Have you just acquired a new pet and fallen in love with it? Is it friendly, athletic, and curious? Then, you have a ferret. They are little carnivores with several endearing qualities. These make them suitable pets. As a new ferret owner, you will have questions about their pooping habits. A commonly asked one is, how often do ferrets poop?
Let’s get started on this piece of information:
On average, a ferret will stool once every 3-4 hours daily. Now, this is dependent on food intake. Ferrets eat as they like, being free feeders. Hence, a ferret’s stool could be slightly more than usual at 5/6 times a day. It could be less than the usual frequency at 1/2 times a day. Most ferrets will poop 3-4 times daily. Your observation of your pet’s pooping is best compared to its feeding. This helps you understand its pooping pattern better.
However, this isn’t all about how often ferrets poop.
You may want answers to some of your other questions. Can you train your ferret to use a litter box? Is ferret stool harmful? This article will furnish you with adequate details on these questions and others. Let’s dive right in.
Related article: “How To Tell How Old A Ferret Is“?
Table of Contents
How Often Do Ferrets Poop? [In More Detail …]
In understanding this aspect, we’ll need some insight into a ferret’s digestive tract. Ferrets are carnivores-meat-eaters. This influences how their digestive tracts process food. Research shows that foods high in fiber typically take longer to digest. Herbivores (plant eaters) have long digestive tracts adapted for this purpose. Ferrets have short digestive tracts because they’re meat-eaters.
When ingested, food takes about 4 hours for processing in a ferret’s digestive tract. This explains why a ferret will stool every 3-4 hours or an average of 3-4 times daily. Keep in mind that digestion is towards one goal only- absorbing healthy nutrients. Poop is simply a by-product of this goal.
All you need to follow is your ferret’s routine. Monitoring its feeding: pooping ratio will help to notice any change in time.
On average, a ferret will stool once every 3-4 hours daily. Now, this is dependent on food intake. Ferrets eat as they like, being free feeders. Hence, a ferret’s stool could be slightly more than usual at 5/6 times a day. It could be less than the usual frequency at 1/2 times a day. Most ferrets will poop 3-4 times daily.
How Does Healthy Ferret Poop Looks Like?
It’s very important to characterize your ferret stool. Use these three factors- color, shape, and consistency. The normal stool is smooth and looks just like toothpaste in shape and consistency. The color varies from a light tan one to brown. If left for some time, it turns dark brown and hardens.
Notice that a healthy ferret poop has the same type of shape and color most of the time. If you see changes in the shape, the color, or the texture in general, I recommend asking your local vet for professional advice. If the changes are not so often and it comes from time to time it does not have to be a health issue.
A black color poop is something we must be aware of and see if it continues, maybe it’s better to advise with your local vet.
If your pet has some diet changes, it’s also normal to see changes in your friend’s stool. Give it two or three weeks to see it’s stabilized.
Remember, it’s the pattern that counts. A sudden change will draw your attention but is not a cause for alarm. Take your time to observe with care.
Do Ferrets Poop Everywhere?
Is your pet potty-trained? Potty training solves this problem. If your ferret isn’t potty trained, get ready to clean up after your pet. Traditionally, you’ll see your ferret’s stool in corners. Finding your ferret poop all over the place means you’re not so lucky with your pet. It needs some training. Some of them do their thing away from your prying eyes. You might see some stool under your furniture if your ferret is nervous or shy. It doesn’t end here though.
An aging ferret can find it difficult to get make it to its litter box. Its bowel control might not be as great as it once was. Male ferrets need to have all four feet in their pans before they poop so you need a big pan. As already mentioned, potty training your pet takes away all these issues. It will take time but you’ll find out that the effort pays off.
Related article: “Can You Bathe A Ferret?“
Do Ferrets Throw Poop?
Ferrets don’t throw their poop. They are quite conscious of their environment. They never do their toilet business where they eat or sleep. Take this fact into consideration in the way you set up their cage, assuming you have one for them. If you take your time to observe them, you should notice the following: They back up into a corner. There, they lift their tails and poop against a corner of the litter tray; After, they advance, make a complete turn then sniff the poop; Then, they back off. As an owner, you must remove the feces as fast as possible.
Why Do Ferrets Poop In Corners?
Let’s go back in time to understand this habit of ferrets. Before ferrets came to live with humans, they had no option of litter boxes. They had to poop yet stay on guard against roving predators. They solved the problem of pooping by backing into corners and doing their thing from time to time. With heads held up high to search the sky for any trouble, they’d drop their stool. Ferrets love to interact with one another. Hence, it was common to see a few of them poop in the same corner until they leave a huge pile in their wake.
Today, ferrets remain wired just like their previous generations. This is why you’d be making it easier for them and yourself when you put their litter pans in corners.
Related article: “How To Tell If A Ferret Is Scared?“
Is Ferrets Poop Toxic?
Well, you should not handle ferrets poop anyhow. They shed salmonella and other bacteria (e.g campylobacter) through their poop. Humans who come in contact with the stool can get infected. You should never feed your ferret raw or undercooked meat or unpasteurized meat. This has an association with salmonella infection. It’s not so easy to detect the disease in a ferret. Some may pass the bloody stool and have red eyes (conjunctivitis).
Always wash your hands with soap and running water after handling ferrets poop. You should also wash your hands before and after touching their food and water. Using a hand sanitizer works fine too.
Do Ferrets Poop In Litter Boxes?
Yes! We want to keep away our ferret stool from his sleeping area – right? also our lovey ferrets want the same!
Buying your ferret pet a litter box is highly recommended. It will make our pet environment cleaner, and fewer baths will be needed also.
Some experts say it’s better to train your ferret before bringing a litter box. This is because ferrets have a very fast metabolism and they usually can’t hold if they are not near the litter box.
If you are seeing they are not using the litter box, try to move it around, it might be they just don’t like the current place.
Here are some recommended steps I would try if I have a new litter box:
- Set the litter box in a place you think is good. start with something, doesn’t matter for now. place some feces on it to give your pet the feeling this is the place to do it.
- If you see him fall asleep, put him inside the litter box as they like to poop just after they got up.
- If you succeeded to train your ferret and he did it inside the litter box, great! give your pet a treat. it works! for the opposite, it’s ok, be patient, it will finally work
Related article: “Do Ferrets Have Good Eyesight?“
Final thoughts
By now, you’ve plenty of information on your ferret’s toilet habits at your disposal. Do put it to use. Keep in mind that monitoring their feeding: poop ratio is a way to assess their well-being from time to time. Not every change in stool nature points to ill health. Raw foods cause ferrets to excrete very colorful poop sometimes. You should worry if stool appears dark or if you can see blood, if it is green and slimy or if it’s pencil-thin.
A healthy ferret makes for the best pet. Never forget that!
