Advice needed

[Deleted]

We are going to be buying a new home shortly and I need advice on making the move as smooth as possible for my 6 babies. 2 of them have been in other homes before we adopted them but the other 4 were brought as babies to current home and have never known anything else.

Currently they reside in the big 2 story ferret mansion. they are let out every evening at about 6pm and roam free till around 10 or 11. In our new home they will actually have their own room. Its a nice size bedroom that the previous owner had used for doing hair. It has a vinyl floor (no rug) and i thought that would make clean up sooo easy. We were planning on letting them have the run of that room and just let them out every day for awhile to join us in family room. I need help with what to provide for them in their room. Does anyone here have a designated ferret room? I love my babies but I am glad to get the cage out of my kitchen!

[dee517]

My kids have their own room. They have had it since 2004 when we moved in. One of their favorite toys is a baby play mat. They have two that I change every week or two. I also change what is hanging on the mat each time I change the mat. Gracie likes the one that plays music when she steps on the flowers. The door is open when ever someone is home to watch them. They often can be found sleeping in one of the cages when their door is open. They come and go as they please. Here are some picture of their room. They have three cages in their room that are open unless we have visitors that need one. I hope this helps.

[huronna]

How great that they will have their own room, but I bet you will still let them run loose once you ferret proof the rest of your house.

I would definitely keep that mansion because even if you leave the door open, they might lick to still venture inside to take a nap in familiar surroundings

Good luck with your new home

[greta]

My two fuzzies have their own room, too. It is air conditioned in the summer time and also contains their 3-level Midwest cage. This bedroom is of average size, but my queen sized bed takes up much of the floor space. I think your main concern should first be ferret proofing. Then make sure most of the ferret things you put in the room is stuff they are used to, such as their cage, their bedding, their dishes, etc. I too, leave the bottom cage door open all day long and only close it after my kiddies are tucked in for the night. Ferrets love structure in their daily lives and they love the familiar. As long as they're all together and you and your hubby are there with them too, they'll be just fine. Ferrets are almost always very adaptable.

Dee, you certainly have some lovely toys for those kids of yours! Where did you find the plastic tent with all the fun, colorful toys inside? Hugs to both of you, Greta

[yukkabelle]

Congratulations for your new home. My babies don't have a specific room, their 2 cages are in my bedroom, but in fact I think I am sleeping in their room. My room is made safe for them. When I am at home they are free runner in the house, but when I am not here, I put them in their cage. Even If I think my room is safe, I prefer to know them safety sleeping in their hammock in their cage. But a room as Dee has made is so great

[ferratootsie]

I have 2 ferret-proofed, adjoining rooms. My original ferret room was the extra bedroom where their cages, food and supplies are kept. Their cage doors are always open during the day but I like to cage them at night so I can sleep knowing they are safely tucked away and easily accessed in case of an emergency. Mine love the play mats, tubes, and boxes with holes cut in them. I put sleep sacks inside the boxes and cover the boxes with sheets or blankets...like their own private den. My flooring in both rooms is vinyl...so easy clean-up. My ferrets have "peanut" & paper dig boxes. They have a tower of fun which they don't use that often. They have safe stuffed toys, rattle eggs, balls, etc. Your ferrets should adjust easily to new surroundings and will probably find it exciting since they love new stuff.
I have three play groups that stay out all day. Two groups stay in the new room divided in half and one group stays in the original ferret room.

This was taken at Xmas of the new room...you can see the divider in the background.

Their original room where their cages are kept.

The new-room addition before it was "filled" with toys, tubes and such and the next pic is of their enclosed porch which they have shared time access.

When they have their own room, you can really get creative especially with a kiddie pool which has water in it when it's hot, snow in the winter and dirt and leaves at other times.
Your kids will LOVE their own room!

[Deleted]

thanks for the advice everyone. My biggest concern was that they would be confused about not having run of the house during their out time. But the new home is large and older and its going to take forever to ferret proof. I fgure if we at least make their room and the family room, which has glass doors to close when they are in it, safe for them then that should be plenty of room for them. Was thinking of replacing door on their room with a glass one so they can see out and not feel so alone. Love the idea of the baby play mats!! what fun those will be for them. I think I spoil my fur kuds more then my skin ones!!!

[yukkabelle]

As Nahum and Petit Ours are not friends despites all my efforts during the past years, I have a Plexiglas at the door of my room. The door is always open, and the Plexiglas is always here. So the one who is in my room (their room) can to see me in the rest of the house.

[dee517]

Greta, the tent is actually a cloth cat tent that came from Big Lots. Most of their toys are things I got at yard sales or the dollar store and did some changing on to make them into ferret toys. The things that are actually ferret toys were on sale. I have been collecting ferret toys since 1997 that is why they have so many. The hammocks in the large cage are made from yard sale baby blankets. They had to be so large because one of our ferrets we had would climb to the top shelf and panic because he was afraid of height. He would only come down if he could not see all the way to the bottom of the cage.