Every ferret needs toys to play with. Ferrets are naturally curious and playful creatures, which means they need many things to keep them entertained. A bored ferret is an unhappy ferret! Whether you’re shopping for your own pet or thinking about buying one as a gift, knowing what type of toy is best can make the process easier.
Here are some great options for different types of ferrets and their preferences!
In this article, we will discuss the different types of toys that work well for ferrets and why these specific toys work well for them.
Most ferrets prefer toys that are small, soft, and fuzzy. For example, a mouse toy or a stuffed animal with long hair is great for them to nibble on while carrying around the house or sleeping in their cage at night.
Ferrets also love little tunnels that they can run through! These come in many shapes and sizes, but all of them provide hours of entertainment for our furry friends.
Great options include cardboard boxes lined with blankets (to give it some cushion) as well as plastic tubes from pet stores like Petco that you can cut into different lengths according to your preference.
One thing about these tunnels: make sure there aren’t any holes big enough for the ferret’s head.
Because your ferret is curious and will eventually stick its head through and get stuck, which is dangerous.
Ferrets also love to play with interactive toys like the Cat Dancer or a ball on a string. These are great for teaching them tricks as well as keeping their minds active while they’re having fun!
Their toy box should include many of these types of items because no one knows what will be that perfect favorite!
It’s always good to have something new now and then so you can see how your ferret reacts to it–and if he likes it enough, keep buying those particular balls or tunnels in different colors at pet stores.
The other thing about ferrets playing with all these objects is that they need somewhere safe to store them when not being played with. Ferrets will go looking for their favorite toys, and if you don´t have a secure place to store their stuff, they will find it and chew on them.
One of the best things you can do is buy a ferret playpen, which provides your fur baby with an area where he/she can be safe from household hazards and have their own toys inside (or outside) the pen.
And if your furry friend gets bored too often when playing in his or her pen, add one more toy at a time until there are so many that she doesn’t know what to do first!
You´ll need a few boxes for storing all these discoveries under beds and couches–don’t forget to put them away now and then so that nothing falls out while cleaning up.
Toys to Chew on
If you buy your pet toys to chew on, make sure they are safe for your ferret.
Please do not give them string. It could lead to intestinal blockage and create a life-threatening situation!
Ropes made of natural materials are good as they will just be chewed on and can’t cause damage inside the body (but watch out if you have other pets or children because there is always that chance)
Nerf toys would make excellent chew toys! They’re durable enough for chewing but won’t hurt your pet in any way.
Some people recommend giving their ferrets socks to chew on too…
Some owners find success with empty toilet rolls; these can work well when stuffed full of hay or paper towels then left outside of the cage for your ferret to explore.
Toys to climb into
Some ferrets will love a small cardboard box. Just make sure it’s not too big or they might just nap in it! (read.. best greyhound ferret carrier).
Wool blankets are also fun for them to climb into, but you have to watch out that your pet doesn’t get tangled up in the fabric.
Blankets could work as well if they’re made of natural materials – like wool or cotton- because these won’t create an intestinal blockage.
Toys to carry around
Your furry friend loves to carry his toys around. Some of the best toys to do that with would be:
- Small stuffed animals
- Balls of all sizes and materials (plastic, tennis ball, or rubber)
- Soft toys with squeakers inside them that they can shake about as they play.
These usually come in the shape of a mouse, paw or other animal body part. There is an endless variety out there so you should head to your local pet store and see what’s on offer!
If he’s into munching things, then these are better than chewing up furniture.
Toys to hide
Your ferret will most likely have a stash. They love to steal stuff and hide it for later. It’s a great way to keep them entertained.
Again, most naturally smaller toys such as stuffed toy animals or soft toys are best.
We recommend putting some treats inside the toy, too, so your ferret will have even more reason to go hunting!
Also, ferret-sized tubes or boxes (such as those used by toilet paper rolls) make good hiding places.
Summary
Your ferret can play with a lot of things. Not always do you need to buy those. Some might well be in your household or in the garden. There are a lot of toys for ferrets out there but not all are good for your pet.
You should see what’s available in local stores and then decide if it will be suitable or not. If you think he might like to bite things, these are better than chewing up furniture:
- Toys with food inside – this makes them go crazy!
- Squeaky toy animals (those that look like pets)
- Stuffed animal or soft toy
Again most natural smaller toys such as stuffed toy animals or soft toys are best, so don’t forget about treats hidden inside = Extra fun for your ferret.
