QUESTION:
I'm always trying to find new things to enrich my ferrets lives, they each have their own little personal toys that they horde and share. But I get the feeling they're bored most of the time, I would too after playing with the same thing over and over. But it's hard to find new things that they like and actually play with. Probably only 10% of what I buy for them (besides little cubbies and tents to sleep in) they have any interest in at all. They play with one another good enough, but their usually only awake at the same time once a day. I tried to play with them as much as I can but usually their interest in me waves after a 5 minutes maximum. Do you have any suggestions of something things I can try to give them more enrichment and not just sit there on the floor with that I'm bored look?

One thing I'm trying to do is a dig box for them, but the problem is about a safe material for a digging box. I originally had a box filled with cornstarch peanuts that dissolve when contact with water, but I had to stop using it when my oldest would just sit there and eat the peanuts all day and since they were colored with green food coloring it made all her poops the dreaded neon green and it was confusing to tell whether it was the peanuts or something wrong. I'm currently trying a box of regular long grain rice, which so far works well as they have a ball and don't eat any, but they get covered in a film powder from the rice, which I can clean off with a moist face cloth and quick wipe off, but it still leaves them smelling like uncooked pasta.... and it's kind of driving me nuts. Other suggestions I've heard have been dried up beans or shredded non-chemical or ink paper. Do you have any suggestions on this?

ANSWER:
At 3 years of age the ferrets will not be as interested as when they were kits, but you can try different things to stimulate their interest. Running through tubes is one way. Paper bags and cardboard boxes are great and you can fill them with shredded paper. The latest FERRETS magazine has some ideas for toys, you may want to purchase it for some ideas that may work for your ferrets.

QUESTION:
We just got an 8 week old albino ferret, can he sleep with a stuffed animal? He had an older ferret as a litter mate when we got him. Will he be lonely?

ANSWER:
You can give him a soft toy, PLEASE make sure it does not have any parts that he can chew off. Usually baby toys are quite safe. He will also love a blanket to curl up in. He should not get lonely as long as you give him lots of attention.