Best Ferret Litter Boxes & Pans Guide To Pick The Right One

Are you looking for a litter box for your ferret?

Should you choose a ferret corner litter box or a large one?

I want to help you with those questions and many others related to the topic. I will talk about the difference between a litter box and a litter pan or tray, I will show you the materials used and designs you can choose from. Each design will come with pros and cons so you can easily determine which one is a better choice for you and your pet. I will also show you how to pick the best one so you can completely adjust it to the ferret you have in your home. So, let’s start!

Can Ferrets Use A Litter Box?

Yes, when it comes to potty, ferrets are similar to cats meaning they will use a litter box for that. Most ferrets quickly figure out what a litter box is for. But, some of them need a few guidelines. So, if you want to train your ferret to go potty, you can check out my post about ferret litter box training. Most ferrets are pretty clean animals so they don’t like to do their business everywhere, they have a couple of designated spots for that.

Ferret Litter Box, Pan Or Tray?

You can consider a ferret litter box, ferret litter tray, and a ferret litter pan the same thing. Their name actually depends on where you are from. But, I would like to say that a litter box is the highest option of them all. It has all 4 sides high (or at least 3) and it can come with the cover, especially if you end up in the cat litter box market while searching for a ferret litter box. I would stick to the ferret litter pan and tray options simply because they have slightly lower sides which are better for our short-legged pets. That is a part of the litter box design I will write about below so stay tuned!

Where To Put A Litter Box?

Ferrets poop, a lot. Thanks to their fast digestive system, they will do it a couple of times a day so it is a good idea to place a litter box in several spots in your home.

Litter Box In The Cage

The first one definitely should go in the ferret cage. That way your pet can do his business without exiting the cage. This litter box is usually on the bottom level of the cage, right next to the doors. Your ferret can easily exit the cage after the potty and you can easily clean it too.

If you have a multi-level ferret cage, place the litter box away from the water and food bowls. I would recommend placing it away from the sleeping area too. Multi-level cages usually allow you to reserve a bottom of the cage for the litter box only.

In the Corner Of The Room

If you have a ferret room, then you should definitely put at least one litter pan in the corner of that room. If your ferret has only one litter box, accidents can happen because he might not be able to hold that long to run to the litter pan.

If you don’t have a ferret room and your pet roams your home, make sure you have a litter pan in every room your ferret has access to. That way you will prevent accidents from happening no matter where your ferret is.

What Are Bad Ferret Litter Boxes?

You can’t simply buy the first litter box for your ferret because there is a chance your ferret won’t use it. There are too high, too big, too noisy, and unnecessary litter boxes so let’s remove them from the equation immediately.

High & Closed Cat Litter Boxes

So, the thing you have to avoid is to buy cat litter boxes with 4 high sides. Although cat litter boxes are easy to find, they aren’t suitable for ferrets because they are simply too high. Your ferret will have trouble getting in and eventually, he will stop using it. Those high sides are there because cats bury their poop so they can spread the litter outside the box. Ferrets don’t do that so there is no point in using them.

Automatic Litter Boxes

Another bad litter box choice is the automatic litter box. The first reason for that is that they are simply too big. Most of them are even higher than the models I mentioned above. Yes, they can save you time with the self-cleaning option, but they aren’t a good choice for ferrets. If they have holes on the side, you can be sure ferrets will try to squeeze in which can be dangerous.

Litter Boxes With Grid

Mesh design boxes are made for small animals like rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, etc. Ferret poop is different in structure from their poop. That means the poop won’t go through the holes on the liner and you will have a mess. So, avoid the grin on the litter box to avoid the mess.

Good Ferret Litter Box Designs

There are a few things you have to consider while picking the best litter box or pan. So, let’s talk about them and we will start with the design.

At Least One Lower Side

The first thing you need to remember is that ferrets are small. So, use litter boxes with at least one lower side so your ferret can enter without jumping in it. Yes, ferrets are energetic and they love to jump, but try jumping with the full bladder. Not so fun. Keep in mind that older ferrets will have trouble entering so they will simply do their business next to the litter pan and that won’t be their fault.

Hook For The Cage

Another thing you can do is to get a litter pan with a hook, especially for the cage. Ferrets love to move the litter pan around the cage. So, if you want to keep the pan in one place, a hook can help you with that. The hook can be a basic hook or a simple lock to attach to the cage.

Good Ferret Litter Box Shapes

Ferrets poop and pee in corners. They do it so they can have an open view of what is happening when they are the most vulnerable. So, with that in mind, you can see that the best litter pan option would be the one that goes in the corner.

Triangular Ferret Litter Pan

The triangular litter pan is the most common option because it fits any corner of your home or the ferret cage. They come with two high sides and one lower side so your ferret can easily enter the litter box and do his business. Thanks to their design, they are pretty small so they won’t take too much space in the ferret cage.

You can easily find them in a small animal offer because they are very similar to ones made for rabbits or other small animals. They are a better option for a ferret cage than the next shape I want to share with you – the rectangular shape.

Rectangular Ferret Litter Pan

The second option is the rectangular litter pan. To make sure you have the right choice, you have to keep in mind that at least one side has to be lower than the others.

Usually, it is one of the shorter sides while the longer ones are higher. Rectangular litter pans are a good option if you have many ferrets. Those large ferret litter boxes can be put in the cage or in the corner of the room. I would recommend them for outside of the cage since they are much larger than triangle ones.

Good Ferret Litter Box Material

The best and the most common material used for a litter box (or pan) is plastic. Plastic is cheap, light, easy to clean, and comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and designs. It is the best option because it is the most durable material and that is why 99% of all litter boxes on the market are made of plastic.

There are a few stainless steel options that are better because they reduce smell and bacteria growth, but, unfortunately, most of them are not suitable for ferrets since they come with too high sides.

You really don’t have to worry about picking the wrong option. That is great because we can now focus on more important things like shape and design.

FAQ

What Do You Put In A Ferret Litter Box?

Ferrets are crazy pets who love to dig, sleep and eat litter, so you have to make sure you use a goof ferret litter. There are a few ferret-safe litters you can use without worry but there are a few types that can be harmful to them too. So, if you want to avoid bad litter, choose pellets. If you want to know what are ferret-safe litter options, read my post about ferret litter.

Why Won’t My Ferret Use The Litter Box?

There are a few reasons why your ferret doesn’t want to use the litter box. One of them is that he doesn’t know what it is for. If your ferret isn’t potty trained, you will have to teach him to use the litter box. Check my post about litter training ferrets for more information and training options.

The second reason is that the litter box is dirty. Ferrets don’t want to go potty in a litter box filled with old pee & poop. Clean the litter box every day, at least once a day and your ferret will start using it again. If you have more ferrets, clean the litter box 2-3 times a day.

Can Ferrets Use Regular Cat Litter?

No, regular clay cat litter is not suitable for ferrets. A ferret can inhale clay litter while digging in the box or the particles can get stuck to their butt. Recommended ferret litter is pellet litter. You can read more about the topic in my post about the best ferret litters.

Best Ferret Litter Boxes & Pans – Our Recommendations

Kaytee Hi-Corner Large Litter Pan

Ware Manufacturing Plastic Lock-N-Litter Bigger Pan for Small Pets

Marshall High Back Ferret Litter Pans

DISCLAIMER: These are our recommendations, we aren’t part of the Amazon Affiliate program. We don’t receive any compensation if you click on the link or buy this product. 

Conclusion

Make sure you get a litter box with at least one short side so your ferret can enter easily in it. Also, keep in mind that hooking it to the cage is a good idea to prevent any mess because they do love to move the litter box around the cage. If you want to train your ferret how to do potty in a litter box or you want to make sure you have a safe ferret litter, read my posts about potty training ferrets and best ferret litters.