Digging at the sofa

[Thérèse]

I haven''t taken pix and tend not to think of it when I am not on here but I will try, but in the interim I will try to verbally describe my solution.

For years I used to feel kind of smug when I would read posts of ferrets digging up into lounges because mine were too low for my boofy boys to get under. Then came Diablo. He decided to dig down and once he did everyone else followed. They would all get in and so then the dog wondered what they were all doing in there and started digging in too. both lounges ended up with holes that were big enough for me to stand in.

Prior to that I had had problems with all my animals at the time (dog, cat, ferrets) constantly ruining the screen in the screen door. Someone told me to put shade cloth in instead, as it would stand up to even the ferrets. I never did it because I ended up getting doors with solid metal screening and problem solved but it did make me thin that maybe it would work for the lounges.

I got some shade cloth and stapled/glued a double layer over the seat (but under the cushions). I then added a layer of that thick plastic you make table protectors out of and glued/stapled that over the shade cloth so that claws would have nothing to get a grip on. the plan had been to also add a layer of quilting for comfort and then another layer of plastic but I never got that far. I did it maybe 3 years ago now and even though Diablo is now at the bridge, he was still around when I did it and so far no-one has dug in the lounge again.

[nancyl]

FORGET ABOUT A SOFA. The fake leather will not last and will look like crap and have holes within 6 months. Do like Heather said and get a futon. Buy or have someone make you a cover out of tightly woven canvas. Use lounge chairs or side chairs that are mostly wood with minimal upholstery. And get a cage and use it when you aren't there or are busy and can't watch them. They will be perfectly fine. I have two groups (soon to be three when Kailen comes in rut) and they rotate who's caged. One group is in at night and out in the daytime. The others are reversed. If I need to, they all get caged. They may be peeved by the insult but, you know what, tough!

[Deleted]

I will try to get something they can't reach or try to ferretproof as much as possible, I am not ready to declare defeat yet

I would like to get a cage just to be able to make them some nice living quarters but I will never get myself to close the doors. I actually I gave up the 3-floor cage I had (always open) because they learned how to climb it and they's chase each other on top of it. It got pretty dangerous , sigh...

I'd like to have a FN or Ferplast tower with tunnels and hammocks everywhere, but i need to make that impossible to climb

[Deleted]

We have the Ferplast Furret Tower and and Royale XL (like FN).

The Tower is easy to "ferret proof" on the outside. We cut plywood and fixed it to the middle part (same high as the pan and length of the cage). None of my ferrets could climb it. That's a good thing and easy.
But it's not so great for bedding and other stuff. Small footprint and its a square and with one big litter pan it's nearly full. On the upper level you can put some hammocks in, but not that much.

Proofing the FN or Savic is as easy as the Tower, but I would choose clear acrylic glass. The footprint is a lot better and you can hang hammocks and other stuff easily (Bars all around)...

I would go for the FN :-)

[Millaray]

I am SO HAPPY to know I am not the only person who has (my son has, I put up with) a ferrett that goes pee pee and poo poo in the couch. It is so disgusting and can we say, embarrassing?!?! I have managed to block Samuel aka Sammy from getting in under the cushions but he has dug holes in the side of the couch!!!! My attempts to block those holes have failed. I am next going to try to flip the couch and remove the fabric from the bottom. He has some of it shredded anyway. He has old food lined up along the wood and anything of rubber-like material he can find. So to those people that made those suggestions, I thank you greatly, and hope it works even more!!! (Also going to give him a dig bin!)
Next question, how do I stop him from biting??? He bit me so hard on the inside of the sensitive part of my upper arm I have a bruise the size of a half dollar. He doesn’t bite my son, but will bite me, and my dad and mom when they visit. He is never provoked and has always done it. And I mean he CHOMPS DOWN. Any suggestions??