For Keith and Phoebe:
One of the things that I did when one of my ferrets decided that another
corner of the cage was better to poop in then the litter box is to put
something in that corner.  In our case it was the food dish, and since
ferrets hate to poop near their food she stopped right away.
 
For Wayne:
We are attempting to retrain our 1 yr old about the litter box.  I find
that working in stages is the best. 1) start with a small area, like the
cage or just one room.  If they have more rooms to poop in they seem to
just go crazy and are not able to handle the freedom. 2) Find all the
hiding places where they like to go and make sure that there is no poop
there.  Then each day we check to see if he has gone in those places.  If
he has, we rub his nose in the poop and then take him and sit him but
down in the litter box for each of the poops he has made in the wrong
place.  3) At first, we also gave him treats when ever he walked close to
the litter box.  After he got used to that, treats whenever he stepped
into the litter box. And finally when he pooped in the litter box he got
treats.  We also give him treats when the hiding place is empty of poop.
By setting him in that area and then setting him in the litter box and
giving a treat.  All the time telling him how good he is.  4) As he gits
used to one area we expand his boundaries and introduct him to the litter
box in that area.  5) At this point we are also using the cage as a
punishment.  If he goes to the bathroom in his hiding place during the
day, before we get home, he spends the next day in the cage.  So far it
is going pretty well.  And he loves the treats, everytime he poops in the
litter box he comes to get me so he can have a treat.  I, of course, am
more than happy to give him one.
 
Now I have a question, I think it was Kimberly that found a stash of poop
in her room.  Well, when we started to retrain Zonker we found a big
stash under our couch.  How do you get those stains out of the carpet???
I spend two hours the other day with the Resolve and it looks better but
I am starting to think that I will never get those stains out.
 
Sorry this is getting so long, just one more thing.  I have been reading
about the Iams kitten food and I started giving my ferret that to eat.
The other day someone told me that I should stop because they think that
one of the ingredients might cause cancer.  Is this true? I had not read
anything about that so I don't know whether to be concerned or not.
 
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                                        Jay
                "Was that a giant floral pucka that just bounded by?"
 
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[Posted in FML issue 1266]