Ferrets are some of the best, most adorable pets to keep. They’re calm, curious, intelligent, friendly and unbelievably cute. However, they can also be quite mischievous too, especially when they get active and want to play but have nothing interesting to chew on and play with. To keep your ferret pet happy and healthy, it’s essential to provide them with an assortment of toys that will keep them entertained, as well as mentally and physically stimulated. To help you find the right toys for your ferret, we went through dozens of different products, detailing some of the best, most interesting ones down below.
The Best Ferret Toys
Ferrets like to chew on anything and everything, so providing them with a durable chew toy is highly recommendable. Made of strong rubber and perfectly sized for small pets, the KONG is the ultimate ferret toy. Not only is this toy fun to chew and roll around, it’s also fantastic for stuffing with ferret treats! It comes with a hollow center that you can stuff with anything your pet likes to nibble – particularly helpful for hard-to-please ferrets! As a very welcome bonus, the KONG is also great at cleaning teeth and stimulating gums as it has just the right design – soft but strong rubber removes buildup without being too hard (or soft) on your ferret’s teeth.
Made of ultra-durable rubber
Helps to soothe gums and clean teeth
Can be stuffed with treats and food
Great for chewing and playing
- Brand: KONG
- Model: FK3
- Weight: 1.6 ounces
It’s no secret that ferrets love to tunnel and hide, and one of the best ways to play with them includes indulging this natural inclination. The Marshall Pet Products Hide-N-Sleep Alligator Ferret Hideaway is an excellent toy exactly for this reason, as it provides hours of fun for both of you. The toy is large and can handle more than one ferret, making it a great choice for multi-pet households. There’s even a hanging bell toy inside to make tunneling more inviting. A word of advice however: do not leave your ferret unsupervised with tunneling toys such as this one as they may not be able to get out on their own.
Can easily take more than one ferret
Easy to wash and maintain
Great for tunneling and hiding
Provides hours of fun for your ferret
- Brand: Marshall Pet Products
- Model: FT-344
- Weight: 8 ounces
Your pets don’t need only physical, but mental stimulation as well. And with the Living World Teach N Treat Toy, you can educate your ferret and help it develop their cognitive abilities. This unique toy can help you train your ferret to look for treats, helping it become smarter and sharper. Furthermore, the toy has three levels with increasing difficulty that will offer a great challenge to your pet. It can also be used for other small animals, including rabbits, guinea pigs and rats.
Interactive game that challenges your ferret
Features three stages with increasing difficulty
Great way to teach and feed your pet
Suitable for other smaller pets too
- Brand: Living World
- Model: 60960
- Weight: 1.2 pounds
To be consistently engaged and entertained, ferrets need fun and challenging toys that will keep them occupied for hours. The Marshall Pet Products Pop-N-Play Ferret Ball Pit Toy is an excellent example and is suitable for one or several ferrets at once. In addition, you can attach a Marshall thru-way to the ball pit to create a ferret tunnel that your pet will revel in. With 35 balls included, there is more than enough for multiple pets to play with, and as a bonus, the pit can easily be folded to enable easy storage.
35 balls ensure that your ferret isn’t bored
Suitable for several ferrets
Can be fashioned into a ferret tunnel
Easy to fold and store
- Brand: Marshall Pet Products
- Model: FT-372
- Weight: 14.4 ounces
Looking for a super-versatile ferret toy? Check out The Ferret Nation & Critter Nation Accessories Kit, an all-in-one kit that contains one cozy cube, one busy body blankie, one hide and seek tunnel, and one hammock hideaway. They are all made with durable polyester microsuede material, which is comfortable for the ferrets and easy to keep clean, as you can just toss it in the washing machine when needed. It’s a great choice for owners of multiple pets, as well as easily bored ferrets.
All-in-one toy kit for your ferret
Suitable for multiple ferrests
Washing machine and dryer compatible
Highly versatile, provides hours of fun
- Brand: MidWest Homes for Pets
- Model: NA-KIT3
- Weight: 1.9 pounds
Being natural tunnelers, ferrets absolutely love all things that look and feel like tunnels and hiding spaces. This is what makes Marshall Pet Products Super Thru-Way is such a great toy for your cute pet as it expands 15 feet for super-ferret fun! The tunnel is completely see-through, meaning you can observe your ferret during playtime and help in case they get stuck, which is thankfully unlikely considering the product is quite wide. Overall, an excellent toy if you’re looking to encourage natural tunneling behavior in your ferret.
See-through tunnel
Expands up to 15 feet
Can be combined with other Marshall products
Promotes natural tunneling behavior
- Brand: Marshall Pet Products
- Model: FT-190
- Weight: 1.6 pounds
Balls make the best ferret cage toys, and the Wheeky Treat Ball Toy is a fantastic example of this. This ferret exercise ball provides your pet with both physical and mental workouts while also acting as a feeder. With this ball, your ferret can pass the time and get rid of boredom while also learning and developing mentally. Additionally, this is a great toy for other small animals, including guinea pigs, rabbits and hamsters.
Durable plastic ball toy
Exercises your ferret physically and mentally
Suitable for other small pets
Can be stuffed with treats
- Brand: Wheeky
- Model: EF-425
- Weight: 1.8 ounces
The first thing you notice about the Niteangel Small Pet Fun Tunnel is its bright, inviting color! Attractive, flexible and expandable up to 39 inches, this is one of the best pet tunnels for small animals, including ferrets and rats. It’s excellent for encouraging natural tunneling and hiding behavior in a safe way. And since it’s made from durable and stain resistant plastic, the toy is guaranteed to last a long time, which is always a plus.
Made with durable plastic
Can stretch up to 39 inches
Encourages natural tunneling behavior
Long-lasting and stain-resistant
- Brand: Niteangel
- Weight: 5.6 ounces
The Marshall Pet Pirate Ship is one of the best ways to have fun with your ferret! Apart from that, it’s also fantastic for taking fabulous pictures of your pet. Made with durable materials, including hanging straps that are adjustable and removable, the toy should last a long time. To keep it stable and steady, the ship comes with a bottom insert so it’s quite comfy too. What’s more, it’s easy to wash and comes fully equipped with a ferret pirate flag.
Bottom insert keeps the ship stable
Adjustable, removable straps
Comes with a ferret pirate flag
Easy to clean and wash
- Brand: Marshall Pet Products
- Model: FP-361
- Weight: 1.1 pounds
The Trixie Snack Board Logic Toy has seven lids that your pet has to lift to find their treats. This is an excellent way to mentally stimulate your ferret and teach them to “work” for their food. The toy is guaranteed to keep your pet occupied and entertained for hours, which is great news for busy pet parents. And you need not worry about the board falling apart as it is made with durable plastic, set to last a long time. As a bonus, the product comes with an instruction manual to help you learn extra tips and tricks for training your ferret.
Made with durable plastic
Mentally stimulating and rewarding
Great for training your ferret
Easy to clean
- Brand: LETANG
- Model: 4011905628127
- Weight: 7 ounces
Best Ferret Toys Buying Guide
Ferrets are curious and playful creatures who need plenty of novelty in their life to remain happy and healthy. This is where ferret toys come in. Available in a variety of shapes, sizes and designs, ferret toys are perfect for keeping your pet entertained and occupied for hours, as well as physically and mentally stimulated. To help you find the right toy for your furry companion, we created this comprehensive buying guide where we cover everything you need to know about ferret toys, including the things to look for and avoid during your selection process.
Things to Consider When Buying Toys for Ferrets
- Durability
Ferrets are generally calm creatures, but when it’s time for them to play, they tend to get antsy and can become quite mischievous. This is why toys are essential for your pet. However, it isn’t enough to just get them any toy; the toy in question must be a durable one that can last. This is because ferrets chew a lot, and they can easily bite, chew, and tear into their toys in no time. So, to reduce the amount of money you have to spend on ferret toys, ensure that you get a toy that’s durable and robust.
- Material
Ferrets are lovely creatures; however, they are also a big commitment for the owner. This is because they, like pretty much all pets, are susceptible to choking hazards. For this reason, it is advised that you ensure that the materials used to make your ferret’s toys are safe to use and won’t bring any harm to your pet. Materials like plastic and polyester are typically safe for ferrets, and there are many toys made out of them. Also, ferrets bite and gnaw at things a lot, so you have to ensure that their toys are clean so that they don’t inadvertently ingest something harmful.
- Size
Ferrets are small creatures, and because of this, the toys they play with have to be customized specifically for them. For instance, ferrets should stay away from dog and cat toys as those are typically larger than the ferret and can cause it harm. So, when picking out a toy for your pet, stick to something small that they can easily interact with. Furthermore, beware as ferrets can easily choke on small items and should be kept away from toys with small parts. So, make sure you check the size of the toy you intend to buy before making an order.
- Versatility
In a bid to save some money, you should get ferret toys that are capable of being used in more than one way. For instance, there are ball ferret toys that have an opening for a ferret tunnel to be attached, thereby providing your ferret with a place to play and also a tunnel to run around in.
Additionally, versatile toys are useful as ferrets get bored easily, and, therefore, need a variety of toys to keep them occupied. So, if you are buying a new toy, see that there are different ways your pet can play with it so that you get good value for money, and your pet doesn’t get bored and despondent.
Different Types of Ferret Toys
- Tunnels
These are probably the most popular amongst ferrets as they scratch a natural itch. When in the wild, ferrets usually use tunnels to get from point A to point B, and they enjoy moving in confined spaces underground. Tunnel toys are the closest they get to that feeling above ground, so it’s no wonder why they love them. In a bid to involve you in the ferret’s playtime, many manufacturers have taken to making transparent tunnels. This enables you to observe them while they play and also keep an eye on them in case they are in trouble.
- Mentally Stimulating Toys
These toys come in different forms, but they are usually made to stimulate your ferret’s brain. As mentioned earlier, ferrets need both physically and mentally stimulating toys. An example of such toys is the ferret feeders, which usually demand that your ferret overcomes an obstacle before finding its food. Some of these toys have customizable difficulty levels so that your smart ferret can be challenged even more.
- Balls
Balls are also a trendy type of ferret toy, and they usually get a kick out of playing with them. Ferrets are curious creatures and will generally sniff, gnaw and whack any object they come in contact with. Balls are ideal toys as they help your ferret get some much-needed exercise while also giving them something to bite on. Most balls are made with durable material to ensure that they don’t tear easily once your ferret sinks their sharp little teeth into it.
Types of Toys to Avoid
- Latex or squeaky toys
Ferrets have rather sharp teeth, and they can easily tear into squeaky toys while playing. The problem here is that ferrets also have no qualms ingesting anything they find vaguely interesting; therefore, a latex toy could constitute a choking hazard. This is why it is advised that you keep your ferret away from toys meant for your dog or cat. You can get your ferret its own ball or toy made with durable rubber or plastic that they can safely enjoy.
- Hazardous materials
A lot of ferret play involves them trying to chew on or bite into something. This leaves them open to a lot of dangers and is why you need to be vigilant when it comes to your ferret’s toys. Ensure that whatever your ferret is playing with is clean. Not only that, but also ensure that the toy is made with pet-safe materials that won’t cause any harm to your ferret.
- Tiny parts
Even after getting your ferret a ‘pet safe’ toy, that doesn’t end your commitment to your pet. As mentioned earlier, ferrets go through toys rather quickly. No matter how sturdy a ferret toy is, it is liable to break or succumb to your pet’s constant biting and chewing. Because of this, you need to be on the lookout for toys that are nearing their wit’s end or are at the point of breaking. This is necessary as your ferret might swallow a small part of the toy that could constitute a choking hazard for your pet.
DIY Ferret Toys
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, ferrets run through toys pretty quickly. The problem with this is that buying new toys constantly can easily become expensive. Don’t worry though, as there are many ferret toys you can easily make at home. Homemade ferret toys are inexpensive and can be just as entertaining for your pet. Below are a few that you can easily cobble together when necessary.
- Dig Box
Ferrets are fond of digging, and with the help of a clear plastic box, some sand, and some buried food, you can create the perfect dig site for your ferret pet.
- Tube Maze
You can buy tube mazes, but you can also fashion one from PVC pipes lying around the house, or buy some from the hardware store. You can also make the maze longer by connecting pipes together. Of course, do make sure the pipes are clean and safe.
- Cardboard boxes
If you have a couple of boxes lying around, you can fashion an awesome playground for your ferret(s). Simply cut a hole into the side of the box and place a few things inside for your ferret to amuse themselves with.
Our Top Pick
The KONG Small Animal is our top choice as it provides your ferret with hours of fun that it will not forget in a hurry. Additionally, the toy is made of a super-durable material, meaning it can handle whatever your pet throws at it, including its sharp little teeth. It’s also great for stuffing as it comes with a hole – perfect for ferret food and treats!
Sources:
- Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM, 10 Things You Should Know Before Getting a Ferret, VetStreet
- Rick Axelson, DVM, Owning a Ferret, VCA Hospitals
