Paper Bags and Cardboard: The Free Enrichment Ferrets Genuinely Love
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
Before stocking up on toys, everyday items such as kraft paper bags, cardboard boxes and empty paper-towel tubes offer free enrichment that ferrets, with their strong digging and tunneling instincts, genuinely enjoy. In mink, a close mustelid relative of the ferret, a study published in PLOS ONE found that an environment enriched with simple, manipulable objects markedly reduced signs of boredom and stereotypic behavior compared with a barren cage (see the study). Find more enrichment ideas in the ferret toys and enrichment section.
Contents · 5 sections
Why these objects work so well
Crumpled paper, cardboard and empty tubes combine several qualities ferrets look for: they crinkle, tear, make noise, and can be dragged around or hidden, engaging both the digging instinct and the need to manipulate things. Unlike a fixed toy, these materials change shape with every play session, which limits the habituation that leaves many toys quickly ignored.
How to offer them safely
Always strip off tape, staples and sticky labels before handing over a box or bag, since these pose a real ingestion risk for an animal that chews on everything. Favor plain kraft paper over glossy or heavily ink-printed paper, and watch the first few sessions to make sure your ferret is shredding rather than trying to swallow large pieces.
Variations that multiply the uses
A cardboard box punched with several holes becomes an improvised course, while a paper bag stuffed with crumpled paper balls turns into a digging zone close to the one described in ferret dig box. Hiding a few kibble pieces or treats within the paper's folds adds a food dimension to the enrichment, in the same spirit as a snuffle mat for ferrets.
How often to refresh it
A box or bag quickly loses its appeal once fully shredded: refreshing it or rearranging it every two to three days keeps a ferret's curiosity going at no extra cost.
- Best materials: plain kraft paper, bare cardboard, paper-towel tubes
- Remove before use: tape, staples, sticky labels
- Bonus: hide a few kibble pieces in the folds for food-based enrichment
- Suggested refresh: every two to three days
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe if a ferret swallows some cardboard?
Small fragments swallowed while chewing rarely cause a problem, but eating large amounts of big pieces warrants monitoring; remove any cardboard that gets overly soaked or shredded into large chunks.
Should printed paper be avoided?
It is best to limit heavily printed or glossy paper and stick to plain kraft paper or small amounts of newsprint, which carry less ink and fewer chemical treatments.
Does this replace dedicated toys?
No, it complements them well: alternating everyday objects with dedicated toys prevents boredom and covers slightly different behavioral needs.
See it in the Planète Pets shop: 2-in-1 felt tunnel and hideout for rabbits and ferrets (44 × 60 cm) (€37.90) · the whole shop
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Ferrets universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.
