Best ferret bedding?

[Bonnie]

Ok, so I am relying on all you for my ferret questions...good thing for this random chatter board...tee hee...

I was wondering what is the best bedding to use in my ferret cage. Let me explain what I mean.

The previous owners had clumping litter for him. (I've read that was bad for them) so I bought Yesterday's News in hopes he accepts it. (I read to use either paper or pine pellet).

Now the previous owners had put the litter in his litter box AND on the bottom of his cage. now I have never had a litter-trained animal before, but from what I DO know about litter trained animals... aren't they supposed to learn to only do thier business on the litter? I would think that if it's everywhere it would screw them up. Part of the reason I think this is he will use his box, but then he will push the box from the wall and go behind it...and of course there is litter there, but I dont know if it really makes a difference. He also poops on the second level, above his litter box...

Well today I bought cage clips to try to keep him from moving the current box, and then I got another box to put on the second level so we're not always having to scrub the wire there. And like I said I got Yesterday's news for his litter.

But what should I put on the bottom of the cage? I had carefresh in the carryhome case but he just dug around in that and made a huge mess in my car, and I picture him doing the same thing in his cage. Does he even need a bedding? I would assume he'd dog in anything I put there. Should I just put towels on the bottom?

I only ask because I have found information on litter, food, grooming, etc etc etc, but nothing on bedding.  Plus we kinda adopted this ferret a year before we were planning on buying one... so now I'm doing speedy research. (So much info! Ahhh!)

Oh and any other hint you can give me would be really nice. I know not to bathe him a lot, although I bought the shampoo just in case I need to....

On a side note, I had 30% off today for associate appreciation day....and I spent $170 AFTER the discount!! Mostly on ferret stuff, since he hardly had anything and had some of the wrong stuff... but I couldn't leave the rats out...and the rabbits!...oh, and not to mention that now I am in a house I can set up my fish tank again, so I had to get new gravel and deco... Hubby isn't too happy about it...but I reminded him that we have 10 pets that I have to provide for (4 rats, 5 rabbits and a ferret)...and that with 30% off that was $68 I saved... *I* think it was worth it... heehee-- working in a pet store is dangerous!

[Valerie]

Most people with ferrets use either towels or old t-shirts in the bottom of the cages.  You did right by adding another litter box where he was going on the second floor.

Valerie

[Anna]

Just an FYI- Heat treated pine pellets are NOT safe, no matter what the package says.
from Debbie D at the RFC

Some claim that pine shavings which are heat-treated are safe because the heat drives off the toxins. There are currently products being sold, notably All-Pet Pine, Feline Pine, and Pine Fresh, that claim to be free of toxins. However, the studies in references 8 and 9 found that heat treatment did not remove all the toxins from the wood. Heat-treated shavings still caused a rise in liver enzymes in rats and mice.

So no matter what you're told, don't believe them. Pine is bad in all forms, no matter how they process it.

That said, I know nothing about ferrets, they're illegal in Ca, and I've never seen one  
Good luck with him though!

[Bonnie]

Yeh, that's exactly why I dind't pick pine pellets. Well not "exactly" but if shavings are bad for my ratties i really really didn't want to put pellets in with my ferret. Paper just sounded healthier.

I think he's mad at me cuz I clipped his box to the cage and he couldn't move it last night. Heehee... but I gave him toys and treats so that better make up for it.

[DragonTamer]

to tell you the truth, I use either yesterday's news or carefresh in the litter box, and the bottom of the cage has NO litter whatsoever.  he's fully litter trained, and goes only in the litter box.  the litter box is clipped to stay put using c-clamps, and you may have to find a bowl that secures to the cage as well if your ferret is anything like mine, lol..  

for the bottom of the cage, it's completely solid (I have a midwest ferret playpen with extra added floors, and 4 hammocks strategically placed for him).  I have a couple fleece blankets and a small pet bed on the botton for him to sleep in, that I wash weekly.  I used to put carefresh on the bottom of the cage, but after a while he began using every single corner of the cage as a "litter box", so I cut that out and just keep the bottom bare except for his bed and blankets.  he has toys strewn about inside the cage (and out... but the cats have fun with them as well.. lol), so,.

figure out what your ferret likes, so you know what kinds of toys to get!  some ferrets love crinkly toys, some love rubber.  whatever the toys, be sure they won't get torn apart and him swallow them.. because their intestines can get blocked extremely easily.. they have a short intestinal tract.   you did buy ferret laxatives too, right..? lol..  

[Bonnie]

Well ever since I clipped the box to the cage he has only gone IN the box. I added the second box on the middle level, where he was pooping on the wire....and he chose to roll around in that one...but he hasn't pooped in it. I figure that if he really wants to sleep in that box and not poop, then I will leave it there, because at least I dont have to clean poop from the wire every day! I'll have to take the litter out of it though...it's all over my floor.

What kind of treats does your ferret eat? I bought 3 different kinds thinking if he's anything like the rats he'd like at least 2 of the 3...and he doesnt bother with any of the 3! (grumble)

I bought him one of those cat toys on a stick...it was a puff ball animal with google eyes, but I took the eyes off so he wouldn't eat them. He loves the thing. He really is something different from anything I have ever owned!!

[DragonTamer]

yeah ferrets are a bundle of fun!  and when they're adults, they're more hyperactive than they are as babies.  most beginner ferret people are told to get babies cause they wear out faster.. but you, like me.. wound up with SUPER HYPER CREATURE OF DOOOOM!!!  mwahaha!!  

LOL I love Spam.  they need about 4 hours of playtime outside the cage.. and the second you let them out, they are extremely hyper!

to tell you the truth, my ferret doesn't like treats at all.  he tried a couple of those pounce cat treats but he really isn't into them..  now, for a treat, I give him either a bit of chicken, boiled chicken liver, or some beef baby food.  he likes a little bit of cold cuts, as well..  the bad thing is I'm a lacto vegetarian, so it feels like I'm being a hypocrite again, buying tofu for me and my ratties, then turning around and buying chicken livers for my ferret.