• Digging in plants
• Digging on carpet
• Inappropriate bathroom spots
• Getting inside the couch
• Toe-nipping
• Training ferrets

Ferrets love to dig. We had a 6 foot tall potted fig tree once that the ferrets wouldn't stay out of. I tried taping a disc of corrugated cardboard over the soil which only slowed them down at best. The thing that worked for me was placing fairly large stones on the soil. They looked nice, were too heavy for the ferrets to move and I could easily water the tree! top

Digging on carpet

Ferrets may dig at the carpet in doorways which can fluff it up, and even make it threadbare if they're persistant enough. A piece of clear carpet runner can be cut to fit through the doorway (cut it in an H shape so it fits snugly around the doorframe). Although a ferret can worm it's way underneath the runner, I find that with a gate sitting on it the weight of the gate seems to deter most of my ferrets. We had one who liked the feel of the bristles and used then to scratch her back! A last resort is to have a squirt bottle handy to squirt him whenever you catch him digging at the doorway. It is also helpful to always keep the nails trimmed. top

Inappropriate bathroom spots

Some ferrets don't seem to appreciate the importance of being in a litterbox when they have to go. Here are some ideas for encouraging your ferret to go where he's supposed to:

1. If you can put a litterbox in the corner your ferret has chosen, that is often the easiest way to fix the problem.
2. Put a fluffed up old towel in the corner you don't want your ferret to poop in. They see it as bedding and will usually avoid soiling it.
3. Sprinkle kibbles in the corner. Most ferrets won't defecate near their food source.
4. If your ferret is going beside the litterbox, try a larger litterbox, and lay an old towel around it.
5. When the above choices failed me, I took a shallow ceramic pet food dish and stuffed a paper towel soaked with white vinegar in it. I put a rock (4") in the dish to keep them from running off with the paper towel, and I put it in the corner. The guilty party found the smell fascinating and distracting. He never pooped there again, although he sometimes digs in the dish around the rock and shreds the paper towel.

Hopefully, once the habit is broken you can remove the towel or vinegar dish and finally have yourself a cooperative little ferret. top

Getting inside the couch

Ferrets will sometimes dig holes in the thin fabric stapled over the bottom of a couch. It's a pain when they get in there; it could be dangerous if someone sits down, they may pull out stuffing, and they are hard to reach to get them out. Buy yourself a sheet of canvass and staple it to the bottom of the couch, over that flimsy material to keep them out. top

Toe-nipping

Most problems with nipping stem from a kind of positive reinforcement the ferret has received in the past. A squeal from the owner of the nipped toe, or a jerk of the foot, or the attention it provided the ferret as he is grabbed at, or chased across the room can encourage the behaviour. Try your best to be calm and boring if your ferret is nosing around your socks. If a nip happens, quietly pick him up and put him in his cage (be consistent about this). If he is one of those ferrets who has the "nip-and-run" tactic, do not shout or chase him (it is what he wants). Have the water bottle handy when he is near your feet and give a good squirt if teeth meet feet. I'd also recommend having a small toy or balled up piece of paper handy so you can toss it for your ferret to chase as a distraction if you see him stalking your toes. This may be seen as a reward by the ferret so be sure to toss the toy before he makes contact with your feet so you don't inadvertantly encourage nipping. Sometimes this is merely an adolescent phase and by wearing slippers or shoes for a while, the nipper may lose interest. top

It is possible to train most ferrets to perform tricks. When I was on a Companion Animal Behaviour rotation in my final year of vet school, we were challenged to teach our pets to perform a trick in only three days, with Clicker Training. Fig learned to roll over on command readily and reliably with this form of Operant Conditioning. Fig is deaf however, and I used a little flashlight instead of a clicker to signal that she had performed the action I was hoping for.

Clicker training generally uses a small, handheld clicker that is used to signal the moment that your pet has done what you want at the instant that she does it. To begin with Clicker Training, first take a day or two to sit with your ferret and click the clicker and offer a tiny treat. Repeat this many times, giving breaks (never train for more than 2 monutes at a time) until your ferret eagerly expects a treat when she hears the click. To teach a roll over, hold the clicker in one hand, and a treat in the other. Let the ferret know the treat is in your hand, and while she is sniffing your fingers move your hand around and behind her head to make her look over her back. Slowly move the treat farther over her back coaxing her to roll her body over. If she rolls her body over, immediately click the clicker and give her the treat. The technique of Leading the ferret by drawing her along with a treat in your fingers will speed along the process of operant conditioning. An important rule to remember though is: if you click, you have to treat! And only click once when your ferret has done what you want.

You may find it helpful to have your ferret perform this while laying on a small towel. You can lift one end of the towel to help the ferret roll over if she is slow to catch on.

With proper timing of the clicks and consistency your ferret should know how to roll over. A highly food-motivated ferret is easier to train than one that loses interest in treats, and a small piece of cheese or shrimp is a good tidbit since it is eaten rather quickly. After getting Linatone ferrets usually lick for many seconds, and this could slow training.

Use your imagination, ferrets are very bright. You might have them jumping through little hoops and standing to beg. top