CT Hart, Out of my 5 kids, Betsy is the only ferret who will go on the shelf!! No matter what I do!!! This gal is to prim and proper to go in a box that someone else has dared to soil in!!!! At first, I thought she didn't like the scented scoopable litter, I mix unscented in with scented litter. Nope, that doesn't help!!! I change the litter once a week in all 5 boxes, clean out soiled litter when I see it, only exception is when I'm at work!!! I've been told that maybe Betsy has too much "free time" on her little hands & has forgotten her potty manners. Oh Betsy, you're going to be doing more cage time!!!!! hee hee hee I'm such a mean mommy!!! The times I've kept Betsy in the cage all day while I was at work, I felt so quilty about it, I've called home to have someone let her out!!! As for having carpet on that shelf, NO WAY!!!!!!! Have you tried putting linoieum on the shelf???? Would make for easy clean ups & you don't have to soak a carpet or smell it either!!! My kids are spoiled, the only time their little hands & feet touch wire is when they walk up the ramps, I have linoieum on the floors in both cages. I don't like the carpet because it'll start to smell before to long. I'm clueless as to how to stop Betsy's poor potty manners. Betsy will also trash her food dish when she gets PO'ed at me for not letting her out of the cage fast enough for her liking!! Talk about nerve!! ha ha ha Jeanne [Posted in FML issue 0615]