Ferret toys should be selected to give your pet enjoyment without endangering his life. Ferrets love to chew rubber. It is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in ferrets. Baby bottle nipples and pacifiers are very attractive to ferrets, especially if they have any milk or formula on them. Both cats and ferrets will chew the end off a baby nipple, usually becoming obstructed and requiring surgery to remove the rubber from the intestine. Remove anything made of rubber from the ferret's play area. This includes the rubber coasters made to protect hardwood floors and rugs from the pressure of chair and table legs: even when the coasters are in use, some ferrets will gnaw pieces off them. Rubber dog and baby toys, rubber tubing, rubber or latex gloves, and rubber or plastic sandals may be attractive to ferrets.
Suitable ferret toys:
Ferret balls (large plastic balls with holes cut in them so ferrets can get inside and roll around). These are available commercially.
Fabric-covered cat toys
Knotted cotton rope intended for dogs
Socks tied in a knot
Empty milk jugs with ferret-sized holes cut in them
Empty paper bags, the bigger the better
Cardboard boxes with small holes cut in the sides so ferrets can climb in and out
PVC tubing (plastic plumbing pipe) or similar tunnel-like materials, like cardboard mailing tubes, big enough for your fattest ferret to get through without getting stuck
Waste baskets containing smaller items of interest
A dish pan with a little water inside and a lot of newspaper spread around it. (Not all ferrets like to play in water but those that do are very entertaining.)
'Stolen' items such as shoes, socks, gloves or mitts, slippers, hats, car keys
Other ferrets
Other animals trained as ferret playmates, such as cats and dogs; and best of all
Ferret-loving people, especially those sweeping the floor, reading a newspaper, or doing other interesting tasks to attract ferret 'help'