Hi, I’m looking for advice from other ferret owners.

My 5-year-old ferret lost his 8-year-old companion in December due to insulinoma (the cancer progressed very fast). Since then, he has been alone with me.
Recently, we moved to another state. It was a 3-day car trip with hotel stays because I wanted to avoid flying with him. He did very well in the hotels and used his potty pad normally.

Now we are in a new apartment, which is much smaller than our old house. He is free roam all the time. I have the bottom part of a Ferret Nation cage with hammocks, food, and a potty pad, but he barely uses it.

The first few days he peed and pooped everywhere. Slowly he started using the pads again, but now he uses many corners (before he only had 3 potty areas).
I bought many toys and he does play, but:
	•	He is much more active at night and not during the day.
	•	At night he wakes up 1–2 times to play alone.
	•	He started chewing on a blanket where he sleeps and even ate a small piece (he never did this before, only when he was a baby).
	•	He makes strange sounds at night, like “hu hu hu,” and they sound sad.
	•	Sometimes he does it while sleeping, sometimes when he wakes up.
	•	He only makes these sounds at night.

I’m worried he might be depressed or missing his brother, or if this is stress from the move and the new environment.

Has anyone experienced something similar with a ferret after losing a companion and moving?
How long does it usually take for them to adjust?
Is this normal grieving behavior?

He went to the vet all clear no insulinoma no adrenal no problems  

Is my ferret depressed or just adjusting? Strange behavior after losing his companion and moving?