by Charlotte Howard

Created on: October 29, 2009   Last Updated: October 30, 2009

Ferrets need toys to keep them amused just as any other pet does, but buying them can be unnecessarily expensive. There some very easy ways to make free and homemade ferret toys. Look around your home and you'll probably find a number of items that can be used as ferret toys.

Old Toys

If you have any old cats toys such as mice or balls, these can be given to ferrets. Ferrets love to chase and play with their toys, giving them the chance to practice their natural hunting techniques. If you don't have any old cat toys, tennis balls and cuddly teddies would work just as well. You can cut holes into the tennis balls and fill them with treats to encourage the ferret to play with them.

Tubes

Ferrets love to explore and you can encourage this by giving them cardboard or PVC tubes to play with. Make sure the tubes are clean and free from any chemicals before giving them to the ferret though. You can move them about everyday, so that the ferret has somewhere new to explore, or you could even make a maze for them to work their way through.

Old Clothes

As well as making good bedding, an old jumper or some socks give the ferret somewhere to hide. "Hide and Seek" is a favourite game of ferrets who live together. It encourages the behaviour of young ferrets in the wild who practice hunting by playing with each other, stalking, chasing and pouncing with their brothers, sisters and Mom.

Ladders

As well as exploring and playing, ferrets do like to climb. Their home should have many levels, and you should provide them with the option to climb around. Small branches from fruit trees, planks of wood and pieces of plastic can all be used as ladders, but make sure that they are not able to slip and cause the ferret to fall.

Rattles

Ferrets are interested by toys that make noise. You can easily make a toy similar to the rattle toys you can buy in a pet store by using an old plastic bottle and putting some dried beans, rice or pasta in it. Tape the lid shut using a strong tape such as Duct tape so that the ferret cannot open it and watch them move it around their home.

Food

One of the easiest ways to entertain a ferret is to hide some of their food. Hide pieces of fruit such as apple or dog biscuits under a tennis ball cut in half. The ferret will be able to find it, and topple the ball over. Alternatively you can use a plastic flower pot. Make sure that you search their house on a daily basis for any uneaten food. Ferrets like to hide their food themselves, and it can go mouldy.

It might be tempting to just buy all of their toys, but it really is not necessary to spend a lot of money on keeping your ferret happy. Remember that ferrets love social interaction and one of the best, and free, toys, is you. Play with your ferret on a regular basis to keep your bond strong.

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