Digging is a common "problem" with owners who have ferrets.  When we got
our very first ferret and his buddy, we noticed that they did a lot of
overturning of litter pans and food bowls.  Once we got them out of the
cage and into a free roam situation, the problem stopped.
 
At Ferrets 2000, Bob Church addressed the issue of digging... his answer
was simple and to the point: the ferret is bored.  And this I can tell
you from experience is all too true.
 
Ferrets are naturally curious creatures.  Exploration is their number one
hobby.  Digging in plant pots or other substrates is part of their nature.
I got a call the other day from a woman who has a new 2 year old ferret
that is digging up her very expensive carpet, which only happens to be 4
years old.  This ferret is bored but the owner is having a hard time seeing
that the changes she thinks she is making are not the ones the ferret finds
exciting enough to distract him from what he likes to do... dig.
 
Everyone needs to give their ferrets a substrate that has resistance to it.
The tougher the material they need to dig at, the more energy it takes to
move it about.  The more energy it takes, the stronger their bones get, and
they get play and enrichment out of it for hours at a time.  Our ferrets
love our plant pots but love them more when they are newly watered.  We
built them a sandbox and give them days when they have access to it (don't
want the novelty of it wearing out too soon!).  We also give them a plant
pot of their own to dig in, that has no plants.  They love pushing their
noses into wet dirt... there is no substitution.  The sand box gets soaked
with pails of warm water and they love digging in that too.
 
I would suggest trying not to punish the ferret for up turning his food
bowls and such.  Listen with a calm ear instead and realize that he is
actually telling you something very important.  React with your heart and
give him what he needs.  The two of you will get along better in the long
run, and both of you will be happier for it.
 
Betty and Her Blur O'Fur
For the love of ferrets...
[Posted in FML issue 3204]