Well, this message is going to appear familiar to those veterans of the FML,
but nonetheless it must be left.
 
I got my fert a week ago today at 12 weeks old and he's the best!  When I
brought him home he had a 100% hit ratio in his litter box for about 3 days
solid!  Just the last few days it's like he's completely changed into a
different ferret.  :( It's as if he blatently REFUSES to use the box!  I
clean the box twice a day and REPLACE the litter every 2 days.  I've tried
every training method I can think of and nothing doing.  They say that
ferrets won't litter on their bedding, BALONEY!  Mine does... I put him in
the cage and he'll run over and start to wizz on the blankets so I clap
loudly, shout "NO", pick him up and put him in the box and he can't get out
of the box fast enough to get back to the other side of the cage and wizz on
the blankets some more.  I try waking him and taking him out until he really
has to go and then putting him back in the cag, but I can stay there for 15
minutes and he will NOT go anywhere NEAR the box!  Like I said, I have tried
almost everything I have heard of.  I have moved the box, but then he just
chooses ANOTHER place where the box isn't.  I have put food where he wants
to go, but he just pushes it out of the way or else goes somewhere else.
When I take him out for play time, he has never once gone in the box.  He
always goes on the floor.  And it's only a small room right now while he's
learning!!  I put him in the box to show him where it is but it's like I'm
torturing the hell out of him because he's squirming as hard as he can to
make me NOT put him near the box!
 
This is sooooo frustrating because it's like I can't even use the training
methods anyone suggests because he won't give me an opportunity to try them.
PLUS he was perfect about using the box for the first 3 days after I brought
him home.  I thought this was going to be the perfect ferret for my first
one, but the litter traing part of thast has turned sour.
 
Any NEW suggestions?
 
A completely frustrated newbie ferret person....
 
- Jeff  (and Sisko!)