Hi friends, I need training advice. For the seven years I've had her, my little girl Buttons has rarely done her business in her litter pan. I've tried different styles of litter pans, different sizes for the cage, etc. A year and a half ago, she lost her partner so I decided she could be a free-roaming ferret in our bedroom to keep her spirits up. Since storing away the cage, I switched to puppy pee pads. While her free-roaming lifestyle been really great for the both of us, she refuses to do a majority of her business on the pee pads. She definitely knows it's where she needs to go. I praise her (verbally and sometimes physically by picking her up and kissing her) every time she goes on the pee pads. I even went through a time where I rewarded her with a treat every time she did her business on the pads. Still, she does a majority of her poos and pees on the hardwood floor.  She'll go under furniture or in the middle of the room. I've stepped in her business several times and it's just really disgusting. I want the room clean and Buttons to have healthy habits.

I've caught her in the act several times and verbally scold then move her to a pad then praise her while she finishes going. So because Buttons is old, she may not be making it to the "bathroom," right? Rarely if never, actually. She does a whole song and dance before doing her business.

There was a time where I was going to school full time and she was alone more than usual (this was earlier this year when we were in another living situation). She defecated on the floor when I wasn't around as much and when we spent more time together, there was better behavior. I don't think the amount of attention is an issue now because we're back at home with my family (my mom likes to visit and play with her) and we spend nearly every morning and evening together before I work (I'm gone for 6 hrs so I make sure we have time together).

She's a happy girl in all her other behaviors. I just can't believe I haven't been able to crack this case for this many years. I got to a point a few years back where I gave up but it's getting really bad again. Today I came home from work and she had some poop on her fur and there was some scattered poop on the floor.  I don't want my bedroom floor to be damaged and permanently smell like s**t and piss and I want my little girl to stay clean! Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Hi.  I hate to say it, but 7 is an elderly ferret.  I've had a couple that were pretty good, but not perfect, with the pads and litter boxes, but a few months before they passed, they became incontinent, or just stopped caring.   I'm not saying Buttons is getting ready to go, but at her age, it would be a challenge to train her.  We have a couple now who aren't that great with the papers, so we let them out during the day and cage them at night so we don't get surprises going to the bathroom ourselves at night.  Buttons probably sleeps thought the night anyway, only getting up to go potty.  If she didn't have a problem being in a cage before, you could try it again at night.  One thing I worry about with my oldies is that they'll pass at night and I won't know it.  A small, comfy cage at night, in your room, offers some security.

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