I have a couple questions about behavior.

#1 I am with-ferret 4 weeks now. I have struggled with litter training.
I am in the room with the ferret between 6 and 12 hours a day and when
I am in the room I use the litter-training techniques cited on numerous
ferret-care sites (namely, NO!-relocate-reward). One site says that a
couple days is all it takes, but that doesn't seem to be the case,
here. Some owners report that kits are harder to train (impossible?),
how long does it take before the kit responds? Generally the ferret is
responsive if I am in the room and looses the instruction over night
or if I am away. I think the "relocate" step is also some fun for the
ferret and I don't know how to make it more unpleasant. I am using
pounce treats as a reward, should I use something else?

Here is what I have tried:
- dumping bedding in the corners where she is going.
- putting food where she is going
- changing the litter
- not changing the litter
- mixing the litter
- changing litter type
- removing all hiding spots and extra cage acc.
- putting two food areas in the cage
- not saying NO
- cleaning the mess and not cleaning the mess
Everything else is standard to optimal-- the box is a cut-down
marshall-style box and access, and size is not an issue.

#2 The ferret does not like ferretone. Is this age, experience or just
plain dislike? Are kits supposed to like it?

#3 When I initiate play with the ferret she hops around a bit (wild and
excited) and then goes and hides. Is this an indication that she is
afraid of the toy or game, is it some level of boredom or is this some
stage of the game that I don't understand? Commonly, with one toy she
will run back to her cage completely.

#4 How do you ferret-bond and what is that like? What is optimal for a
ferret, do they like to be stroked, played-with, or just sleeping on
you? That seems to be missing from the FAQs.

thanks,
ryan

[Posted in FML 5778]