Biting and Litter box training

( Cody was easily trained to litter and not to bite )

Biting

Ferrets bite for various reasons ranging from youthful exuberance to this thing the size of a giant
(that means you) Is reaching to grab me I'm scared.
For whatever reason the ferret must learn this is not
acceptable behavior. Take the ferret by the scruff
(the excess skin on the back of it's neck) and hold it
in the air. Point your finger at it and yell no then
place the ferret in the kennel for a minute or two
( you never want to use more time than this) remove
the ferret from it's kennel when the time is done and
give it lots of praise. This has been our most
effective method because that is what the momma
ferret does with her babies.
Another way to go about biting is putting bitter apple
lotion on your hands and feet just before handling
your ferret or letting it out to play. Ferrets
(well most anyways) Really don't like the taste of
bitter apple and when they bite and get a mouthful
of something they don't like they are not likely to
continue to repeat the process for very long
Lastly place ferretone on your hands and feet
(ferrets love to nibble on toes) just before handling
your ferret. The ferret will then (or should) proceed
to lick the ferretone off, when expecting such a
treat they usually will not bite. (we have used this
method for training that if a finger goes into the
wire of a kennel it means a treat and not
something to bite)

Litter Box Training

This is not as difficult task as it would seem, don't
expect perfection you may never get your ferret to
use the litter box all the time, you can hope for at
least a 90% success rate. First and best method is to
clean the litter box every morning but do not remove
all of the fecies from the box. A ferret will go to
the bathroom where it's smells fecies. If it uses
another part of it's kennel clean it up immediately
and spray the area with vinegar water
( 1 part vinegar 8 parts water).
The vinegar will remove the smell and the ferret is
less likely to use that spot again. Ferrets always
back into a corner to relieve themselves which is
why a corner litter pan with a low opening (so the
ferret can get over it) Is so important. A Ferret
goes to the bathroom within 30 minutes of waking up
from a nap watch your ferret and when they wake up
take them to the litter pan and place them in it rear
first, give them lots of praise and encouraging
words. some give a drop or two of ferretone after the
pan has been used to further confirm this is a very
good place to go. If you see your ferret backing into
a corner and raising it's tail take it to the litter
box and keep it there till it has gone then give it
lots of praise and love. Also if you put towels in
the kennel covering everything but the pan the ferret
will be more likely to use the pan. Ferrets don't
like to go to the bathroom where they play, And they
love to tunnel through towels and blankets.

Good luck training your Fuzzy!