Ferrets (Mustela furo) are pests in New Zealand and new methods are being sought for their control. The hydrochloride form of p-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) was highly toxic to ferrets when delivered by gavage, with LD₅₀ and LD₉₉ values of 15.52 and 20.80 mg kg^–1, respectively. Signs of toxicosis progressed through pallor and cyanosis, impaired coordination, prostration with reduced responses to stimuli, with death in ~2 h. In a preliminary assessment of effective doses of PAPP in bait, 19 of 20 ferrets consumed chick carcasses containing ~46 mg PAPP within 40 min. Ferrets that ate chick baits all showed signs of toxicosis, with 32% mortality. Three ferrets died within 151 min and the other three within the following 14 h. Ferrets that died ingested 29.9–79.3 mg PAPP per kilogram bodyweight. The low mortality was attributed to decreased bioavailability of PAPP delivered in food, and increased doses need to be tested to establish an effective lethal concentration of PAPP in baits for ferrets. Future development of bait formulations will also need to take into account the role of emesis in reducing efficacy. Bait formulations incorporating microencapsulated PAPP may improve bioavailability and the basis for a new option for the management of ferrets in New Zealand.