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| PES949 |
It seems that one of my ferrets has decided that the 2nd tier shelf cormer is
the place where she wants to go now. I am looking for a way to prevent this.
Otherwise she is getting very good with the litter box but I must admit I keep
an eye on her most of the day and during playtimes. She almost always leaves a
present in this spot overnight when I am sleeping.
Again, Thanks for the responses to my prior posts.
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| Lin |
"PES949" <pes949@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20031228093126.16134.00000997@mb-m22.aol.com...
> It seems that one of my ferrets has decided that the 2nd tier shelf cormer
is
> the place where she wants to go now. I am looking for a way to prevent
this.
> Otherwise she is getting very good with the litter box but I must admit I
keep
> an eye on her most of the day and during playtimes. She almost always
leaves a
> present in this spot overnight when I am sleeping.
>
> Again, Thanks for the responses to my prior posts.
When my Max started doing this (not long after we got him, & were able to
put him in the big cage w/ Ariel & Oberon), I simply put an old towel on
that shelf. He hasn't done it since.
If it looks like something they might want to sleep on, they generally won't
use it as a dumping ground.
Lin, Ariel, Oberon, & Max
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| Bill Leary |
"Lin" <ktnil@woh.rr.com> wrote in message
news:QXFHb.97475$031.80363@fe3.columbus.rr.com...
> When my Max started doing this (not long after we got him, & were able to
> put him in the big cage w/ Ariel & Oberon), I simply put an old towel on
> that shelf. He hasn't done it since.
>
> If it looks like something they might want to sleep on, they generally
won't
> use it as a dumping ground.
I've had success with this approach as well, and I agree with the reasoning.
We had one, however, who was very insistant that the second shelf was the
place to go. I took down that shelf for a week and he or she (can't recall
which now) moved to the bottom of the cage directly under that shelf, which
happened to be the corner the other ferrets were using. When I put the
shelf back up, he/she continued to use the group approved dumping area on
the first floor. I'd guess that once you force a habit on them it seems to
stick.
- Bill
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| swamp |
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 20:54:30 GMT, "Bill Leary" <Bill_Leary@msn.com>
wrote:
>I'd guess that once you force a habit on them it seems to
>stick.
I've noticed once they force a habit on *you* it seems to stick also.
> - Bill
Turnabout's fair play,
-- swamp
"Who, me officer? What's a ferut? These guys?? No, they're Polish cats."
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| Brett Middleton |
pes949@aol.com (PES949) wrote:
>It seems that one of my ferrets has decided that the 2nd tier shelf cormer is
>the place where she wants to go now.
In my (limited) experience, I've noticed that the fuzzies regularly
change their favorite spot. (In fact, I've noticed this with dogs and
cats, as well.) With 7 litter boxes scattered through the apartment,
plus two boxes in a 3-floor cage, Pogey regularly changed her preferred
spot about once a month. It may be something you just have to adapt to.
Brett
*SLMW 1.0* "Ferrets don't explode, you say?" -- J. Cleese
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| Bill Leary |
"Brett Middleton" <brettm@uga.edu> wrote in message
news:3ho4vvok97v0si6cuak4qe1rk5a5re3q4q@4ax.com...
> pes949@aol.com (PES949) wrote:
> In my (limited) experience, I've noticed that the fuzzies regularly
> change their favorite spot.
I've never experienced this problem. Granted, we're only on our fifth
ferret so far (four still alive) but, once a dumping area has been
established, it's never changed. And as we've added new ones, they've used
the same areas the older ones had staked out. In one instance I had to
encourage this, but once it was done it's been utterly reliable. Left side
of cage, front and rear corners, for something like six years now.
> (In fact, I've noticed this with dogs and
> cats, as well.)
This bit, on the other hand, we HAVE seen, at least until, for the cats, we
figured out where they wanted the litter box. And the difference between
where they wanted it and we wanted it was only about eight feet, but it was
enough to cause frequent "accidents" until we cooperated. Once we put it
there, and discovered that they wanted it cleaned just a bit more often than
we thought it needed to be done, there are very few incidents anywhere else
in the house.
Dogs we've always housebroken, but our eldest is going a bit senile and has
started "marking" again. He has one place he prefers, and two others he'll
use if he can't get to the one he likes best.
> With 7 litter boxes scattered through the apartment,
> plus two boxes in a 3-floor cage, Pogey regularly changed
> her preferred spot about once a month.
I'm surprised to read this. I'd assumed (based on nothing except our
experiences, I now realize) that ferrets all picked spots and stuck to them.
Even during play times ours have three or four places they use regularly,
which is damn convenient since we just do a clean-up sweep around the house
after they go back in the cage... except for Quasimodo, who is a rule unto
himself. He doesn't seem to have any favorite place at all when he's out.
He's strictly a "pause and dump" sort of guy. He will literally be running
across the living room, slide to a stop, relieve himself, carefully step
over it, then take off at full speed again.
- Bill
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| Urban Fredriksson |
In article <3ho4vvok97v0si6cuak4qe1rk5a5re3q4q@4ax.com>,
Brett Middleton <brettm@uga.edu> wrote:
>In my (limited) experience, I've noticed that the fuzzies regularly
>change their favorite spot.
Mine also change where they like to sleep between the
seasons and some have different favourite places to sleep
at day and at night. It also changes with the relative
status of the ferrets, as of now Carina has one place
which is hers and Roxane one at the other end of the
house. Rasmus can sleep wherever he likes, but he keeps
mostly to the Carina-side. I think this has something to
do with which litter box they use too.
--
Urban Fredriksson
http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/ferrets/
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| Brett Middleton |
"Bill Leary" <Bill_Leary@msn.com> wrote:
>"Brett Middleton" <brettm@uga.edu> wrote in message
>news:3ho4vvok97v0si6cuak4qe1rk5a5re3q4q@4ax.com...
>> pes949@aol.com (PES949) wrote:
>> In my (limited) experience, I've noticed that the fuzzies regularly
>> change their favorite spot.
>I've never experienced this problem. Granted, we're only on our fifth
>ferret so far (four still alive) but, once a dumping area has been
>established, it's never changed.
Your experience is far greater than mine, since I've only had a single
fert. Maybe multiple ferrets reinforce each other. Or maybe it's a
difference in management, since mine was almost completely free-range.
>> (In fact, I've noticed this with dogs and
>> cats, as well.)
>This bit, on the other hand, we HAVE seen, at least until, for the cats, we
>figured out where they wanted the litter box. And the difference between
>where they wanted it and we wanted it was only about eight feet, but it was
>enough to cause frequent "accidents" until we cooperated.
In my experience with my mother's cat, the location was not the problem.
Granted, whenever Mom changed the location, the cat would be good for a
while, but never for very long. But, once when I was visiting Mom for a
week or so, I observed Bonkers using the box several times, and she had
three paws up on the edges of the box and one inside. I told Mom that
the problem was that the cat was *uncomfortable* while using the box,
and simply needed a bigger box. (This was a fairly big cat -- about
16-18 lbs.) Mom didn't believe my theory, but I went out to the local
SuperPet and bought the biggest litterbox they had. One that had room
for all four paws and a little to spare. Problem solved. B-)
>Dogs we've always housebroken, but our eldest is going a bit senile and has
>started "marking" again. He has one place he prefers, and two others he'll
>use if he can't get to the one he likes best.
Yes, I was assuming a housebroken dog. If you watch their yard
behavior, you'll find that they move around on a fairly regular basis.
(Which may depend, of course, on how often one picks up the yard. B-)
And, of course, their curbside/leashed behavior depends on what other
dogs/cats/critters have been in the vicinity recently.
>> With 7 litter boxes scattered through the apartment,
>> plus two boxes in a 3-floor cage, Pogey regularly changed
>> her preferred spot about once a month.
>I'm surprised to read this. I'd assumed (based on nothing except our
>experiences, I now realize) that ferrets all picked spots and stuck to them.
Our own experiences are all we have to go on, except for groups like APF
where we can help each other out! Thank goodness.
In my case, Pogey was a "velcro" ferret (she was never willingly more
than a few feet away from me) and I gave her free range (never caged)
except for a couple of rooms that I had blocked off with Weasl-Watchr
gates. Usually she used the box that was closest to wherever I was
(living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom), but there were some of the
boxes she never used, and others she used in rotation (like the 3 boxes
I had in the living room) even though all of them were equally spotless.
Also, there were a couple of spots she liked where I couldn't stop her
and didn't have room for a box or bedding (like the front door), so I
had to put down puppy pads in those locations. Towards the end of her
life she conceived a passion for one particular box in the bedroom, and
would run all the way across the apartment to use it, never going
anywhere else, until she lost bowel control and started going in the
middle of the floor.
Anyway, I appreciate hearing about your experiences, because now I'll be
a bit better prepared for my next ferret(s). Thanks for the good
discussion!
Brett
*SLMW 1.0* If not for my ignorance, your knowledge would be worthless.
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| Brett Middleton |
griffon@canit.se (Urban Fredriksson) wrote:
>Mine also change where they like to sleep between the
>seasons and some have different favourite places to sleep
>at day and at night.
Interesting! Pogey had different day vs. night spots, but the spots
were usually very fixed. At night she insisted on sleeping with me, but
every once in a while she would pick someplace different for a night or
two. Her daytime spot changed several times in the first few weeks I
had her, but after that it was always the end of the couch, and she used
the other spots only to hide stuff. (Especially food. B-)
Brett
*SLMW 1.0* Ferrets: Drugs would be cheaper, but not as much fun.
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| Bill Leary |
"Brett Middleton" <brettm@uga.edu> wrote in message
news:q0o9vvkgc32p2f5bt9o53b5voeu737gag0@4ax.com...
> >I've never experienced this problem. Granted, we're only on our fifth
> >ferret so far (four still alive) but, once a dumping area has been
> >established, it's never changed.
>
> Your experience is far greater than mine, since I've only had a single
> fert. Maybe multiple ferrets reinforce each other.
I'm inclined to agree. We've had some trouble getting our newest one to
completely adjust to the older ones so I've paid rather more attention this
time than I did introducing the others. It was possible to observe her
behavior, on how to eat, drink, and dispose of waste, change from when we
had her in her own cage to after she was with the others. She's even taken
to batting the spout on the water bottle, something Quasimodo taught Razzle.
I don't know where HE got the idea that it was necessary. Minya, our
oldest, is the only one who doesn't do this now. I figure she's just too
set in her ways to change.
> Or maybe it's a
> difference in management, since mine was almost completely free-range.
Could be. Ours are not free rangers by any means. When they DO get out
their attention is pretty much on exploring and playing.
> In my experience with my mother's cat, the location was not the problem.
> ((..omitted..))
> SuperPet and bought the biggest litterbox they had. One that had room
> for all four paws and a little to spare. Problem solved. B-)
Yes, we've had this same experience as well. The box which was convenient
for us (didn't use up much space) was too small for the largest cats. We
got a rather large corner job, with a cover, which they're all happy with.
> Yes, I was assuming a housebroken dog. If you watch their yard
> behavior, you'll find that they move around on a fairly regular basis.
> (Which may depend, of course, on how often one picks up the yard. B-)
> And, of course, their curbside/leashed behavior depends on what other
> dogs/cats/critters have been in the vicinity recently.
We walk ours so they don't use the yard, but I still agree with both of your
above comments. There's the telephone pole for a few days, then the bush
halfway down to the lower driveway, then the other side of the stone wall
100' later and so on. The walk is about a quarter mile, three times a day,
and they do have this repeated pattern, influenced by other dogs and other
animals (we have deer, fox, possum and so forth).
> In my case, Pogey was a "velcro" ferret (she was never willingly more
> ((..omitted..))
> life she conceived a passion for one particular box in the bedroom, and
> would run all the way across the apartment to use it, never going
> anywhere else,
Ours do something similar when they're out playing. There's a corner
upstairs, one in the kitchen, one in the front hall, and another in the
living room. With very few execptions, (and Quasimodo always an exception)
they use one of these four spots when they're out. Very convenient for
clean up, though I'm SURE they didn't do it for my convenience.
- Bill
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| John DeGroof |
On 28 Dec 2003 14:31:26 GMT, pes949@aol.com (PES949) wrote:
>It seems that one of my ferrets has decided that the 2nd tier shelf cormer
A little late in the thread (I've been busy lately), but we had the
same problem. We have a 3-shelf cage, and the only solution was
removing all the shelves. After nearly a week, we added a shelf, then
another week, added another shelf, etc.
There haven't been ANY accidents at home since. I say at home because
we took the cage with us over the holidays and they used the shelf
corners several times. I figured it was just stress of a new
location, even though it was the same cage, and was hoping their
training wasn't broken. When we got home, they resumed using the
litter box and not once the shelves. Go figure...
--
John DeGroof, Compressionist
DVD, DAD, DVD Audio, MPEG, AC3, DTS, PCM, DSD, MLP
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