Training a ferret to not eat in the litter box?

[Aftershock]

Seriously, has anyone else had this issue? How do I make it stop? 

[FerretsnFalcons]

Do you have other feeding dens available? I only had an issue with Katie eating in the litter box when I kept her confined to the cage and took out the feeding den in order to make more room for a bed when she was sick. If you do have feeding dens and they still eat in the litter box, then I am at a loss. It's probably instinct for them to store their food in their poo and pee. As gross as that sounds, it's what they'd do in the wild.

[Deleted]

I don't think you can out-train this kind of behaviour. It's quite normal for ferrets to stash and eat their food where they ... go to the loo lol.
In the wild, polecats and even ferrets stash their food where they go to the toilet for one reason, to keep other carnivores or pests from stealing their appetising meal. Who wants to eat something stinky anyway? ew. Anyway, I noticed that it happens more with young ferrets, kits around the age of 6mths to 10mths, in my experience. I didn't out train them, they just out grew the behaviour. Providing something such as an eating den is a great idea. This will provide a secure and safe place for them to stash their food, without needing to stash or eat it in their litter.

[Aftershock]

Whew! And here I was getting a bit frustrated because Gator will grab food from Croc, put it in the litter box, and do it again. Then he won't touch it. :/
(headwall) I actually want to put together feeding dens with the same concept as a remote litter box, not to mention a remote litter box itself. I just might have to talk my husband into it now vs when we move. X.x

[Sherry]

For now just try a cardboard box in there. Many find even an empty long soda box works great.

[bitbyter]

How old are they? It's pretty common with kits but they usually grow out of it.

[Aftershock]

I was just going to go get stuff to make a remote litter box and some feeding dens today since I need to go buy more meat for the fuzzbutts anyway.
Bitbyter, the younger one is almost three months and likes to eat in the litter box, the older one is almost five months.

[Deleted]

I have the exact same problem, and the litter (shredded newspaper ) will get stuck to the meat and I worry they will ingest too much paper. I'm currently trying to solve the problem by adding multiple feeding dens of different sizes and material. it's a work in progress.

edit: they are all 8 months old. 

[Aftershock]

Right?! I switched to a corn based litter, and I'm thankful I did because the petstore brand I was getting would get claylike when they peed on it and I can only imagine what kind of blockages that would cause! But I know he shouldn't be eating corn either (headwall)
I'm hoping feeding dens and a remote litter box will solve the issue.

[Deleted]

I've personally started using a walnut shell litter (the Blue brand) and it works great for both the ferrets and my cat. It weakly clumps, so it doesn't stay together if its agitated, but works well enough to be scooped easily. It disintegrates if it falls in water and won't clump well once its oversaturated.

[bitbyter]

I'd give it time. Athena didn't really stop the behaviour until the 7 month mark (approximately).

[Aftershock]

Bitbyter, the remote litter box was something I was planning on making anyway, just after we moved. Honestly, I love it and I'm so glad I built one! Gator isn't eating in the litter box anymore, and even my deaf boy uses it so much better than he was using the litter box while it was in the cage. Two birds one stone!