How to Keep an Eco-Friendly Ferret

As both an animal lover and an environmentalist, I strive to give my pets the most eco-friendly, healthy care possible. All too often, the toys, foods, and bedding materials that we choose for our animals come at a high cost to our planet. Because ferrets eat a primarily carnivorous diet and require new bedding, litter, and toys on a regular basis, these slinky pets have a relatively large ecological paw-print.

Fortunately, responsible pet guardians can help to reduce the detrimental effects that ferrets may have on the environment. Here are a few simple ways that you can mitigate your ferret's ecological paw-print.

Choosing Sustainable Litter

Your ferret's bedding or litter material comprises a large portion of his ecological paw-print. Strip-mined clays, used in most cat litters, are harvested using dangerous and inherently unsustainable processes. You can help to prevent the ecological calamities associated with pet litter by choosing greener options. This article explores many sustainable litter options, which can be used in both your ferret's bed and his litter box. Among the best choices are Swheat Scoop and Yesterday's News. Also choose from a variety of recycled-paper rabbit litters, which are also safe and appropriate for ferrets.

What to do with the Litter

Like cat litter, dog poop, and rabbit bedding, ferret poop is compostable. I first began composting pet poop when living in a sustainable offgrid community, where residents used the Joseph Jenkins "humanure" system to dispose of their own waste. This method uses extended composting to allow waste to biodegrade. After eighteen months, it is no longer pathogenic. Check out my article about composting cat poop for tips on sustainably handling your ferret's waste. Once it has fully decomposed, it can be used in the same manner as any other form of compost.

Eco-Friendly Ferret Toys

Ferrets are the toddlers of the animal kingdom; they can make a toy out of anything. Because of this charming personality trait, you'll find that your trash can quickly become your ferret's treasure. Use an unwanted cardboard box as a jungle-gym for your slinky pal. Fill it with shredded paper and biodegradable corn "peanuts" to give your pet a place to "swim" and play. Scope out your local pet store for ferret toys made from wood, corn, and recycled plastic. These are far more earth-friendly than their plastic counterparts and provide a nontoxic chewing surface. Aim for sustainable, biodegradable, and upcycled pet toys whenever possible.

Earth-Friendly Ferret Foods

Unfortunately, the current market for sustainable ferret food is fairly limited. One mass-market option is Dr. Marty's Organic Ferret Food, but this product has been the subject of many complaints. Dr. Marty's formula contains primarily soy-based proteins, which are inappropriate for obligate carnivores such as ferrets. Fortunately, organic kitten foods are very widely available and are appropriate supplements for an otherwise species-appropriate diet. The ASPCA acknowledges kitten food's acceptability as a ferret food substitute, but recommends against using it in daily feeding. Try feeding your ferret a diet containing 50% standard ferret food and 50% organic kitten food. This will meet your pet's nutritional needs with a minimal impact on the environment.

Each furred, feathered and scaled critter on earth imposes some impact on the environment around him. As pet guardians, we can not eliminate our pets' ecological burdens, but we can do our best to keep their lives as low-impact and sustainable as possible. By taking responsibility for your ferret's environmental paw-print, you benefit all the creatures who share a planet with him.