Hi Valerie.  You have a problem that is common to most ferret owners.
 
I think that the first thing we need to do is to heed the advice of
Bob Church who has talked about many aspects of the ferret including
behaviour.  We have to remember that ferrets belong to a family of
diggers and therefore have to also keep in mind that behaviours that are
natural cannot be stopped.  Instead, we try to work with the ferrets by
providing them with something to dig in, to alleviate the need to dig at
the things we don't want them to... namely carpeting, couches, through
the wall and so on.
 
Bob talked about providing substances that make the ferret work at
digging.  One of his digging boxes was a container of dirt that he packed
down while it was wet and then inserted a wooden broom handle in the
center.  He allowed it to dry rock hard and then removed the broom handle
and gave it to the ferrets.  The ferrets seeing the hole wanted to know
what was further inside and used it as a starting place to get deeper in.
This activity provided the ferrets with environmental enrichment, one
that lasted for hours.  By giving the ferret something to dig in, they
have no need to want to dig, just for the sake of digging, in another
place.
 
In our house we use children's play sand and wet it down.  It makes the
sand heavy, but it also gives it a consistency that allows for tunnel
building.  They love it.  And the good thing is that it really works
their muscles.  Giving ferrets tasks to do along with the regular play
stuff, reduces stress, which is great especially if your ferret is caged
hours at a time, gives them mental stimulation, which also helps keep
them from getting bored, and gives them physical activity that is more
strenuous than regular play.
 
Digging is a behaviour that you will not stop and should not even attempt
to think that you can.  You can cover the carpet with plastic or remove
it all together as you have stated, but these measures do not deal with
the fact that ferrets dig as naturally as we eat.  They will find other
things to dig at if you do not provide them with something they can.
Work with the behaviour by giving them plenty of activities.  Take a look
at your local zoo, if you have a good one, for if they are doing their
job correctly, you will see ways that the keepers build certain things
for the animals to do while they are out and about, instead of just
allowing them to sit on the grass looking pretty for the visitors every
day.  You will see riggings of hanging toys, things to climb (usually
trees or tree limbs), containers that are filled with treats that have
to be worked out... anything that gets the animal interested enough to
explore it, climb on it, or swing from it.  Keep this in mind for your
ferret and the digging where you don't want it will be alleviated.
 
Good luck!
betty and her blur o'fur
for the love of ferrets...
[Posted in FML issue 4136]