I have a ferret who is probably a little over a year old who is refusing to litter train. I don't mean she's slow or not learning, I mean absolute defiance. I've tried everything. Different litter, placing boxes in her favorite spots and most recently puppy pads. She moves the boxes, finds somewhere else to go, or tears the puppy pads up. Even in her cage, she goes on the top level to avoid the litter box. When I put a puppy pad in the cage last night, she went in her BEDDING to avoid it. I've been using the training method of taking her to the box and giving her the chance to go. If she goes, I treat her and let her free. If she doesn't, cage. Next time she's awake again, we go again. Even when she does go, she jumps out at least 10 times before she'll go. I'm at my wits end with her because I'm wanting to move out of my house in the next few months and there's nowhere I can move if I'm gonna have a ferret ruining the floors. I can't just get rid of her either bc I have another ferret who loves her and I know how ferrets get attached, I can't just punish her for this ferrets defiance. I need help.

Litter box training 101 - Cage *Move her down to ground floor. No shelves *Place a high back litter box on one side of the cage and secure it down. *Cover all your corners in the cage. (water bowl/food bowl/hang a stuff animal, etc). * Place a hammock into the bottom half of the cage for him/her to sleep in. * Place blanket/towel on the bottom of cage. * Throw down some toys on the floor. *Place some poop into the litter box, so that she/he knows this is the potty area. *do not let your little one out until he/she uses the litter box. This works in our household, I hope this helps.

My ferrets weren't pros either, though I can't say they meant to be bad. Min used paper towels because they were cheap and took up more space so the ferrets had more trouble missing. A third of my cage had paper towels for them to use, and they did. They tended to avoid their towel, which is what they slept in, as well as their food and water areas. That is good advice above. Don't give up, keep trying new things. Ferrets are stubborn, more so then a mule, but you just have to be more stubborn. Best of luck!