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This is a pen that we made donkey's years ago,It was completely weather proof and escape proof so it could be used all through
the Winter no matter how cold it was.

Due to building Daisymay Lodge we no longer have this pen, but thought it might help new owners when building their own pen
who have only a few ferrets.

If you build your own you will find it to be cheaper and a darn site stronger than some you can buy -you can also customise it to suit
yours and your ferrets needs.All our pens are ALARMED for our peace of mind.

SLEEPING AREA

The sleeping area is made of breeze blocks with a 3 inch entrance to ensure privacy - the blocks keep the nest warm in Winter and cool
in Summer.Alternately a good solid rabbit hutch could be used with a false bottom keeping the sleeping area off the floor.

The pen is made from good solid wood acquired from friends and family (most people have some wood stored in their garage, ask
around) covered in fine mesh.

The roof is made of corrugated plastic screwed onto a hinged wooden frame so it can be raised/lowered according to weather
conditions.REMEMBER heat can kill your ferret very quickly in the Summer so make sure your pen is shaded if in direct sunlight.Also
make sure the bedding area is free from damp.

BEDDING

Hay/straw no matter how clean it may look carries a large quantity of flea/tick and mite eggs that will hatch in their hundreds during the
Summer months.Having been infested once we now make sure for the ferret's and our sakes it doesn't happen again.In the sleeping area
we use old jumpers with buttons/zips etc. taken off.

These are changed every week and washed and replaced with clean ones.So once again ask friends and family for their cast offs.

PLAY AREA

In the play area we use shredded paper (not newspaper) for extra warmth in Winter but cut back on it in the Summer.Hammocks are
strung across the pens and how they enjoy lounging in them.There is also a selection of toys and a plastic tube and the ferrets like
nothing better than chasing each other through the tubes.Plastic carpet tubes are usually given away free at any warehouse, beware of
cardboard tubes they can be chewed.Although the ferrets have lots of room to play they have an hours playtime in the large shed with
their larger toys.In the Summer they have a swimming pool in a large outside playpen.

UTILITY AREA

In this area on one side we use newspapers for their toilet that is easily rolled up,put in a plastic bag and binned.If you only have a
couple of ferrets and you keep them indoors you can easily train them to use a cat litter tray.

FOOD AREA

Ferrets love to upturn water and food bowls so make sure they are the heavy dog type feeding bowls and secure them in a corner with
wooden blocks.In the Summer you will find that your pets would rather bathe in their water than drink it - so make sure they have a
water bottle attached to their pen incase their main water supply dries up. We only use bottles as a stand by as ferrets need huge
amounts of water.

PLEASE REMEMBER NOT TO KEEP YOUR FERRETS IN A TINY RABBIT HUTCH

REMEMBER A HAPPY FERRET IS USUALLY A HEALTHY FERRET.

Web site maintained by Rose Morris

This page last modified on Sunday, December 03, 2006