THE CARPET SHARK
The official newsletter of the North Island Ferret Club

The Great Litter Debate

More and more often I hear the question "What litter should we use?" Until now I have only advised what we use for our ferrets. Well in the last 5 weeks we have run a litter test on our own ferrets. We have used The following types of litter :

Corn cob

Recycled Newspaper

Clay

Clumping

Wood Pellets

We clean our ferrets litter boxes every 2nd day, this means dumping the boxes and scrubbing them down with a bleach cleanser. The main things we were observing were : possible health risks, odor control, absorbancy, cleaning difficulties, and ferrets preferance. Here is a table of our findings.

Our overall opinion of this litter is a big NO! There was very little absorbancy, and NO odor control, although the boxes were not difficult to clean the odor made it a very unpleasant task, I could see no immediate health risk, but several of our ferrets chose to go outside the litter box for the duration of the corn cob test.

This litter has received another NO! It did absorb the waste but became a gloppy mess in the box, that and the complete abscence of odor control made cleaning difficult and messy along with an overpowering odor. I see a health risk in the glop that forms when the paper absorbs the urine. Most of our ferrets would use this litter but two dug it out of the box before they would use it.

We found this litter useable, with moderate absorbtion and odor control, a bit of work in cleaning but nothing intolerable. A small health problem in association with the amount of dust, a few ferrets had to have this litter removed because of apparent dust allergies. All ferrets were willing to use the clay litter.

If you are home all day 'armed' and ready to scoop I suppose you may be willing to resort to clumping litter. Ours lasted about twenty minutes before I cleaned the boxes again. Instant and major health risks! If the ferret steps in the damp litter the stuff clumps up in the pads of their feet. When they 'wipe' little bits of the litter gummed around their butts and stuck in the fur, I worry about ferrets ingesting this stuff while trying to get it out of their fur. The ferrets all used it but I don't trust it. (this stuff is a big red flag NO!!!!)

These are GREAT!! No allergie risks, no immediate health risks, fabulous odor control, and the boxes were SOO easy to clean. The pellets get a hearty THUMBS UP!! We have switched from clay litter to the stove pellets, they are so cheap, about $4.50 for a forty pound bag and you can get them at any lumber supplies store.

Your thoughts and comments on all aspects of our newsletter are welcome, look for your letters in our " Letters To The Editor " section (not all letters will be published)

A First Aid Kit is a nescessary addition to every home. It is just as imporatant to be prepared in case your ferret sustains an injury so here is a list of items you may want consider putting into a first aid kit for your fuzzie in case of an emergency

Scissors

Hairball laxitive

Pedialyte

Gauze bandage rolls

Eyedropper

Q-Tips

3% Hydrogen peroxide

Heating pad

Antibacterial ointment

Vaseline

Eyewash (Sterile Saline)

Styptic pencil

Kaopectate

Karo Syrup or Honey

Rectal thermometer (Or ear thermometer)

Chemical ice pack

Towels and washcloths

Have you got some little known information you feel other ferret owners should know about? Write us and maybe we'll publish your letter in THE RUMOUR MILL.