Keeping your fuzzy ferret entertained doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg. You can make a lot of toys yourself that are much cheaper than what you find at the pet store. She needs toys to stimulate her instincts to tunnel, dig and chase. These toys will keep Twiggy and your wallet happy.
Dig Box
One of Twiggy's favorite pastimes is to dig. Making her a box for that express purpose will provide hours of entertainment. Take a large plastic storage bin and cut a hole in the lid big enough for your fuzzy to climb through. Fill the tub three-quarters of the way with sand, rice or dried beans. (Make sure you don't use instant rice as this could be dangerous if Twiggy decided to eat it.) You'll want to use a clear tub so you can watch your pal dive in and dig around. If you have more than one fuzzy, make sure it's big enough for all your pals to play in.
Sock Balls
Twiggy will love to chase and bat around old, smelly socks. If they jingle, that's even better. Take an old sock and put a large jingle bell inside. (Make sure the jingle bell is not made of plastic she could chew up, and that it's big enough that she can't swallow it.) Ball the sock or tie a knot in it and toss it on the floor. Then watch her bat her jingly sock ball around the house with gusto.
Cardboard Boxes
Don't throw away that pile of moving boxes you've got in the garage. Cutting holes in the sides of a cardboard box will give Twiggy a dark place she can climb inside and explore. Connect some boxes together with tape to form a tunnel for Twiggy and her pals to run through. You can create a maze out of boxes for them to navigate.
Tube Maze
PVC pipe or clear dryer hose can be fashioned into a maze of tunnels for Twiggy to explore. Make sure the pipes are clean before letting your fuzzy go wild. You can get connectors for PVC pipe at the hardware store to connect the pipes together in as crazy a maze as your imagination can conjure. Paper towel tubes can be fun for Twiggy to tunnel through too, but they pose a danger: make sure you cut a slit down one side of the tube so Twiggy doesn't get her head stuck inside.
Considerations
Ferrets are excellent at chewing pieces off their toys, so be sure any toys you make have no small parts she could swallow. Check her toys frequently to make sure they're in good shape. Always supervise her when she's playing outside her cage. If you see her getting into something she's not supposed to, you need to be able to take it away quickly. If your new toys turn up missing, don't worry. Twiggy will likely hoard her toys in her favorite hidey-hole. She will love playing with her exciting new toys, and you'll appreciate saving a few bucks in the process.
