I don't know about there in NY, but here in Texas we use horse bedding.
There doesn't appear to be a shortage. There are 3 kinds, the pellets
or small flakes or large flakes - the flakes I use for the horses but
for the ferrets, it is pine wood pellets. Can be gotten at most feed
stores (for livestock, farm feed stores). We actually also have it in
stock to sell to the adoptors who come in as it is, in my book, so much
better than cat litter or even Yesterday News - the wood nullifies the
ammonia. We put a small amount in the bottom of the litter pan and a
sheet of newspaper on top, every day the newspaper with the solid is
removed then once a week, the litter dumped and pan washed. For
adoptors, I recommend just dumping the whole pan each day rather than
shifting through it as ferrets don't bury, (which disgusts a cat but
you don't need as much litter like you do for a cat). It is easier and
more thorough than shifting through it o using a sheet of newspaper. We
do the newspaper because we have over 50 ferrets and it has to be done
once a day or else, so many cages and so many play areas. I have 3
rooms of them in my house 24-7. I am very sensitive to odor

Millie Sanders at Txferretrescue.org
with Texas Ferret Lovers Rescue and
connecting Foster homes and sanctuaries

[Posted in FML 8064]