is really scared or upset. For example, if you go outside with your ferret and the buttle brush tail won't go away after 5 mins, it means your ferret doesn't like it.
If you bath/allow your ferret to swim and she scratch you, trying to get out or/and if she poop/pee right in the water doesn't like it (poop/pee after swimming/bath time is normal).
If she poop/pee when she is in contact with another animal, she is scared.
If she become "agressive" (more nippy) under certain situations, she is probably scared.

Try to read her body language and find out if she is stressed or not.

To post a picture of your cage, simply click on reply. you will see an incon with a square image in it called "insert image", click on it. Copy your cage URL - right click on your picture (chose a picture on FB or any other account as its more easy) and copy paste the URL code. Then you simply have to paste it between the code. More info here : ferretloversofac.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=stories&action=display&thread=432

[Tressie]

Hi Chantal,

Having a ferret is a MAJOR learning curve! We've all been through it and to this day I am still learning new things about them! They are unlike other companion animals in how they show stress or other things, like pain.

Environment is more important for them especially as Annik pointed out - the cage should be a refuge - quiet, dark and comfy. The sleeping area should be covered over with a sheet or blanket.

Ferrets are subtarranean by nature, that is, they live in tunnels underground. No lights or sounds down there. So we do our best to provide that sort of environment for them. For example, a darkened, quiet cage becomes a pseudo tunnel.

Try to think from the ferret's perspective rather than a human perspective.

And don't get too frustrated or discouraged with her or she'll sense it and that will also stress her out.

Annik has provided some really good things to consider and rule out as potential stressors.

The other thing to consider is her age, she's still relatively young and some ferrets take longer to get the hang of many things. That's where an older ferret always helps because these critters will copy the behaviour of other ferrets. They still retain their own little idiosyncracies but they do learn from their elders - ferrets that is

If she was at the pet store unusually long she may have picked up bad habits from a terribly stressful environment in the store. How long have you had her? Which pet store did she come from?

Tressie

[Chantal Dyke]

Annik- Thankyou for the Symptom Chart!
And, i know, Newfoundland only has the 3 vets here, but i only agree to 1 of them when it comes to ferrets..

I have a dog, a cat, and two hamsters here. Boomer and my dog gets along wonderful, Boomer loves her. they will get down on the floor and start wagging their tails at each other. Boomer crawls all over her also, but while she's inside her cage, she isnt bothered; Boomer is in my bedroom. away from all noise.and theres a blanket over top of her sleeping area. The cat stays downstairs, my downstairs isnt ferret proof so Boomer is never down there. The hamsters, Boomer doesn't even know their in the same house.
And with kids. it's me and my father here, and my father is only here on weekends, because he is away working throughout the week, so its only me and my boyfriend. and Boomer loves Justin.

I'm sorry, and this might make me sound like i know nothing about my ferret, but i do, trust me, she's my world; but when you say 'bottle brush tail' are you talking about when they make their tail 'fluffy'? Boomer's done that oncce before. when i brought her up my mothers, to show my mother my beautiful girl. and i didn't feel like Boomer was liking it up there.



Tressie- I believe I answered most questions while writing back to Annik.
I was thinking about getting Boomer a friend. But i was going to wait untill i thought i had her trained and made sure she stopped this, what she's doing. but your saying a older ferret would help her, so should i go ahead and get another ferret for my little girl? would it help?
I've had Boomer for 5 months now, going on 6. She was bought by a lady who lost her ferret she got for her birthday, and her husband went and brought her another one(Boomer). But turns out Boomer was a marshel ferret, and the lady ended up being baddly allergic to her.(She had Boomer a month, and Boomer was a month old when she brought her) which makes boomer 7/8 months old.
Boomer came from 'Pets Unlimited' here in Newfoundland. most ferrets in these pet stores here are usually savage; they drawl blood from you when you are trying to hold one. So maybe your right, she might have learned this from other ferrets?

[cody n christina]

If you where to get a FN cage I can say they are much easyer to clean and keep clean. I found a huge difference in my ferret Baby he used to be messy as well but he's doing alot better only goes in the litterbox unless they are full which I dont let happen.. I clean it every day.

[Tressie]

Getting her a companion is a wonderful idea! I would aim for a ferret between 1 and 2 years old, and preferably one who has been around other ferrets if possible. However, I would not dismiss a ferret who is around that age and who has been on their own.

There is an excellent rescue organization in Lethridge and they sometimes have ferrets, link:

www.birdandsmallanimalrescue.com/

We generally recommend housing them in separate cages for a couple of weeks until they get to know one another better. Some ferrets are best buddies right off the bat but most require an adjustment period that can range from a couple of weeks to several months.

I know that there are ferrets that are advertised on kijiji in NL. Which end of the province do you live in?

Ferrets that come from pet stores that bite are generally not handled properly by the store staff. This biting is generally fear biting from rough handling. Plus their litter boxes are not cleaned regularly because they cram too many in too small a space. It is a poor environment all around.

Bottle brush tail happens when a ferret is excited by something or someone new and it can happen when they are frightened.

When I get new ferrets in their tails puff out when they explore their new environment, they aren't frightened in that context, just excited.

If you haven't discovered Ferrets Magazine on-line (its free) check it out:

www.smallanimalchannel.com/ferrets-magazine/default.aspx

All kinds of info and articles by ferret knowledgeable folk, including veterinarians, animal behaviourist, etc. You can also post questions to the 'experts.' I don't always agree with some of the answers the animal behaviourist gives based on my own experience with ferrets. However, there are excellent articles about all kinds of things just the same.

A word of caution about dogs, although they seem to be best buddies they should always be supervised when out together. Dogs are unpredictable when it comes to small critters like ferrets. Sometimes their 'wolf' nature asserts itself without warning. And one bite from a dog can fatally injure an animal as small as a ferret.

I've heard too many stories of dogs suddenly turning on a ferret : (

Tressie

[Chantal Dyke]

I guess i will look into getting Boomer a friend in the next couple of months.
i know about the bird and small rescue thankyou.
Thankyou for the info! wonderful.
I live in central Newfoundland.
Also, once again thankyou for the small animal channel. i'm going to try and see what someone will say.
if anything else goes wrong, i'll let you girls know!!