HI Steve,
 
I was looking at a ferret web site which I don't have right here on me but
can look it up and they used a heavy crock bowl in a long low side storage
box in their ferret room.  This works great as my guys love drinking and
playing in water.  They hardly drink at all from their water bottle now
unless they are too lazy to get out of the cage.  They are in their own
free roam ferret proof room all the time.  The cats that go in the room
love it too because it keeps the floor dry.  We change the water 2x a day
because they do tend to play in it as well as drink from it.  They had no
problem getting into the plastic storage thing which might be 3-4" high to
get to the water.  It is funny because now that they are a little bigger
they hang over the side to get the water.  No more wet towels and damp
floor.  I do use a larger size short side crock type bowl and this has
really worked well.
 
Hope this helps
Love & ferret hugs
Debbie
[Posted in FML issue 3608]