More Unusual Ferret DIY Toy Ideas
The key to DIY ferret toys is that they don’t need to be elaborate or fancy. They simply need to appeal to one or more of your ferret’s instincts.
With a little bit of creativity and some behavioral knowhow, you can keep your ferret happily entertained for hours with an ever-expanding collection of homemade ferret toys.
Here are some ideas are broken down by behavior.
Tunneling and burrowing
An easy and obvious option is PVC piping. This cheap, sturdy material is freely available from hardware stores with a variety of junctions and joiners.
If you’re feeling creative, a maze of ferret tunnels homemade by you will delight your furry buddy.
You can even mix and change the layout when your tunnel-frenzied pal needs a new challenge.
Many ferret owners make a tunnel maze a permanent fixture of a DIY ferret playpen, as it keeps them safely occupied on their own for hours.
Extra bonus points, conceal a few delicious ferret treats in the maze
Digging and rooting
Another homemade ferret toy option is to fill a box with non-toxic digging material. Dried grains or even plant matter are good options.
They’ll love to scrabble about, especially if you hide their favorite plaything inside.
Be careful what materials you use, as ferrets love chewing.
Small plastic or styrofoam pellets are not a good choice as they may be choking hazards.
Ferrets tend to be obsessed with crinkly, crunchy noises. For bonus ferret delight, try burying stiff paper in their “diggin’ box.”
The sound it makes is like ferret catnip!
Biting and chewing
No DIY ferret toy list would be complete without some options to appeal to a ferret’s passion for getting up close and personal with toys with a human scent.
The gold standard in ferret chewing toys are shoes, and most ferret owners know all too well the importance of keeping good shoes well out of reach.
You’re sitting on a goldmine if you have some old gym shoes you no longer need.
Just make sure you remove the laces as these may pose a strangulation hazard.
It’s also important to note that if you find your ferret’s natural nippiness is directed at you, training may be needed to channel its biting instincts.
Grappling and tugging
Ferrets adore grabbing onto things and pulling. While lengths of rope are great tugging toys, with a bit of creativity you can do even better.
Grab an old gym sock or the sleeve of an old shirt tied closed on one end.
Then stuff it with a few lumpy objects your ferret can really sink its teeth into.
Good options include old tennis balls, tightly balled cloth or even ping pong balls.
This may look a little basic, but to your ferret, it’ll be the ideal victim for an all-out tugging attack.
While tugging toys are fun and easy to make, it’s important to remember that they will receive a battering and may fall apart rather quickly.
Close supervision is important if there’s anything small your ferret can swallow.
DIY ferret toys for happy pets!
Play is a vital part of a happy ferret’s life.
Playful ferrets will also be happy to entertain you!
