Dig Box Material - Play N Starch?

[Deleted]

Hey all, I've thinking of making a dig box and I've browsed the forums already, searching as to what goes into one. Rice sounded great, but I realized that that makes it prone to bugs and weevils.

So after searching through some Japanese sites, I came across this. 







Something called Play-N-Starch, which is supposed to be made specially for ferrets. According to the description, it dissolves in water and decomposes in the earth. Would something like this be okay for a ferret to play in, assuming that he might take a bite or two. 

[Deleted]

I think you can get pet safe packing peanuts from Fosters&Smith. My friend bought some but ended up getting rid of them all because one of her ferrets obsessed over eating them. I made a rice bin and throw the rice out and vacuum every couple weeks or so. I also made a ball pit out of Easter eggs to keep my resident chewer entertained.

I'm sure they're fine as long as they don't try to make them into snacks. I wouldn't spend a ton of money until you know, though, based on my limited experience.

[Deleted]

Haha, I'm based in Japan so my options are quite limited... Wish I had access to bigger American brands for Ferrets, especially in the cage and toy related department.

[Sherry]

Just watch that they don't try to eat them and it will be fine

[LindaM]

Since Easter is coming up, I know a lot of stores sell plastic Easter Eggs for cheap, those work pretty well to make a ball pit. While I know the holiday isn't exactly big there in Japan (won't you guys be having the cherry blossom festivals there soon instead?), I'm sure there would be some stores somewhere that will possibly have some plastic easter eggs you can try to use to the same effect. Another great thing to use would be ping pong balls, so long as you can get some in bulk somewhere online or at a sporting goods store.

[Deleted]

I bought for Luna these plastic balls. She is not actually digging but she makes a lot of fun trying to catch a ball but she fails because re plastic and escape from her teeth. 😄

[lee]

As mine live outside I have more options as the mess s not much of a issue,  me and the kids go out and twigs and bark or moss but most of the time we use dirt from the garden the dig box for these is 3 foot by 2 foot and 2 foot deep.  They also have a ball pit which is 2foot by 2 foot and 1 foot deep and they have another which we put leaves in which is 2 foot by 2 foot and 1 foot deep. They don't get all 3 at the same time as I don't want them to get board.
But these are all free and there also there in the gardens

[Sherry]

In the autumn I bring in dead leaves etc for a different style dig bin.

[Deleted]

I'm currently using a bag of compost, which was £3 from the garden center. It's got a corner cut off the bag, and the bag is in a large cardboard box - with a small hole in the top.

Madam loves it; I only figured to use compost because she was digging into my bags anyway when I was planting things. I figure soil is about as natural as it gets as a dig material? I share your concerns about rice and other things. Plus, she gets mucky paws which look adorable but don't seem to track over the house (I have hard floors and no carpets)

[bishop24]

I tried using dirt but my guy got an eye infection from it 😢. And I tried some road sand because it's made up of thicker, less dusty sand but my guys decided that it was a litter box 😖. And then I went for that dried corn cob stuff but I guess it wasn't dense enough for them to dig and they lost interest after 5 minutes. And then I tried a ball pit but my one guy is terrified of it and my girl just steals the balls and chews them (she can get a hold of even the thicker plastic ones). I am going to try rice now. They luv digging (even non-diggable things like the hardwood and carpets and my couch and side of the dresser and the box spring etc) so I'm hoping that the rice will b good enough. If anyone has any other ideas I'd luv to hear them!

[raynebc]

I alternate between offering a rice dig box and a pinto bean box.

[unclejoe]

Rice is ok. Is it cheap over there? The packing peanuts you're looking at are most likely made of starch, like those mentioned from foster and smith over here. They're harmless, unless your ferret decides they're a new food. Ferrets shouldn't eat a lot of starch. We use them a lot and have only had one ferret that would actualy eat them. We have also used leaves, shredded paper, "clean" dirt, like potting soil, sand, etc. Sand is good if it's damp, because they can make small tunnels. Your ferrets will let you know which ones they like.

[bishop24]

What about bird seed? Assuming they won't try to eat it?!

[joseph]

I use rice and they love it.

[bishop24]

FYI, no to the bird seed. It actually has sand and other little bits that make it pretty dusty