Corner litter tray for ferrets: how to litter train your ferret

Ferrets can be litter trained well. They naturally choose a fixed corner to do their business, often shortly after waking up. As they do so, they back up against the wall. A corner litter tray with a high back wall matches that behaviour exactly: everything ends up in the tray and not next to it. With absorbent pellets in it, the toilet corner stays dry and the cage smells less.

In this category you will find corner litter trays in various sizes, paper pellets for the tray, a litter scoop and cleaning products to keep the cage and toilet corner fresh.

At a glance

• ✓ Put the corner litter tray in the corner your ferret chooses itself, and fix it in place with the hooks.
• ✓ Choose a litter tray with a high back wall; ferrets back into the corner.
• ✓ Use absorbent, low-dust pellets or hemp; preferably no clumping or dusty cat litter.
• ✓ Scoop out the tray daily and put several litter trays in the free-roaming area.
• ✓ Rinse thoroughly after cleaning; ferrets have a sensitive nose.

What will you find in the Toilet pellets & Corner toilets category?

Corner litter trays for rats and ferrets

There are several corner litter trays intended for rats and ferrets. The Zolux Neolife corner toilets come in 35 × 25 × 15 cm (blue) and 42 × 31 × 21 cm (green), and there is a Zolux corner toilet of 32 × 22 × 14.5 cm in mint green. The Trixie corner toilet measures 36 × 21 × 30/30 cm. You will also find a Flamingo corner toilet of 35.5 × 24.5 × 18.5 cm and a corner toilet with fixing hooks of 35 × 24 × 19 cm. You attach litter trays with fixing hooks to the bars, so a ferret cannot shift them or tip them over.

De Boon square ferret toilet

This white, square litter tray is made especially for ferrets and, according to the short description, is easy to clean. It also fits in a corner of the enclosure.

Larger litter trays

If you have a large cage or several ferrets, a larger litter tray can be handy. According to the product information, the Flamingo corner toilet of 49 × 34.5 × 26 cm is intended for rabbits and ferrets. This category also has large litter trays for rabbits: a corner toilet with hooks of 49.5 × 34 × 26 cm, the Trixie corner toilet of 45 × 21 × 30/30 cm and the Savic toilet of 42 × 31.5 × 12.5 cm. For ferrets, pay particular attention to a high back wall; the Savic toilet has a low rim.

Paper pellets

The Back-2-Nature paper pellets (20 and 30 litres) are made from more than 99% recycled paper and, according to the product information, are low in dust and highly absorbent. Pellets stay in the tray well and are kicked around the cage less quickly than loose fibres. Zooply Hemp Fibre and Zooply Cardboard Shreds from the bedding category are also highly absorbent and suitable for the toilet corner.

Litter scoop

With the Beeztees litter scoop you can easily scoop droppings and wet pellets out of a corner litter tray. Small, but it makes the daily round a lot quicker.

Cleaning products

For the cage and litter trays you will find the Flamingo cleaning products for rodent enclosures with lavender or lemon scent (500 ml), an enzyme-based spray against dried-in urine stains and odours (500 ml) and a floor and surface cleaner (1 litre). Ferret urine sometimes leaves a hard deposit on plastic; an enzyme cleaner helps to soak it loose.

What should you look for when choosing a corner litter tray?

High back wall, low entry

The ideal ferret tray is high at the back and sides, and low at the front. The high walls catch everything when your ferret backs into the corner; the low front makes it easy to step in. That last point is extra important for young ferrets and for older ferrets that are getting a bit stiffer.

Fixing in place

Ferrets push, dig and drag. A litter tray that stands loose gets shifted or tipped over, and then the contents end up all over the cage. So in the cage, choose a litter tray with fixing hooks or clamps, so it is firmly attached to the bars.

Material

Sturdy, smooth plastic is the easiest to keep clean. Urine does not soak in and you can remove deposits again with an enzyme cleaner. Check the tray now and then for cracks or chewed edges; replace it if the plastic gets damaged.

Odour in the home

A well-maintained toilet corner makes a big difference to odour. Ferrets also naturally have their own musky body odour. That smell is part of the animal and cannot be solved with litter pellets or fragrances in the cage. What does help: scooping out the toilet corner daily, washing sleeping spots and blankets regularly and ventilating the room well.

How to litter train your ferret

First see which corner your ferret uses itself and put the litter tray there. Put a few droppings in the tray, so your ferret recognises the smell. Ferrets often do their business right after waking up: put your ferret in or next to the tray at that moment. Reward it with a ferret treat when it gets it right.

During free-roaming time, a ferret only gives a few minutes' warning. So put one or more litter trays in the free-roaming area too, in the corners your ferret picks out. The bigger the space, the more litter trays you need. If something goes wrong, clean the spot thoroughly with an enzyme cleaner and, if necessary, put a litter tray there.

Setting up the litter tray in the cage

Put the litter tray on the lowest level or in the spot where your ferret has already done its business before. Keep at least a cage width between it and the sleeping spots and food bowl; ferrets do not like doing their business close to where they eat and sleep. If the cage has several levels and your ferret also uses a corner upstairs, put a small extra litter tray there. Fill the tray with a layer of pellets a few centimetres deep: enough to absorb moisture, not so much that your ferret digs it all out.

Cleaning

Scoop out the tray daily and top up with fresh pellets. Leave a little used material in it, so the tray keeps smelling like a toilet. Clean the litter tray completely on a regular basis. If you use a scented cleaning product, rinse thoroughly with water and let everything dry. Ferrets have a sensitive nose and sometimes stop choosing a strongly scented tray as their toilet.

Why not cat litter?

Clumping cat litter is often made of clay and can be dusty. Ferrets like to dig and sniff in their litter tray and may play with it. Low-dust pellets made from paper or natural fibres are therefore a better choice.

Handy combinations

• Bedding for ferrets, including Zooply hemp, cardboard and cotton and washable fleece.
• Ferret cages with room for a corner litter tray on the lowest level.
• Care products such as disinfectant for a thorough clean.
• Ferret treats to reward your ferret when it uses the litter tray properly.

Frequently asked questions about corner litter trays for ferrets

Which size of corner litter tray suits a ferret?

An adult ferret must be able to turn around in the tray and stand backed up against the wall. The litter trays for rats and ferrets in this category are made for that. For large ferrets, a group or the free-roaming area you can choose a larger model, such as the Flamingo corner toilet for rabbits and ferrets.

My ferret does its business next to the tray. What now?

Often the back wall is too low or the tray is not exactly in the corner your ferret wants to use. Put the tray tight into that corner and fix it in place. If necessary, choose a litter tray with a higher back wall. Clean the spot next to the tray thoroughly, so the smell does not draw your ferret back.

Does every ferret become litter trained?

Most ferrets learn to use the litter tray well, but hardly any ferret is one hundred per cent reliable. Especially during play in a large space, accidents happen now and then. With enough litter trays in the spots your ferret chooses itself and patience in the first few weeks, it usually keeps getting better.

How many litter trays do I need?

In the cage usually one per level where your ferret spends a lot of time, and a few extra in the free-roaming area. Ferrets do not walk far to go to the toilet. More litter trays means fewer accidents.

Do I need to put pellets in the litter tray or can it be empty?

Always use a layer of pellets or absorbent fibres. Without filling, urine stays in the tray, it starts to smell sooner and your ferret gets wet paws. In addition, a ferret recognises a tray with pellets as a toilet more easily. A few centimetres is enough; scoop out the wet parts daily and top up.

What do I clean the litter tray with?

With warm water and a cleaning product for animal enclosures. For stubborn urine deposits, an enzyme cleaner works well. Always rinse thoroughly and let the litter tray dry before you put in new pellets.

Can I use hemp or cardboard shreds in the litter tray?

Yes. According to the product information, Zooply Hemp Fibre absorbs a lot of moisture, which makes it suitable for the toilet corner. Cardboard shreds and paper pellets are also good options. Choose low-dust and unscented.

Corner litter trays for ferrets at Knaagplaza

With a good corner litter tray in the right spot, absorbent pellets and a fixed cleaning routine, your ferret will quickly be litter trained and the cage will stay fresh. At Knaagplaza you will find everything for that toilet corner together.