The 5 Best Litters For Ferrets
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Ferrets are similar to cats in a number of ways. They spend a great deal of time grooming themselves and they can be litter trained. Litter training your ferret helps keep the cage clean and tidy, plus it helps with odor control. On top of litter training your ferret, however, you have to choose the right litter that will get the job done.
In this article, we’ll talk about litter training your ferret and provide some tips for choosing the best ferret litter. You’ll also see our top 5 picks for the best ferret litter.
We highly recommend looking at the comparison table we have below where we highlighted the features of each product. You’ll also find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Compare Best Litters For Ferrets
Budget Pick
3. Kaytee Critter Litter Premium Potty Training Small Animal Litter |
Best For Odor Control
5. Vitakraft Fresh World Ultra Strength Small Animal Bedding |
|||
Materials
Recycled paper |
Materials
Paper |
Materials
Bentonite |
Materials
Paper |
Materials
Recycled paper |
Capacity
10 pounds |
Capacity
31.0 pounds |
Capacity
8 pounds |
Capacity
20 pounds |
Capacity
2130 cubic inches |
Key Features
Non-allergenic, recycled, non-toxic |
Key Features
Unscented, Non-Clumping, Odor Control, Dust Free, Low Tracking |
Key Features
Non-toxic, absorbent, odor control |
Key Features
Absorbent, odor control, dust-free |
Key Features
Odor control, dust-free |
What To Look For In Litter For Ferrets
When it comes to choosing litter for your ferret, you need to think about safety as well as practicality. It makes so sense to choose a litter that won’t absorb liquid or help control odor, but it also doesn’t make sense to choose something that could harm your ferret.
Here are some important things to look for in ferret litter:
- Safe, non-toxic ingredients. Ferret litter needs to be made from safe, ideally natural, non-toxic materials. Things like recycled paper or wood pellets are ideal.
- Odor control. The entire point of a litter box is to contain waste and control odor, so choose a ferret litter that supports that goal.
- Dust-free. Ferrets have sensitive respiratory systems, so it is important to choose a litter that is 99% or more dust-free. Fortunately, most ferret litters are.
- Easy to clean. Ferrets don’t cover their stool like cats, so you’re better off using a thin layer and replacing it every few days. Choose a little that is easy to replace since you won’t be scooping.
Our Top Picks For The Best Litters For Ferrets
Now that you have a better idea what to look for in a ferret litter, it’s time to start shopping! Keep reading to see our top 5 picks for the best ferret litters.
Marshall Premium Odor Control Ferret Litter
Product Info
- Materials: Recycled paper
- Capacity: 10 pounds
- Key Features: Non-allergenic, recycled, non-toxic
- Made from 100% recycled paper materials
- Non-toxic and non-allergenic
- Up to 400% more absorbent than clay litter
- Not as soft as some materials
- Large bags can be fairly heavy
Yesterday's News Purina Cat Litter
Product Info
- Materials: Paper
- Capacity: 31.0 pounds
- Key Features: Unscented, Non-Clumping, Odor Control, Dust Free, Low Tracking
- Unscented, won’t irritate respiratory system
- Made from recycled paper, dust-free
- Absorbs 3x its weight in liquid
- Large bags can be fairly heavy
- Paper bag is not resealable
Kaytee Critter Litter Premium Potty Training Small Animal Litter
Product Info
- Materials: Bentonite
- Capacity: 8 pounds
- Key Features: Non-toxic, absorbent, odor control
- Designed for potty training
- Non-toxic, all-natural materials
- Absorbs odor and liquid on contact
- May become wet with large amounts of liquid
- Very fine, may take more than other litters
So Phresh Paper Pellet Small Animal Litter
Product Info
- Materials: Paper
- Capacity: 20 pounds
- Key Features: Absorbent, odor control, dust-free
- Fast-absorbing pellets lock in moisture
- Made from natural materials, 99% dust-free
- Fragrance-free with baking soda
- Larger pellets than some paper litter
- Larger bags can be fairly heavy
Vitakraft Fresh World Ultra Strength Small Animal Bedding
Product Info
- Materials: Recycled paper
- Capacity: 2130 cubic inches
- Key Features: Odor control, dust-free
- Controls odor for up to 14 days
- Absorbs 3x its weight in liquid
- All-natural and 99.5% dust-free
- Very fine litter, may be kicked out of the box easily
- Doesn’t expand as much as some litter
Tips For Litter Training A Ferret
Ferrets are intelligent animals and they can be trained to use a litter box. This helps reduce the buildup of waste in your ferret cage and also helps control odor. It is fairly easy to litter train a ferret, but it doesn’t require a little time.
Here Are Some Simple Tips For Litter Training A Ferret:
- Look for an area of the cage where your ferret consistently does its business – this is the best place to put your litter box since the ferret is already used to going there.
- Place one litter box on each level in a large ferret cage – ferrets have fast metabolisms, so they go fairly often and need to have a litter box nearby when it’s time to go.
- Choose a litter box with low sides that are easy for your ferret to step over – you don’t need to fill the box very full, so there is no point choosing one with high sides.
- To get your ferret used to using the box, place it in the litter box each time it wakes up from a nap – if it climbs out without going, putting it back in until it does.
- Give positive reinforcement in the form of a treat when your ferret uses the litter box – this will encourage it to keep using it and it will eventually become a habit.
Once your ferret is litter trained, all you have to do is provide a litter box and clean it out as needed. You should be able to go 5 to 7 days between replacing the litter, but it may need to be done more often in cages with more than one ferret.
Final Remarks
Choosing the right litter for your ferret is important because it plays a significant role in keeping the cage clean and controlling odor. Your ferret’s safety is the priority, so choose a litter made from non-toxic materials and do your job as a responsible ferret owner in cleaning the litter box at least once a week.
If you’re still not sure where to start in looking for ferret litter, try out one of the top 5 best ferret litters we’ve reviewed above. Good luck!
Cyndi McCool
My daughter picked up Kaytee Bird &small pet wood pellets litter. I wanted to make sure it is safe for our new little boy.
Kate Barrington
Hi Cyndi, we can't find any information about this product that says what type of wood is used in the pellets. Does it say on the packaging? Pine and cedar are not recommended because they contain oils that can be harmful to small pets, but aspen is fine!
Weasel
I have had a couple of ferrets over about 20 years. I have never had one so stinky as the one I have now. She’s an I’ m sad adoption because we took her on Christmas Eve and no one shouldn’t be alone on Christmas. We clean her every other day but she stinks. Can you help?
Kate Barrington
Hi Liz, is your ferret spayed? Unfixed ferrets tend to have a stronger odor than fixed ferrets due to the hormones.