Ferret cages play a crucial role in keeping your ferret healthy and happy. Due to their lively personalities and inquisitive attitude, ferrets make wonderful pets, but they do require the proper ferret cage.
You need to understand their specific needs and adjust their habitat to make them feel more secure and comfortable. The material of the cage, substrate, litterbox, and toys will be selected wisely for the ferrets.
Choosing the Right Ferret Cage
Ferrets are curious, active, and playful creatures that need an appropriate habitat.
Materials of Cage
- Wire Cages: Wire cages are popular for their excellent ventilation. Ensure the bars are close enough together to prevent your ferret from escaping. Choose a cage with a solid floor to protect your ferret’s feet from injuries.
- Plastic Cages: Plastic cages can be suitable, especially for ferret kits. They are easy to clean and provide a secure environment. Ensure there are plenty of ventilation holes and secure latches to prevent escapes.
- Wooden cages: Though wooden cages are sturdy from a hygienic point of view these should be avoided. Wooden floors will become contaminated with feces and urine, which is difficult to completely clean and disinfect.
- Multilevel Cages: Ferrets love to climb and explore. Multilevel cages provide ample space for your ferret to move around and stay active. Look for cages with ramps, platforms, and hammocks to create a stimulating environment.
Optimum Size of the Cage
According to VCA Animal Hospitals, a safe area for your ferret cage’s measurements should be 24″ x 24 “x 18″high (60 cm x 60 cm x 45 cm). The bigger cages are always better but for small apartment living, it becomes quite challenging. But you may make their cage more ferret-friendly by making use of the vertical space.
Specific Substrate
The solid base of the cage should be made cozy and fluffy with the help of suitable substrate materials. Choose a soft, absorbent bedding material like fleece or paper-based bedding. You should avoid cedar or pine shavings as they can cause respiratory issues.
Ferrets love cozy materials like fleece blankets or hammocks. Consider adding multiple layers for warmth and comfort. Lining the cage with soft, washable bedding is much more user-friendly as it is easy to replace and maintain hygiene in the ferret’s cage.
Bar spacing
Ferrets have a flexible spine and can squeeze themselves into a compact size and slip through easily.As a result, the ferret cage’s construction should use the proper bar spacing.
Ensure that the cage bars are close enough to prevent escape but wide enough for ventilation. Too wide or too narrow spacing can be problematic. The spacing between the bars can be approximately 1” to avoid escape.
Security
The latches and lock system of the cage should be well secured. Ferrets are intelligent creatures and can escape easily. Therefore security systems should not be compromised.
Accessories
Ferrets can have an engaging and exciting habitat by adding a variety of items to their cage, including toys, chew sticks, tunnels, hammocks, ramps, and many more.
Toys:
Ferrets love to chew, so provide a variety of chew toys to keep them entertained and help maintain their dental health. Chew sticks for ferrets are a good option to give them as a treat. Hard plastic bell toys are also good toys for ferrets.
Ball Pits:
Placing plastic colorful balls in a kiddie pool or large plastic storage container to create a handmade ball pit will make your ferret happy to play in them. These balls are larger than some ferret toys. Although the balls for the ball pits are readily available in huge quantities, ferret ball pits may also be purchased in packages.
Plush toys are another great option for choosing the right toys for your ferrets.
Puzzle Toys:
Puzzle toys and treat dispensing toys are great for keeping your ferret engaged. They stimulate your ferret’s mind and provide a rewarding experience.
Hideouts and Tunnels:
You can create small hideouts like igloos or tunnels to pass through and help your ferret to enjoy.
Exercise Wheels:
Ferret exercise wheels, tunnels, and climbing structures can keep your ferret active and engaged. Ensure exercise wheels are large enough and have a solid running surface to prevent injuries.
Multilevel Platforms:
Placing small platforms at different heights of the cage gives your ferrets a comfortable space for resting.
Climbing Ramps:
Climbing ramps assist connect the cage’s several multilevel sections together.
Hammocks and Sleep Sack:
Ferrets love to sleep in the upper regions of the cage and you should hang hammocks over there.
Food and Water Bowl:
The ferrets should get enough water supply in the water bowl or through an automatic water dispenser.
Ensure fresh water and food are available at all times. Serving dishes should be made in easy-to-clean ceramic bowls. As an alternative, you may fasten water bottles meant for small animals to the cage.
Litter Box
The only maintenance needed is a light layer of litter, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan, as ferrets do not bury their waste like cats do. If more litter is added, a lot of ferrets will remove it. Try adding less litter if your ferret digs it out of the box regularly.
Alternatively, you can add a folded newspaper piece on top of the thin pellet layer.
The newspaper captures the excrement, and the pellets will soak up the pee. It’s as easy as changing the newspaper every day, replacing the pellets every five to seven days, and cleaning the litter box.
Temperature Control in Ferret’s Cage
Keep the cage in a cool, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight and drafts. Ferrets are sensitive to heat and can suffer from heatstroke. It is important to keep the temperature of the ferret’s living space between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, as this is their comfort zone.
Because they are susceptible to heat, ferrets cannot withstand temperatures beyond 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cleaning
Make sure your ferret cage has interchangeable panels so you can easily clean it by taking out the various sections one at a time and letting them dry in the sun outside.
Having a large door for your ferret cage can also be helpful because it can be difficult to remove the bedding and litter box on a daily basis and to disassemble the cage.
Some Common Mistakes While Setting Up the Ferret Cage
- Inadequate Space: Ferrets need room to play, climb, and explore. Avoid small cages; instead, opt for spacious multilevel enclosures.
- Unsafe Materials: Avoid using toxic materials like cedar or pine shavings. Opt for ferretsafe bedding, such as fleece or paper-based options.
- Bar Spacing: The spacing between the bars should be narrow to prevent any ferret from escaping.
- Lack of Enrichment: Ferrets are curious and active. Provide toys, tunnels, and hammocks to keep them mentally stimulated.
- Poor Ventilation: Proper airflow is crucial. Avoid placing the cage in a drafty area or near heating vents.
- Dirty Bedding: Regularly clean and change the bedding. Dirty bedding can lead to health issues.
- Inadequate Litter Box: Place a litter box in the cage. Ferrets are litter-trained, and a clean area helps maintain hygiene. Be patient during the litter training process. If your ferret misses the box, clean up the mess and place it in the litter box to encourage them to use it next time. Positive reinforcement with treats can also help.
- Neglecting Hygiene: Clean food and water dishes daily. Remove waste promptly to prevent odors and bacteria buildup.
- Selecting a Cage with Limited Access for Cleaning: While selecting a cage, you should always ensure that there is easy access to clean and remove bedding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: What size should a ferret cage be?
Answer: A ferret cage should be at least 24 inches wide, 24 inches deep, and 18 inches high. But because they provide more room for play and exploration, larger cages are recommended.
Question 2: What type of flooring is best for a ferret cage?
Answer: Solid flooring is best for ferrets as wire floors can hurt their feet. You can use plastic or metal trays, and cover them with bedding, fleece liners, or blankets.
Question 3: How many levels should a ferret cage have?
Answer: Cages with multiple levels, ramps, and platforms for exploration are popular among ferrets. It is advised to use at least two levels.
Question 4: What sort of bedding is appropriate for a ferret cage?
Answer: Soft, washable bedding such as fleece blankets, old t-shirts, or specially designed ferret bedding is ideal. Avoid using cedar or pine shavings, as they can harm ferrets.
Question 5: How often is it appropriate to clean a ferret cage?
Answer: Every day, give the cage a spot clean, taking out any trash and soiled bedding. A thorough washing with soap and water is necessary at least once a week.
Question 6: What types of toys and accessories should be in a ferret cage?
Answer: Include tunnels, hammocks, chew toys, balls, and climbing structures to keep your ferret stimulated.
Question 7: Is it necessary to have a litter box in the ferret cage?
Answer: Yes, ferrets can be litter-trained. Place a litter box in the corner of the cage where your ferret tends to go. Use ferretsafe litter, such as recycled paper pellets or wood stove pellets.
Question 8: Can ferrets escape from their cage?
Answer: Ferrets are notorious escape artists. Ensure the cage has secure latches and that the bars are close enough together (no more than 1 inch apart) to prevent escapes.
Question 9: Is it necessary to cover a ferret cage at night?
Answer: Although it’s not required, covering the cage at night can assist in making a comfortable, dark space that might improve your ferret’s quality of sleep. If you do cover it, make sure it has enough ventilation.
Question 10: In what area of the house should a ferret cage be placed?
Answer: It is best to keep the cage in a quiet, draft-free area away from harsh sunshine and freezing weather.
