I've been using newspapers for many years. I work at a University so
have easy access to plenty of newspapers. If anyone lives near one, you
could find out where the newspaper stands are and at the end of the day
you could pick up left overs from the stands. There are tons left over
at ours and they are recycled, one way or another. :-)

Newspapers have worked well for us because they are easy to change and
it can be done as frequently as needed without too much extra effort.

Difficulty depends on which ferrets are up and around when I change
papers and where they are sleeping. Jem loves getting under the papers
and moving them around out of place. I tend to be a little obsessive
about newspapers being in their proper place so we often go around and
around until.... I finally give up and let him do his thing while I
go do something else and come back later to straighten up. Sometimes
Jem only moves the papers, sometimes he bunches them up (grrr) and
sometimes he shreds them so I never know what I'll come back to.
Hmmm... sort of like a surprise! (NOT!)

Our basement is rather dingy, partial concrete/rock, partial dirt.
Ferrets don't have access to the dirt side. The basement is a dungeon
mostly, but the ferrets love the cool moist darkness. I use papers in
and under a large cat box and behind the door. Up till winter that
was fine, but now that it is cooler, somebody is taking the papers
and stuffing them under the large fluffy twin quilt and they aren't
particular as to whether the papers have been used or not!!! What a
mess! I can't use wood pellets down there as they dump them and if a
certain area of the floor isn't covered with papers they go there
anyway. sigh. What use to be a 10 minute clean up job has turned into
30 minutes and frequent laundering.

In the rest of the house, in some areas papers are moved or shredded so
I'm frequently checking rooms to see if papers are were they belong.
Sometimes I find them stuffed in beds, for insulation I guess...
Apparently when you add newspaper to fleece bedding it is more comfy...

I've placed trays in some areas and newspapers in the trays. The trays
get moved out of the way so they can 'go' behind them. Litter boxes do
too. More checking and cleaning.

When changing papers, it never fails, someone comes up to 'go' as soon
as I pick up the messy papers.

Shelves of cages, especially snap in shelves, are often used whether
there is a litter box, newspaper, or not. I wonder if the plastic shelf
has a scent to attract them to go there...

I keep the trash can on a shelf that the ferrets can't get to. When
changing papers I would take it down and set it on a lower tin
container for easier access. Jem has figured out he can get behind the
trash can, wedge his back against the cabinet and push to dump the
trash can over when I put it down on the tin... my memory isn't so
good sometimes and I often forget that he can do that... ugh.

Even with all the challenges, newspaper has proven the best for us in
the litter dept.

Happy Holidays! tle
www.ferretfamilyservices.org

[Posted in FML 7642]