>I've tried sticking their nose in it, and a lite spanking <
 
Is that what your mother did to you when she was trying to potty-train
you?  Good grief man, what you are doing is punishing an animal for doing
what comes naturally, i.e. defecating!
 
whether or not it is doing it where it suits you is irrelevant.
 
I can't believe that some-one in this day and age sticks an animals nose
in it's faeces and expects the animal to think " whoops - wrong place, I
better remember to do it where master want's me to do it next time".  I
have news for you friend, animals don't think like that.  If anything,
they are more likely to think "Oh no, here's this maniac who smacks me
and pushes my nose in my poo, I better do it where he can't see me"!
Most animals are creatures of habit and they develop the habit of
emptying their bowels and bladder in particular places -usually away from
their bedding but not always - out of habit.  There is also the issue of
marking territory but that doesn't come into this equation.
 
What is the problem with letting the ferrets choose where they want to
defecate?  Why don't you rearrange their cage to suit them?  It will be
much easier all round I assure you.  You will have much happier ferrets
and you won't be annoyed because they are not organizing their bowel
movements to suit you.
 
George
[Posted in FML issue 4001]