Needing some ideas

[Deleted]

Hey guys. So, we have hit a financial crunch, which made the ferrets think "Oooh we should start destroying all of our dozens of toys!"

So they are down to a few toys. Furbutts!

Anyways, we had used a flimsy dryer hose for about 2 years, but it's finally come apart in several spots and has to be supervised due to wires sticking out. So I need some cheap ideas for tubing.

Also, my ferrets don't seem to care about their two-story cat condo anymore. So any ideas on how I can get them to enjoy it more?

And am I the only one paranoid about store-bought toys? It seems my ferrets have learned how to get the stuffing out, and the ones without stuffing Booth just chews on until they fall apart. Lincoln chews on the fuzzy tennis-ball like balls until the fuzz comes off. And I'm getting tired of buying them these toys that last under a month.

Also, for bedding - I made them fleece pan covers for their FN. But within a couple months they had dug holes in the sides :/ And Booth has become a bad chewer. He chews on the pirate ship so we took it out (already had to take out fleece blankets which he loved) and so we put in more hammocks (the very thin material ones).

...And then he chewed up one to the point it fell apart. So that was taken out. So now he's chewing on other things in the cage. I'm at a loss! I've given them toys to chew on and those marshall ferret chews and the chicken stix from n-bone. None of it helps.

I need some homemade and/or cheap toys for in-cage and out of cage that will preferably last more than a month.

[Heather]

How much out of cage time do your wee ones get? I've had a couple of fleece suckers, and one boy who has pica issues but other than that none who are as brutal as your wee one. Exercise is often a great deterrent to destruction. Ferrets are all about stimulation and sensation. Odin has a passion for tennis balls but he spends most of his time throwing them down the basement steps and then chasing them and bringing them back up the stairs again. Thor as his stuffed rabbit and chipmunk but they're for stashing in the litter box, he never chews them. Captain Jack, Minion and Boris all take turns stealing crochet eggs out of various stash spots and moving them to new ones. Cardboard carpet tubes make awesome tubes and they're free. You can take the large pepsi bottles and turn them into tubes too with a bit of duct tape. Towels provide endless free rides and reasons to play vicious games of "towel jack". An large empty litter pan provides endless swimming time and the cost is only every towel in your house ;D ;D ;D . A large cardboard box filled with sand, leaves, rice, beans provide endless hours of digging fun. Grab half a dozen boxes cut various holes out of them, take some duct tape and create a ferret castle. The toys that amuse ferrets are endless and are basically as cheap as the stuff you're going to throw away. Ferrets are like 3 yr olds, you can pay a fortune for their toys, they break them, won't play with them....give them the box their toys came in and you've provided them with hours of fun . You're limited only by your imagination.

[katt]

My boys destroy toys rather quickly. OR get bored of them. Stuff a jingle ball into a toilet paper tube and pinch the ends. Collapse one end so it is closed off entirely, and pinch the other flat so they can still get their nose in, but the ball can't come out. They'll go nuts trying to figure out how to get to the ball! ;D Be sure to use for supervised time only though as they can get their heads stuck which is very dangerous.

Find a stick (broken hanger, wooden dowel, etc) and some random bits of ribbon and string, bells, bits of things you can tie to the ends of the strings, etc. Teaser toy! Also I was gifted a GREAT teaser toy made my Mustelidmusk (Jennifer). It has a dinner tray in the bottom of a paper bag (to hold the bag open) with a toy tied in the middle, and the whole thing is tied to a rope tied to a stick. They have to chase the toy but to catch the toy they have to run and jump into the moving bag - which of course crinkles! They LOVE it! And it is so easy to replace when it gets "ruined" - just put a new paper bag on it! I'll try to get a picture or video so you can see what I mean...

[Deleted]

Heather - Generally my kids get 2 hours out of cage time for 4 days. 2 days they get 5 hours and then the other day they get about 3. Since we live in an apartment, we just don't feel safe leaving them out

I've also noticed when it's treat time and Booth is chewing on something, he won't stop even for the treats

I love all of your guys' ideas! I tried a dig box with the packing peanuts that dissolve, but Bonkers just eats them like crazy. I've been thinking about getting the long grain rice.

I'm going to start saving our 2 liter bottles and use the paper towel roll idea. Thank you guys Feel free to add more if anyone thinks of any.

[Sherry]

Go to your local hardware store and ask them about the carpet roll tubes. they are generally about 4", and free. They throw them out. My guys rice box was a cardboard box for the longest time. I just duct taped all the seams.
Is there any way they can get out longer on the 2 hour days? Even an extra 30 minutes to an hour at a different time of the day.
Also, take them out for some one on one time for 15 to 20 minutes. They adore it!

[Deleted]

Generally we let one ferret out for 15 minutes (each day we switch who is let out first). Then we let the rest out for the hour and 45 minutes+

There are some days we let them out much longer. It really just depends as we are both working and I am going to school. It has gotten very hard to be able to let them out as much. 2 hours is our minimum, it never gets lower than that.

But if it might help them sleep more and maybe help Booth's chewing...I think we can work something out Anything for the kids, eh?

Thank you Sherry! I'll check into that.

[Sherry]

I do know where you are coming from, time wise. My poor guys haven't gotten out in the morning for their run for 3 days now. I've had to leave early every day. TOMORROW!!!

[Deleted]

Don't feel bad - On the days I have to go to school and then work in the evening, my girls only get out for a couple hours around 9pm in the evening. They hate it and I feel awful but sadly we've got to go to school and work I always make it up to them by letting them have 6-8 hours out of the cage on the days I get home early from school and on weekends. I think we just do the best we can and know we're giving them loving homes

[Deleted]

Speaking of inexpensive toys...

My guys found my slippers last night and now I have to go buy a new pair. I no longer have slippers D:
They don't seem to chew on them either. Just like to stash them haha.

carpetsharks37 - Thanks, that is very true. My guys are always rewarded with lots of time out too. On the very rare occasion they aren't let out for a day, we give them treats and then they get out extra long no matter if it makes us have to stay up late.

And we are buying them a hanging tunnel for the cage, since they only have a cuddle cup and three (used to be four) hammock-type things. Maybe they will play in it too

[Sherry]

If you have an old pair of jeans, the legs work well for that instant tunnel, or cut open, instant hammock!

[Deleted]

I got some irrigation tubing, 10 feet by 3inches they were $5.99 a piece. I saw some online for $30 for about 100 feet i think. i then had some old rubbermaid tubs lying around. i filled them with biodegradable packing peanuts and then attatched the tubing to them. VIOLA! cheap home-made ferret jungle gym! I only paid for the two tubes. the packing peanuts i found on craigslist! I suggest trying that!!! also....Cardboard boxes are super fun for the little ones. good luck!

[Deleted]

aqualandpetsplus.com/Animal,%20Ferret.htm

[Deleted]

and this one www.extremeweezils.com/fertfun.html

[Sherry]

I'm going to have to take a look through that second link! Looks interesting But the first one took me to a page about fish?

[Deleted]

Both took me to pages about ferrets. Sherry, your internet is going wacky