Prepare Your Home for a Ferret

Before you bring home a ferret, follow these steps to protect your furry and your home. Ferret-proofing your house never ends and constantly changes, so be patient, be diligent, and stay flexible.

Get down on the floor.

While out of her cage, your new carpet shark will be spending most of her time -- you guessed it -- on the floor. So, get down there and check things out. Are there any holes leading into the walls, out of the house, behind dangerous appliances that your fert will see as the "Tunnel of Mystery and Delight?" Any opening wide enough for your ferret's head is wide enough for your ferret's body, so find those openings before your ferret does or you might be going on a chase soon.

One apartment I moved into had a baseboard missing in the foot space directly below the kitchen sink. In the hustle and bustle of moving into a new home, I failed to do the floor test. My little weasel not only managed to squeeze through the inch-high space, but also found her way through the floor, into the crawlspace below the apartment complex, and out into the great outdoors. Fortunately, a maintenance man found her and stuck her in an empty, fifty gallon trashcan for safe keeping until I came along calling her name.

Access behind appliances such as stoves and refrigerators should be blocked off. In case your ferret is prone to chewing on wires, cover cords and wires with cord covers (you can purchase these from the internet). Cover unused outlets just as you would if you had a small child. Cabinet doors should be secured especially if toxic chemicals are inside, or your ferret will see them as private rooms. (I frequently find mine in the silverware drawers if I'm not paying attention.)

Move or get rid of the houseplants.

Ferrets love to dig and nothing is better than a pot of freshly watered soil. Any potted plant sitting on the floor or on a table is considered fair game to your ferret. If he can get to it, it's his. Move plants outside to the porch or hang them from the ceiling, out of reach.

I've heard it suggested that a strategically placed sheet of chicken wire over the exposed soil will keep the tunneling at bay. This may work for you, but, in my experience, ferrets are persistent and successful problem-solvers. Chances are, your plants won't be safe for long.

Aside from potting soil showered across your carpet, plants can be poisonous to our furry friends. I strongly recommend avoiding that risk altogether by keeping the plants well out of reach of your ferrets. Besides, a little chicken wire cannot prevent leaf-chewing.

Protect your corners.

Most ferrets will generally do their business in a corner, so in case he doesn't choose the corner you placed his litter box in, put down some newspaper along the walls in corners and small places your ferret may feel safe backing up in and relieving himself.

A ferret can be litter-trained. In fact, they come halfway trained as it is. Ferret are what you call "latrine" animals. In other words, they tend to go in the same place(s) again and again. The trick is to choose those places for them. When you get ready to let your ferret out for playtime, wait until she uses her litter box inside the cage before setting her free. It will take some time and patience, but she should eventually learn to go immediately after you open the cage door.

Once out of her cage, confine your new pet to a small play area -- like, one room or part of one room. Watch her closely and stick her in the corner or back in her cage when she makes her move. Remember, ferrets are intelligent, but stubborn creatures. Be patient and consistent while training her.

Get rid of hazardous material.

Hazardous material for your ferret is anything he can chew and swallow. Young ferrets especially are vulnerable to blockages caused by inedible material swallowed and caught within the digestive track. Anything with rubber, foam, or soft plastic should be off the floor and out of reach. Pencil erasers and remote control buttons are common culprits.

Separate species.

Many ferrets live in harmony with other household pets, but be overly cautious when it comes to dogs (even small breeds) and cats. Closely monitor any interaction and never --never-- leave them alone together. Even play can become too rough or turn into aggression.

Any animal smaller than your ferret should also be kept at a safe distant. My ferrets have attempted to drag kittens off into their hidey-holes and have no qualms with playing roughly with their new "chew toys." A relative of the ferret -- the Black-footed ferret -- preys mostly on prairie dogs, which are as big or bigger than this wild cousin of the domestic ferret. It's not a big leap to imagine a ferret killingl a rabbit or guinea pig. Birds are also common victims of overly-enthusiastic pet ferrets. Be careful, be cautious, and prevent tragedies. Let ferrets be ferrets without risking the injury to them or other pets.

Be diligent.

Getting a ferret is like buying a toddler who likes to climb, dig, and squeeze through small places. They have an insatiable curiosity and are unbelievably persistent, so you must be too. Preparing your house for its new resident will not be easy, and you'll probably overlook something before it's all said and done. But you know? It's all worth it.