Ferrets sleep for around 16 hours a day. They prefer to sleep in the dark, but also appreciate a comfortable platform that they can have snooze and lounge around on. Hammocks can be open or closed and some have the option of both and if you have the room, offering a couple of hammocks gives your little one the option of where to lay. Ferret hammocks can be made from nylon, which is hardwearing and easy to wipe clean, or a fabric like fleece, which is insulated and can be machine washable.

There are a lot of hammock options to adorn your ferret cage and to help you find the most suitable, you can find reviews of ten of the best, below.

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The 10 Best Ferret Hammocks

1. Marshall Hanging Nap Sack Ferret Hammock – Best Overall

The Marshall Hanging Nap Sack Ferret Hammock is a fleece-lined hanging nap sack. The sack itself measures 16 x 13 inches so offers space for two ferrets. Adjustable straps mean that you can hang it at just the right height, whether it be near ground level or closer to the top of the cage. The nap sack design means your ferret can choose whether to lay on top of the sack, providing a cool environment to regulate temperature, or to snuggle up inside the sack for coziness. The fleece bed can be removed and is machine washable, so you can freshen it up and get rid of the musky smell.

This well-priced hammock is good quality and provides a comfortable place to lay. It’s also well priced. The nylon and fleece are good quality, and it’s convenient to clean, making it one of the best overall ferret hammocks for your cage, but the materials aren’t indestructible, and you may find that it needs replacing in a year or so. Although Marshall says that the nap sack is large enough for two ferrets, it will be a very tight squeeze for large ferrets.

• Adjustable straps
• Machine washable fleece
• Affordably priced

• Not big enough for large ferrets
• Not indestructible

2. Frisco Small Pet Herringbone Bunk Bed – Best Value

Ferrets typically love company, although it does take careful introduction to add a new one to the pack. If you do have more than one ferret, or you have a single ferret that likes to be given options, the Frisco Small Pet Herringbone Bunk Bed is an affordable ferret hammock that has a top layer for lounging on and a more secluded pocket that is ideal for snoozing in privacy. The top layer is made from nylon so creates a great spot for your ferret to stay cool, while the inside layer is a faux fur that is cozy and comfortable.

The adjustable straps mean that the bunk bed can be hung in any wire cage and the fabric can be removed and put in the washing machine to keep it looking and smelling fresh.

The low price of the Frisco Small Pet Herringbone Bunk Bed, combined with its flexibility, make it our choice as the best ferret bed for the money. It is quite small, with the actual bed section measuring 12” by 12”, but it is suitable for small to medium ferrets, and is ideal for kittens.

• Two levels for sleep and lounging
• Very good price
• Adjustable straps

• Quite small

3. Marshall Hanging Ferret Hammock – Premium Choice

The design won’t be to everybody’s tastes, but the Marshall Hanging Ferret Hammock Pirate Ship does offer a cozy and comfortable sleeping environment that is naturally dark. Ferrets prefer to sleep in a dark place and while a lot of open hammocks do offer a comfortable bed to lounge on, they lack the privacy and security of a closed design.

The pirate ship design also has four access holes, or portholes, at the bottom, as well as a main entrance at the top. The premium design does mean a premium price tag, but the bed is machine washable, so it is easy to keep clean. The straps are adjustable so the hammock can be fitted to any wire ferret cage easily, and the bed is big enough for two medium-sized ferrets to stretch out.

However, as well as being expensive and having a design that will likely divide opinions, the portholes are quite small and large ferrets that like to stretch out will struggle with this and the general overall size.

• Plenty of access points
• Covered design offers some privacy
• Adjustable straps
• Machine washable bed

• Expensive
• Design won’t suit all tastes
• Not big enough for large ferrets

4. Ware Crinkle Hang-N-Tunnel – Best for Kits

Most kits will happily sleep and rest in any size hammock, but they do appreciate a little extra privacy when they’re sleeping and enjoy having somewhere a little more secluded to lounge around. The Ware Crinkle Hang-N-Tunnel is tunnel-shaped and too narrow for a lot of adult ferrets, but it is a great width for kits.

The ruffled interior doesn’t restrict movement while inside, but it does enhance the coziness and privacy of the interior. The fleece can be put in the washing machine, so it is easy to maintain, and there is a crinkle lining inside the material. Some ferrets will enjoy the crinkle effect, but it might not be the best option if your kit enjoys spending time in the tunnel and it is kept near a TV or a bed because it is very crinkly.

The tunnel attaches to the cages using slips and nylon straps, but the straps aren’t adjustable, and the tunnel is small so is really only suitable for kits and very small ferrets. Also, it comes in a range of different prints, and you don’t get to choose which design you receive.

• Cheap
• Offers a secluded place to nap
• Machine washable

• Straps are fixed, not adjustable
• Noisy crinkle lining

5. Frisco Small Pet Herringbone Plush Hanging Cube

The Frisco Small Pet Herringbone Plush Hanging Cube is another hanging bed that offers privacy and comfort. It has adjustable straps and uses clips to attach to any wire ferret cage. It has an access hole at the top and one on the side so your ferret can climb in and peak out as it wishes. The faux fur is machine washable, which saves from trying to hand wash and spot clean the cover, and it is comfortable so offers a luxurious and comfy interior for tired ferrets.

The Frisco Small Pet Herringbone Plush Hanging Cube is a little more expensive than most other options but the cube hammock, which does a good job of retaining its shape, means that there is more material. While hammocks are made from essentially a single piece of material that hangs from straps, the cube shape has more stitched sides and these are more likely to become damaged, especially if you have a business of ferrets vying for hammock space.

• Adjustable straps
• Machine mashable faux fur
• Multiple entry holes

• Expensive
• Easier to break or damage

6. Midwest Nation Hanging Hideaway Rat & Ferret Hammock

While a lot of hammocks are suitable for small to medium sized ferrets, that doesn’t mean that large adult ferrets should miss out on having somewhere comfy and cozy to recline. The Midwest Nation Hanging Hideaway is a ferret hammock with clips that can be attached to any wire cage. The hammock itself has a pocket so that the ferret can climb inside and enjoy some dark privacy.

Most importantly, the hammock measures just over 18” by 17” so is a suitable size to allow even large ferrets to stretch out and lounge in their new bed. The large hammock is a little pricey and there are no straps, which means that the hammock must be hung directly from the top of the cage. There should be a suitable location in most ferret homes, but if you have a lot of empty space at the top of the cage, with no levels or areas to climb, the hammock will be too high and unsuitable.

• Big enough for a large ferret
• Machine washable and can even be put in the dryer
• Pocket offers privacy and darkness

• Quite pricey
• No straps so may be too high for some ferrets

7. Kaytee Sleep-E-Tent Convertible Small Pet Hideout

The Kaytee Sleep-E-Tent Convertible Small Pet Hideout is a tent that offers a completely enclosed environment, that converts to a hanging hammock once unzipped. The outside and the walls of the tent are made from durable nylon that is quite easy to wash, and the internal lining is a machine washable fleece, so maintenance is simple. The four walls of the tent are zipped and unzipped down the sides and the whole thing connects to the top of a wire cage using easy clips. Because of the slightly more complex design than in basic hammocks, the Kaytee Sleep-E-Tent is on the expensive end of the list options, but it is convenient. When you let your ferret out, you can bring their hammock with them, zip up the sides, and let them run in and out of a tent that they recognize, giving them somewhere to escape to.

However, the fleece does shed quite easily, especially if your ferret is looking for bedding material, and while there are clips to attach the tent to the ceiling of a wire cage, there are no straps, so it will have to hang at the very top of the cage or be removed and put on the floor. The whole thing is also quite small and not suitable for multiple large ferrets.

• Converts from a tent to a hammock
• Fleece lined for comfort
• Fleece is machine washable

• No straps to alter height
• Small
• Quite pricey

8. Marshall 2-In-1 Hanging Ferret Bed

The Marshall 2-in-1 Hanging Ferret Bed is designed for ferrets, where a lot of other beds are for small animals. Ferrets do prefer a hammock style because they are sensitive to heat, and if you give them a cave or other type of enclosed bed, they can get too hot too quickly.

Because a hammock doesn’t have a roof, cooler air is allowed to circulate around the ferret, reducing its temperature and offering a comfortable and cozy place to nap or lay around. Although described as a hammock, this is more of a hanging bed that can attach to the roof of a cage using the supplied clips or placed on the floor or layer of the ferret home and used as a dedicated ferret bed. Thankfully, the hanging bed does include straps, and they are adjustable, so you can decide on the height that the bed is hung. It also has clips that are easy to attach to a wire cage and the bed is machine washable so is easy to look after.

Despite being designed for ferrets, the bed is too small for all, but the smallest ferrets and kits and the straps tend to break apart at the seams a little too easily.

• Can be used as a bed or a hanging bed
• Adjustable straps
• Machine washable fleece

• Too small
• Stitching breaks easily

9. Midwest Ferret Nation Accessory Kit

Ferrets tend to be very clean animals, and, with a little bit of effort and consistency, they can even be litter trained. This means that their cage doesn’t usually get very dirty and smelly, although there will naturally be some mess. A lot of owners choose not to add bedding or substrate to the bottom of the tank or the shelves, and this is where the Midwest Ferret Nation Accessory Kit looks very useful.

As well as a small hanging hammock, the kit also includes two shelf covers. The shelf covers include hooked straps right around the construction, so it’s easy to attach them to the shelf. The hammock has clips in each corner that will attach to the inside of a wire cage.

You do need to be sure that the covers are close to the same size as your shelf while the hanging hammock does not include straps, so it has to be hung at the top of the cage: not ideal for all cage setups. And the hammock is small, measuring 10.5” x 7.75”, so while it should be suitable for kits and small ferrets, you will need to replace it if your ferret gets any larger. While the material is nice and soft on a ferret’s feet, it is also easily torn and ripped.

• Includes fleece shelf covers
• Soft lining is comfortable for ferret feet
• Machine washable fleece

• The hammock is very small
• No straps so hammock must be hung at top of the cage
• Fleece is quite flimsy

10. Ware Hang-N-Hammock Small Animal Sleeper Hammock

It really can be difficult to find hammocks of a suitable size for ferrets. Even those that are manufactured specifically for this intended use are usually too small for a large ferret to really stretch out and relax.

The Ware Hang-N-Hammock Small Animal Sleeper Hammock is available in jumbo size and measures 24” x 17” so is suitable for ferrets of all sizes. It is made from a machine washable fleece so is easy to care for, and it includes nylon straps and clips so it can be hung from the top of the cage at a height of your choosing and your ferret’s preference.

There are a variety of designs, but you don’t get to choose which you receive, and despite being reasonably priced and of a decent size, the Ware Hang-N-Hammock is made from a thin fleece material and quite thin nylon straps, all of which are prone to breaking especially if you do have a large ferret.

• Jumbo size for ferrets
• Decent price
• Adjustable straps
• Machine washable fleece

• Can’t choose the design you receive
• Clips are flimsy
• Fleece is thin and easily torn

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Ferret Hammock

Ferrets sleep up to 16 hours per day and, as well as long shifts of sleep at night, they are prone to napping and snoozing throughout the day. Kits, which are ferrets under 12 months of age can sleep even more than this, dozing off for up to 22 hours per day. These numbers underline the fact that ferrets really need comfortable spots to sleep.

Hammocks are considered one of the best options because they are cozy but they are confined and dark enough that your ferret will be able to get several hours without being woken or disturbed during that period. They are also convenient, and inexpensive, and they offer a degree of thermal regulation, as long as you choose a good quality hammock made from a suitable material.

Benefits Of a Ferret Hammock

There are plenty of bedding and housing options available for ferrets, ranging from the completely enclosed ferret house to a secluded drawer in the bottom of a custom ferret cage. The benefits of giving your ferret a sleeping hammock are:

• Privacy – Although some hammocks are completely open at the top, many include pockets or are more like hanging tents with their own internal space. Your ferret can enjoy privacy and a level of darkness that helps them relax and get unbroken sleep. The same is also true of covered boxes, but a hanging hammock offers additional security because it is away from the ground. In the wild, ferrets are hunted by coyotes, badgers, and foxes, as well as eagles and owls. A covered, hanging sleeping area would prevent most of these predators from catching the ferret unawares.
• Free Up Floor Space – There is a great variety of ferret cages and houses available, some of which offer masses of floor space and horizontal room. Others are more vertical, including shelves, ladders, and perches. A hammock hangs from the ceiling, which means that it doesn’t take up floor space. You can leave the ferret house floor free for food and water bowls, toys, and just for running around.
• Thermal Regulation – Although ferrets love to climb into confined spaces, they are also susceptible to heat, and they can get too hot very quickly. An open hammock, or one that offers a lounging area on top of the hammock, lets air freely flow around the ferret, keeping it cool and allowing it to regulate its body temperature accurately. Fleece-lined hammocks with a pocket allow your ferret to climb in when the nights get colder, and they need some additional protection from the chilly air.
• Away From the Mess – As well as freeing up floor space, hanging a hammock off the ground means that your ferret can get away from the mess and the clutter below. While ferrets are naturally clean and tidy animals, they still have a litter box or preferred litter area, and it is easy for the contents to get kicked around the cage floor. A hanging hammock provides a sleeping space that is up and away from dispersed debris.

Hanging Hammock Features

There are dozens of decent hanging hammocks on the market including a variety of covered and open beds. The choice is good because it allows you to get the one that best suits your ferret and its cage, but it does leave the typical buyer with a lot of questions. When shopping for a ferret hammock, consider the following features and extras.

Hammock Type

Although described as ferret hammocks, a lot of options are more like hanging beds. A hammock is one or two pieces of fabric attached to straps in the corners or at both ends. A bed has more rigid walls and usually has more stitching and fabric panels. Your ferret may prefer a bed over a hammock but do beware that the more stitching and the more panels there are, the more opportunities for your ferret to chew and tear through the materials. Other products include novelty shapes, cubes, and even tent-like designs.

Size

Although they are often included in the group of animals known as small pets, ferrets are larger than your typical hamster or even rat. They grow a lot longer than these other pets and this means that they need more room when they are stretching out to sleep or when they are just lounging around and relaxing. If you buy a “small pet” hammock, ensure that it will be big enough for your ferret, and double-check even if you buy a dedicated ferret bed. Some hammocks might be better suited to being used by kits, while jumbo models should provide ample space for a large adult.

Pockets And Holes

Whatever style of hanging hammock or bed you choose, it needs to provide easy access for your ferret to get in and out. Your ferret is probably a fearless little animal willing to leap just about anywhere, but the bed should be easy to reach and shouldn’t encourage leaps of faith. They are also known for being able to nudge their way into just about any gap, so pockets are a good addition to a hammock that also ensure the inside of the hammock remains snug and cozy.

Adjustable Straps

A hanging hammock is normally hung from the top of a wire cage using clips to fasten the corners in place. Straps might be included, allowing you to lower or raise the level of the bed according to your cage layout, but only if they are adjustable straps. Adjustable straps are not standard, but they are common.

Machine Washable Material

Fleece is the bedding or lining material of choice for these comfortable little abodes. Most manufacturers use fleece or faux fur material that is machine washable. While ferrets are generally clean animals, they are known to have a natural musky smell, which means that bedding and cushions can start to smell if they are not regularly washed. Being able to put the hammock in the washing machine is much more convenient than having to hand wash one.

Convertible Hammocks

Convertible hammocks are those that convert from a bed, a tent, or another convenient ferret accessory, into a hanging hammock. They can be really convenient and are especially convenient to move with your ferret when you let it out of the cage. However, check the quality of the item to ensure that the stitching and fasteners don’t come undone easily or are too easy to break.

Conclusion

Ferrets are fun pets that are lively and very energetic for about 6 to 8 hours a day but sleep for the rest of the time, typically in 6-hour shifts. They sleep a lot. As such, as well as a decent cage and plenty of good toys, you will need to find a bed or somewhere else for your ferret to relax. Above, we have included reviews of ten of the best ferret hammocks to help you find the one that will suit your ferret and its cage best.

We believe the Marshall Hanging Nap Sack Ferret Hammock to be the best overall ferret hammock because it is reasonably priced, adjustable, machine washable, and not too easily destroyed. For a little less money, the Frisco Small Pet Herringbone Bunk Bed because, despite being small, it is cheap and also includes adjustable straps.

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Featured Image Credit: Irina Vasilevskaia, Shutterstock