Hello to all.  This is my first post, although I've been lurking for some
time.  Unfortunately, this is a request for help. I'm not sure if this is a
medical problem or just a stubborn weasel.  I hope Drs. Williams and Dutton
will comment.
 
I have 3 ferrets, 2 adopted males (4 yrs old) and 1 female (1 yr old)
purchased from a breeder (all neutered).  My problem is with my first male.
I've had him for almost 18 months.  He has never used a litter box while
outside the cage (you can put one in every corner, he just backs up against
the box and goes!).  But lately he has been making mistakes in the cage,
too.  He adjusted well to the other ferrets and loves them to death (Got
them a year ago).  At first I thought that he might be very finicky about
how clean the pan was (I clean it 2x a day) and added an additional pan.
This worked for about a week.  Then he started having mistakes again.  His
mistakes are sporadic - almost as if he doesn't have time to climb into the
pan.  He urinates first and then poops as an afterthought.  I've tried
cutting down an entryway into the pan, but it doesn't help (just gives the
girl an easier time in throwing litter all over the place!).
 
This has been going on for about 2 months now.  Two weeks ago the weasels
got a *great* new cage.  It is tall with several levels, 2 half floors and 2
full floors.  I have 2 litter pans on the first floor.  Food and water are
on the top level and the floor below.  At first, things were normal.  Rusty
still missed the pan some of the time.  I tried putting a blanket there, but
he messed the blanket.  Now he has started going to the bathroom on the half
floor just above the litter pans!  I'm afraid he is going to teach the other
two bad habits.  When I put a small pan on that floor, he ignores it and the
girl has a ball digging all the litter out of it and making a MESS!  I have
Rusty in the old cage right now, but he doesn't like being by himself and I
really don't have room for two cages.
 
Any ideas on what I can do?  I keep thinking maybe something is wrong with
him.  I asked the vet to check him good when he was vaccinated about 4 weeks
ago.  He has had several CBCs, fasting CBC, and xrays.  His tests all come
back normal.  He doesn't seem to be urinating more frequently than normal,
yet his urine has a very strong ammonia smell.  It has a much stronger smell
that the other two ferrets.  His stools are normal and he is eating well
(has been on Totally Ferret for a year).  He doesn't play very much and
sleeps A LOT.  But this is how he has acted since I got him - plays about
1/2 hour and then just sleeps on the couch.  The vet can't find anything
wrong with him.  My vet does see lots of ferrets and seems to know what she
is doing.  Any suggestions on what to ask the vet to look for?  Or is this
not a physical problem and the little guy is just stubborn?
 
Thanks,
 
Nancy Rusty, Smokey, and Spicey
[Posted in FML issue 1696]