Most ferrets will not go near their food or in their bedding. Place food and bedding, blankets etc. in corners that do not have a litter box in them. Bedding that has been slept on works best because it "smells" like a sleep area.

Secure the litter box to the cage so they can not tip it over or relocate it to another part of the cage. You may need to place a little "used" litter in the box, ferrets are very scent oriented and this helps to remind them that it is the proper place to go potty, it will also help to prevent them from digging in it. Ferrets tend to see everything as a play toy.

The litter box should be scooped daily and not allowed to become too dirty, ferrets may not use it if it is not scooped daily. Many ferrets will not use a litter box your cat has used, some won't use a box any other ferret has used.

Ferrets usually go potty within 15 minutes of waking. If your ferrets are caged, then don't let them out until they go. When they do go, let them out praising them and offer them a treat. Ferrets are very smart and within a few days will learn the routine, they may even fake going potty to get out of the cage and get a treat. That's ok it shows that they have the right idea.

You will also need litter boxes in the room they play in, unlike cats, ferrets won't search for the box, it needs to be close to where they are. You may have to have several boxes in the same room, over time you can remove the least used boxes. During play time, keep a close eye on them and place them in a litter box when they start looking for a corner to go potty. As soon as they do praise them and give them a treat. Positive reinforcement works much better than punishment. A firm NO! will usually get their attention when they are about to make a mistake, immediately put them in the litter box and give them a treat when they go. Never rub a ferrets nose in a mistake, they simply will not associate it with being the wrong place. Never scold a ferret that made a mistake a few hours ago or even a few minutes ago, they need to be caught in the act and placed in the correct place then, consistency and immediacy are crucial.

What if your ferret chooses a corner that you didn't?
You can place a litter box there or if the area is too small for one you can place newspaper there. You could also place used ferret bedding there to designate it as a bedroom not a potty area. It is very important to clean up any mistakes in order to remove the "this is a potty area" smell. Ferrets will return there to potty if you do not. You can use vinegar, an enzyme based odor remover or diluted bleach. NEVER allow them on it until it is dry no matter how safe the product says it is. Wood is especially prone to absorbing urine smells even when you can not smell it the ferrets can, make sure it is cleaned thoroughly.

What litter should I use?
There are many commercial ferret litters on the market. The most commonly used are recycled pelleted paper litter (marketed for ferrets and cats) and wood stove pellets. Many ferret owners choose to use wood stove pellets since they are much less expensive. Since wood stove pellets are considered a seasonal item in many areas, you may have to stock up on them during the cooler months so that you have enough to last during the summer when most stores do not stock them. If you choose to use wood stove pellets it is vital that you make sure they contain no chemicals or additives, many contain a chemical to make it easier to start a fire. Wood pellets should come from hardwoods such as oak. Never use pine or cedar shavings. The oils in them are toxic, they should not be used for any animal even mice. Wood pellets disintegrate when wet. Whether they are designed for ferret litter or wood stoves, scoop out the solid waste and use a colander to sift out the pellets from the sawdust. The urine smell will be in the disintegrated sawdust and if it is not removed can leave an odor in the room. You can use a food colander with largish holes or you can make a sifter using 1/4" mesh hardware cloth attached to a wood frame.

Can I use clay cat litter?
Some say that regular (unscented) clay litter is ok to use with ferrets as long as it contains no chemicals. Never use scoopable clay litters. Ferrets usually scoot to clean themselves after going potty and if they do it in scoopable litter, the litter may clump to them. Ferrets also tend to snorkel in their litter box and scoopable litter that gets into their nose, eyes, or is ingested forms very hard clumps that can lead to major medical problems or even death if a blockage is not corrected by surgery in time.

What about the new wheat based litters?
Swheatscoop® is a newer product on the market that is scoopable but made from wheat. It forms very very hard clumps when wet. The company sells it as a small animal bedding and also as a cat litter. I called Swheatscoop® and talked to their representative who told me that the product is the same, only the packaging is different. The cat litter is much less expensive than the small animal bedding. I am not sure how safe it would be if they ingested it. You may want to contact the company or talk to an experienced ferret vet. I do know that it clumps harder than any clay litter I have ever seen. If you use it make sure to spray the inside of the clean litter box with non-stick cooking spray and keep it at least 3 inches deep or you will need a hammer and chisel to remove it from the box.

My ferret won't use the box, s/he goes beside it!
That is not as uncommon as you would think. There may be several reasons.

Litter Training