Hi- we've had ferrets for about 4 years now.  They're all litter box
trained, and have been pretty good except for the occasional accident.
But starting a couple weeks ago, someone- we're not sure who- began pooping
on the carpet regularly.  I don't know why and I want it to stop!  We're
already faced with a ruined carpet and my fiance is threatening to rip it
all up and put in linoleum (in the bedroom... yeah right).
 
So there wasn't really any event that precipitated this behavior, although
soon after it started in earnest we had painters out there for a few days
painting the house.  The ferrets could sense and hear that they were there
and it drove them nuts to not be able to get out there.  We put them in
their cage for almost one whole day because the windows and doors had to
be open (they usually are out all day-- but again, they had already
started missing the litter box before this).
 
We have tried putting cozy stuff that looks like bedding all around the
litter boxes- now they're pooping right in the middle of the floor!
They're not even using a corner.  We can't have towels everywhere at once.
They all know better than this, so I don't know what to do.  I can imagine
that if they were mad at us they might be sending a message, but nothing
has really changed for them lately- we haven't gone away or changed our
routine.
 
Does anyone have any suggestions we haven't tried?
 
Thanks,
 
Jaime
[Posted in FML issue 3468]