Someone posted about box training and that no one had responded, here are a
couple of tips:
I saw your post about box training the baby fert ... mine were pretty much
trained when I rescued them - I have four - but, they still miss on
occasion, so don't ever expect them to be 100% accurate - I swear they miss
on purpose just for you!!
I have read some info, and this is what I have found out:
1 - when you have them out playing, have quite a few "boxes" for them in the
corners.
2 - I hope you recognize when they are going to poop and pee - runm to a
corner, tail straight up ---
when you see this and they are NOT in their box, yell NO really loud, pick
them up and put them in their box, while they are still in there, give them
a treat for going in the right place - they have to learn to distinguish
box = treat!! Be careful with this one though - not too many treats, also,
my Thelma used to run to the box and then run out and I would give her a
treat ( I was reinforcing the use of the box when I rescued them) needless
to say, after seeing her run into the box and back out about five times in
10 minutes, I quickly realized there was no way this little critter had all
that "poop and pee" inside her. She realized that every time she wanted a
treat, she ran to her box!!
another trick is when you go to take them out of their cage (I am assuming
here that they are caged) make sure they have pooped and peed first.
I wake mine up while they are in their cage, or their rooms (mine are all
separated because they don't like each other!), but they are not allowed to
venture anywhere until they have used the box. You may have to place them
in the box a couple of times in a row until they get the hint, but it will
work.
Well, I hope this helps!! and I wish you luck,
please though, do remember, that they are NEVER 100% perfect. And you will
always find a little surprise at some point in one of the corners!!
Marion Houle
Bartles and Jaymes
Thelma and Louise
Oscar and JD (cats!!)
[Posted in FML issue 2316]
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