Making Your Own Ferret Toys - Tunnels and Mazes

Tips and Tricks for Entertaining Pet Ferrets

Aug 26, 2009

Keeping pet ferrets busy and happy doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Here are some activities and ideas that won't break a budget, but keep a ferret entertained.

Healthy, happy ferrets require plenty of time out of a cage. The Ferret Handbook by Kim Schilling states that a ferret needs a minimum of 4 hours of playtime, out of their cage, every single day. Of course, it's not enough to simply put a ferret in an empty room and expect it to entertain itself. Ferrets need toys and interaction, either with other ferrets or with a human. Commercial ferret toys can be very pricey and completely ignored by a ferret. Making ferret toys out of common household materials or things available at a local store saves a lot of time and money.

Feeding Dens and the Instinct to Forage

The idea of a ferret feeding den comes from the user MustelidMusk on the Holistic Ferret Forum. In her article, she outlines how polecats, ferret's wild relatives, have a den that they drag their food into when eating. Many ferrets naturally mimic this behavior, hiding food in strange places or carrying it behind furniture to eat.

Indulging this instinct is simple. MustelidMusk suggests "a small waste paper basket laid on its side with a towel draped over the opening - or even a cardboard box on its side." Ferrets also have an instinct for forgaging, or searching out food. Hiding a little bit of ferret kibble or some ferret safe treats in different places a ferret frequents can give it an extra activity during the exploration of the play space.

Foraging cups are another great way to stimulate this instinct, as well as challenging a ferret's problem solving skills. This is another idea from MustelidMusk - she suggests using the "puzzle cups" that pet stores sell for parrots. The cups have space to store treats, and each type of cup has a different way to release the treats. The simpler cups that simply slide apart are the best choice for ferrets. They are difficult enough to pose a challenge, but not so hard that the ferret loses interest.

Cardboard Mazes and Caves

Cardboard boxes are easy to find for free. Most package stores or grocery stores have plenty to give away. A cardboard maze or cave system can be a great chance to explore for a ferret. Construction is simple. Tape the boxes shut with clear packaging tape, then cut holes large enough for the ferret to fit through. Cut these entrances so they'll line up, and tape the boxes together. Don't forget to cut an opening for the ferret to get in.

Crumpled up paper balls makes a great toy to chase around a cardboard maze. Treats can also be hidden in different "rooms" for more foraging fun. As always with ferrets, check the boxes, inside and out, often for signs of chewing or gnawing. Cardboard could cause a blockage, so remove the boxes if the ferrets are eating any part of it.

Tubes and Tunnels

Cardboard tubes can be made out of empty oatmeal containers. It's as simple as cutting the end off. It can take a long time to accumulate enough oatmeal containers to make a decent tunnel, but another option is to use the containers to connect the cardboard boxes. Potato chip cans are not a good choice due to the small diameter, which can trap a ferret and injure it.

2 liter soda bottles can be saved to make tunnels. Once the bottles are washed, both ends should be cut off. Most brands fit together interchangeably, and a little clear packaging tape helps to hold the individual sections together. These tunnels are a lot of fun because it's easy to watch the ferrets scurrying around.

The hardware store also has some inexpensive options for tunnels. PVC pipe, at least 4 inches in diameter and up, is the best choice due to the strength of the material to resist chewing. Corrugated black pipes, also at least 4 inches in diameter, and dryer vent hose also work, but need more supervision since the materials are not as durable.

Ferrets are Natural Explorers

Engaged ferrets make better pets, and lead healthier lives. Enrichment doesn't have to be a chore, or cost a lot of money. Creative toys and structures can be made from household objects such as cardboard boxes, empty 2 liter soda bottles, and empty oatmeal containers. Human interaction is also a great way to entertain a ferret, and it costs nothing.

The copyright of the article Making Your Own Ferret Toys - Tunnels and Mazes in Pet Care is owned by Jessica Kolifrath. Permission to republish Making Your Own Ferret Toys - Tunnels and Mazes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.