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The SmartBedz natural straw pellet is ideal for your pet as it:
  • extra long lasting
  • has up to 400% absorbency
  • is super odour binding
  • is dust extracted
  • is bio-degradable

Litter For Ferrets | Bedding for Ferrets

Choosing the right litter and bedding for ferrets is very important to your ferret's health. In particular, litter for ferrets needs to be dust free, to avoid respiratory problems - this is especially important for kits who like to burrow and dig amongst their litter. Litter for ferrets also needs to be non clumping, to avoid causing congestion and expansion in orifices which can be uncomfortable or even dangerous. Using SmartBedz as your litter for ferrets avoids both hazards as it is virtually dust free and non clumping.

As well as absorbing moisture and odours fast and effectively, SmartBedz is also perfect for minimising respiratory problems in both ferrets and their owners, as the manufacturing process involves extraction of dust, as well as heat treatment to minimise bacterial content. And since it is made from compacted, pelleted straw, it is completely eco-friendly and bio-degradable.

This article describes the main requirements for caring for ferrets and shows how using SmartBedz as your choice of litter and bedding for ferrets fits into a healthy ferret care regime.

Litter for Ferrets click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop

Caring for Ferrets

A ferret cage needs to be as large as possible, preferably with three levels: one for sleeping one for eating and one for the toilet area. Solid floors are better than wire as this is easier on their feet. The toilet area should consist of a litter tray filled with appropriate litter for ferrets. The cage should also include a water bottle and food bowl, as well as some toys.

The ideal bedding for ferrets is some old towels or rags placed in the bedding area, enabling the ferret to pull a nest around around itself. Placing a layer of SmartBedz underneath the towels or rags helps to ensure the bedding area stays dry.

Ferrets are cool-weather animals and do not do well if exposed to hot temperatures. Ferrets should generally be kept inside in a temperature controlled environment. If they are kept outside it is important to ensure that their cage is never in direct sunlight, and that the temperature of their cage never exceeds 26 degrees C. They will suffer from heatstroke if exposed to higher temperatures for more than short periods of time.

Ferrets like a lot of sleep (16-19 hours a day) and like to sleep in dark quiet areas. They are generally more active around dawn and dusk and can acclimatise to their owner?s routine, especially if kept inside where they can be more aware of the owner?s waking and sleeping routines.

Ferrets need quite a lot of exercise, typically between 2 and 4 hours a day and they love to get out of their home and explore. Make sure they are supervised at all times as they will play and explore anything and anywhere.

Ferrets are clean animals and go to the toilet in the same place so their litter can easily be spot cleaned. When cleaning the toilet area, it is important to remove all the urine soaked litter, as this produces ammonia which can cause respiratory problems in ferrets. The remaining litter can then be pushed into the corners, and fresh litter added to the remaining area. In fact, for ferrets it is actually better not to completely replace with fresh litter each time, but to leave some of the remaining clean litter behind. This is because completely fresh litter will contain none of the ferret?s odour at all and will make the ferret want to 'surf' in it. Leaving some of the ferret?s odour behind in the new litter will reduce the likelihood of this happening. The non-clumping, pelleted nature of SmartBedz litter makes it ideal for this type of cleaning regime. The ability to selectively remove and replace as required, combined with its high absorbency, makes SmartBedz a highly cost-effective option.

Ferrets are notoriously odorous creatures. This is not due to a lack of cleanliness, but simply their natural production of odour from musk glands. (In fact, bathing ferrets does little to help the problem since excessive cleaning is likely to further stimulate the scent glands.) While some have tried to combat this odour using perfumed litter for ferrets, this typically backfires because ferrets are very sensitive to smell and dislike the perfume, with the result that they refuse to use the litter at all and do their toilet in other areas. Using SmartBedz as your litter for ferrets deals with this problem on two levels. Firstly, it is not perfumed, so that your ferrets will happily accept it being in the toilet area. Secondly, it is exceptionally good at odour absorption, so it will help to absorb urine odour and natural ferret odour alike.

Ferrets are naturally clean by nature and will usually back into corners with their tails raised in order to urinate or defecate (usually both at the same time). Grown ferrets will tend to avoid soiling bed or eating areas, although kits are not so fussy. If you have young ferrets, it is therefore useful, while encouraging them to make use of the designated toilet area, to use SmartBedz in all the likely corners of the living space, as insurance against accidents. To avoid confusing the kit, these corners can be covered with other materials such as rags to prevent them appearing similar to the proper toilet area.

Ferrets do not bury their stools as cats do, so only a thin layer of litter is required. If more is put in, many ferrets will dig it out. This can be a challenge if your choice of litter for ferrets is not especially absorbent, resulting in needing to change the litter very frequently.

A further guard against digging is to use either shredded paper or sheets of newspaper as litter, and many owners swear by this type of litter as a way of training ferrets to go in the right place and to prevent digging.

While using paper, either shredded or in sheets, has some logic to it, it is nevertheless limited in terms of absorbency, and of course has no odour control properties at all. Using SmartBedz as an underbed and placing paper over the top provides the best of both worlds, helping to absorb excess moisture that the paper cannot, and providing an odour control element.

Benefits of Using SmartBedz as Litter and Bedding for Ferrets

Directions for Use 
Place a 1-3cm layer of SmartBedz pellets in the cage or litter tray. 
Remove soiled pellets regularly and replenish as required. 
Empty and clean out when necessary. 

Disposal
SmartBedz decomposes rapidly so disposal of the waste couldn't be easier. Simply use as a garden fertiliser or compost. Alternatively, why not try popping a little in your mole runs to act a as a natural deterrent. 

Bedding for Ferrets click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop