Small Animal Care

Small animals make super pets because they are so much fun, generally very playful and can be so lovable!
All small animals are not the same, however. Some are calmer and easier for a small child to hold, while others are frisky and take more attention.
The housing and feeding requirements are unique to each animal, just as each animal is unique.
Take a little time to learn about the pet that is right for you. Please be sure that when buying any small animal for yourself or your children you always use a reputable breeder. Make sure the animals have been sexed properly, and are of sufficient age to leave their mothers. Never buy animals from pet shops unwilling to spend time with you making sure you understand the commitment being taken on. Find out what your pet needs and how to take care of it. Your reward will be a very happy pet and you will have a great friend.  :)
 

Basic Animal Care

Housing Requirements
Cage, Hutch or Habitat: A cage, hutch or habitat needs to suit the pet your putting in it. That means the right size and the right accessories. A full size bunny needs a much bigger home than a dwarf bunny. A mouse can live in a much smaller cage than a guinea pig. A wire cage needs to have small spacing so that your pet animal cannot get its head through it. If the cage has a wire bottom, the spacing needs to be small enough so that the animals feet cannot slip through it, too.
The cage needs to have a spot for your pet to sleep, a place for his food, water and treat dishes, and some space to play and run around. If your pet is out of its cage during the day to play and excercise, the cage can be smaller to accommodate just a sleeping place, food and water.

Make sure your cage is escape proof. Some small animals are escape artists! Chewing holes through plastic or biting through soft wire can happen, so check your cage regularly. Escaped pets are very vulnerable and can get hurt or killed when they are on their own.

Litter or bedding: Litter or bedding is needed for most cages. It absorbs waste and can help eliminate odors. Lots of small animals like to burrow into their bedding and make a nest to sleep in.
There are lots of different beddings on the market. Commonly used beddings are various wood types such as pine, cedar, and aspen, recycled wood products and man-made pelleted products, corn cob, walnut shell and clay cat litter.
Some litters may cause your pet to sneeze and develop respiratory problems or skin irritations. If your pet is susceptible to these or has other problems, then change beddings until you find the type both you and your pet are happy with.

Nest box or sleeping hut: A nestbox or sleeping hut is often appreciated although not always absolutely necessary. Many small animals are nocturnal. That means they like to sleep during the day and run around at night. A hut can help your pet feel more comfortable during the sunlight hours while it is sleeping.

Dishes for food and treats: Dishes for food and treats should be solid crocks with straight sides. They can be either ceramic or hard plastic. Other types and shapes of dishes can cause problems. Round bowls will tip over and spill easily. Lightweight dog dishes that are not solid can trap small animals when they burrow underneath and this can kill them. Water should be put into a water bottle that is mounted on the side of the cage, either inside or outside. Bowls can be used, but often small animals will foul the water so it must be changed all the time. A water bottle usually works out alot better and only needs to be refilled daily. Do watch that your pet does not run out of water, or it may chew up your bottle!

Foods and Feeding
Feed and water daily: Small animals should be fed and watered everyday. Their feeding requirements vary depending on the pet. Each pet has their own food mix and that is what they should be fed.

Generally one type of small animal food cannot be substituted for another type, or the wrong type of animal food for very long without causing problems!

For example, guinea pigs cannot be sustained on rabbit pellets because they won't get enough vitamin C and can develop scurvy. They must be fed guinea pig pellets.
Another example is feeding mice and rats only a hamster mix. They can develop skin problems because it is too rich in seeds for their dietary requirements.

Fresh fruits and Vegetables: Fresh fruits and vegetables such as, apples, romaine lettuce, and oranges are great extras for may small animals and help to balance their diets. Always rinse these foods before you offer them to remove any insecticides or other chemicals. These tidbits should also be removed after afew hours before they start to go bad or sooner if your pet loses interest in them.

Not all small animals should be given fruits and vegetables or should only be given them occasionally. Learn more about your small animal pet and what types of foods are safe for it to have.

Treats: Treats are a great and fun way to interact with your pet. There are all sorts of bars, wafers, chews, drops and mixes available as treats.
Be especially careful not to overfeed treats. Look at the size of your pet and give him what would be about the same size to him as a couple of oranges would be to you. Keep the treats to less than about 10% or 20% of your pets total diet.

Be careful to feed the right types of treats to your small animal pet. For example, hamster treats are for hamsters but not for bunnies.

Exercise and Activites
Gnawing: Gnawing is a favorite activity for lots of small animals. There are vegetable flavored or plain wood chew toys in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes available, as well as hard alfalfa cubes. Some pets like bunnies, guinea pigs and chincillas, must chew. Their teeth keep growing just like your hair and fingernails do. Gnawing is how they keep their teeth trimmed. With trim teeth they can keep chewing their food. If they don't have chew toys they will chew on their food bowls and even on their cages.

Scampering Around: Scampering around is another favorite activity for most small animals, especially hamsters and mice. No matter when they like to run around, an excercise wheel or a variation of the wheel, a spinning disc, is a great choice for smaller pets. Another variation of the excercise wheel is an excercise ball. Your pet can climb into the ball and roll around the floor or on specially made tracks. Your pet can overexert itself, so don't keep it in the ball for more than 15 or 20 minutes at a time.

Burrowing and Tunneling: Burrowing and tunneling are natural activities for many small animals and some, such as the ferret, are very curious. Great toys for these activities are funnels and hiding places. Generally you can find them made of plastic, wood, hemp or rope. They come in many colors, shapes and sizes.

Some small animals, such as ferrets, sugar gliders and rats like to climb on limbs. Climbing branches, bird perches and bird swings work well. They may get chewed up, but that's part of your pet's play, too!

Harnesses and leads: Harnesses and leads work well with small animals that you want to take outside. They allow you to keep your pet from getting away from you and from getting into things. Most harnesses can be adjusted to fit the size of animal that you have. Some bunnies, ferrets and guinea pigs can even be harness trained when they are young.

Some animals are simply too small or just get too wild to deal with a harness,
while others will do really great.

Do's
Be sure to feed and water your pet small animal everyday. Check it's cage for chewed or damaged areas. Remove any old foods and check the toys to be sure they are still working and in good condition.
Keeping your pet safe and well cared for can give both you and your pet a long and happy experience!
Don'ts
Be sure to pick a small animal that you feel will fit you. If you know a small animals characteristics, you can get the pet that is right for you. Take a little time to find out before you buy.  Below is some information on the most common small pets.

Chinchillas

Chinchillas have great appeal, like cuddly little "balls of fur". Their exceedingly soft, dense coat has more fur per square inch than any other known mammal! Chinchillas have the finest fur of all the mammals which makes them very soft. They are very clean with no noticeable odor and their dense fur keeps lice, fleas and other parasites from taking up residence!  They make good pets and are very lively. The average lifespan of a Chinchilla is 8 - 10 years, though in captivity they have been known to live up to 20 years. If housed and handled correctly, chinchillas make intelligent, happy and interesting companions. When you know them well and they are happy in their homes, they can be taught to do basic tricks in order to earn a treat!
Consideration must be given to their long lifespan, which is approximately fifteen years. It is vital to give extra thought if you are considering buying them as companions for your children – who may have grown up and left home by the time the chinchillas have reached later life.
Chinchillas are nocturnal animals, and need a very large cage plus a dust bath (this is essential for their mental and physical well-being). They are enthusiastic dust bathers and do make quite a lot of mess! Chinchillas need to live with a companion – either a female with a neutered male, or litter-mates of the same sex (they will usually live harmoniously as long as they have been together since birth). As well as having a large cage for their accommodation, they need to be given exercise time out of their cage, and are responsive and intelligent animals.

Ferrets

Ferrets are extremely playful, very curious, love to go exploring, and love to play games. The name ferret comes from the latin word "furritus" meaning "little thief",
Though ferrets have a very curious nature, they are hardy animals that can contribute to many treasured memories. They can be just as great of a companion as a dog or cat, but do need a lot of attention and care. Their average life span is about 5 - 7 years though they can live up to 11 or more years if given good care. They can also be well trained. Being very lovable animals they make great pets!

Gerbils

Their small size means they can be housed in a relatively small cage though they are quite active and will need room to play. They have a natural curiosity and need to explore, but they are also very quiet. They are gentle, attractive, and amusing to watch. Gerbils are great pets for anybody but especially for people living in apartments or houses where space is at a premium.
Gerbils should be kept as a pair or in small groups as they are very social and need the grooming and attention of their own kind. They do not do well with strangers though so It is best to get gerbils from the same colony or when they are young. Keep same sex gerbils together if you don't want to have babies! Gerbils are fun to watch if they are living in the correct conditions. They are burrowing animals by nature and spend many hours digging for pleasure making them much more fun to observe than to handle. Gerbils are quick and agile, and young children can find it quite
difficult to hold them without squeezing too hard. If you have young children and wish them to be able to handle their pet, it may be better to choose a different species. As pets for adults, however, you will certainly find gerbils fascinating both to watch and to handle.

Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs make great pets and they very rarely bite. They are inexpensive and have lovable personalities. Guinea Pigs can live 8 to 10 years and are easy to house and feed. They also tend to be hardy little animals and don't contract diseases very easily.
These are relatively small animals, though through selective breeding a variety of different strains of have been developed. Guinea pigs come in sizes ranging from pets as small as a rat up to pets as big as a small dog. They also come in a variety of colors and hair styles. Guinea pigs can make good companions for adults and children. They are fun to watch and have a varied vocabulary. Once you get to know your animals it is possible to tell when they are happy, sad, excited or angry. They are not happy just to be left in a hutch at the bottom of the garden, but need shelter from all extremes of weather and a run to enable them to graze freely, safe from predators. It is vital that they are with another of their own kind.
Gentle by nature, guinea pigs can be a good first time companion for a child (as long as there is considerable parental interest).
Consideration needs to be given to their fairly long lifespan, which can be up to seven years. If you are buying them for your children, please consider whether they will still be interested in seven years time. Many animals end up in rehoming centres such as The Blue Cross
because children often reach an age when their priorities change

Hamsters

Hamsters are small animals which makes them easy to care for and inexpensive to keep. Their small size means they can be housed in relatively small cages, even an old birdcage or an aquarium can be used. They are gentle, attractive and amusing to watch. They are virtually odorless and are habitually clean. All this makes them great pets for anybody but especially for apartments or houses where space is at a premium.  The only drawback is they have very short lifespans, 1 to 2 years only. There are many different types of hamster. Only one type needs to live as a solitary animal, while all others need companions. They are by nature nocturnal animals and can become quite alarmed if disturbed in the daytime. For this reason they may be a disappointing companion for a child and may bite if disturbed from sleep (they are probably just waking up as your child is going to bed). With quite poor eyesight and easily startled by sudden movements, they make much better companions for adults than for children.

Mice

The common mouse is a curious little creature that makes a very interesting companion. (They are also very cute!). They have a life span of 1 to 3 years if well taken care of, and are a great first pet for children. If handled often they can become very tame and enjoyable.
Mice are great pets for several reasons. They are small, inexpensive, and very easy to care for. Female mice are odorless. They are also very clean animals that continually groom themselves by licking and combing their fur. Mice are small and quick and, for this reason, may not be suitable for young children. As with all small furry animals, there needs to be considerable parental interest as children can easily be distracted and forget the daily needs of their pets. Male mice have quite a strong smell of musk, but the females have far less smell. For this reason more attention needs to be given to the cleaning regime for males.

Rabbits

Rabbits are an all time favorite! People are attracted to bunnies because of their quiet sweet dispositions, soft cuddly fur, and small size.
Rabbits are a very popular pet for children and adults alike. They are relatively inexpensive to keep, easy to house and feed, and can live for over 10 years if well taken care of. Rabbits also tend to be hardy little animals and don't easily contract diseases. But they DO have very fragile spines! Most people are of the opinion that rabbits are excellent pets for children. There are, however, many things to be considered before thinking of giving a home to these animals, especially when you have young children. Rabbits are prey animals and need to be ready to run from danger at all times. Those rabbits kept only in hutches have nowhere to feel secure, and when a child tries to lift them from the hutch, the rabbit may try to scratch, kick or bite to get away from perceived danger. Children can therefore be disappointed when they find their rabbits are not keen to be picked up and cuddled. They do make good companions for children as long as their accommodation is correct and the handling is done with sensitivity and under adult supervision. The best kind of accommodation for rabbits when children are involved in their daily care, is a wooden Wendy house construction with an attached run area. This will give children the opportunity to sit quietly and wait for the rabbits to come to them. This way the animals will feel more confident as they will have all four feet on the ground and will be able to hop away should they wish to do so. It also means that the rabbits can still be given attention even during bad weather and the children will be able to groom them and watch them having fun. It is important that a rabbit has a companion of its own kind. Many people are of the opinion that rabbits and guinea pigs can live quite happily together, but this is NOT the case. They do not ‘speak the same language’ and rabbits can sometimes inflict quite severe injuries on guinea pigs, especially in the spring. The approximate lifespan of a rabbit is between six and eight years, therefore careful thought needs to be given before taking on these animals.

Rats

Active and smart little animals, rats can make great pets especially for children!
Rats can live 2 to 3 years, are easy to house and feed, and are mostly odourless. They are inexpensive, small, and have lovable personalities. Rats also tend to be hardy little animals and don't contract diseases very easily. When looking for a rat to purchase as a pet, make sure it is a young, healthy animal. It should ideally be between 4 and 8 weeks old. Make sure it is plump, has bright eyes, good sound teeth, and a healthy coat. Either sex will make a good pet, however if you plan to buy more than one, make sure they are of the same sex. Don't buy a pair unless you want babies.  Rats make good companions for both adults and children, and it is very important for them to have regular social interaction (they will become very miserable if left without attention and require daily contact). Consideration needs to be given to the amount of time owners are willing to give to these agreeable animals. Rats needs more cage space than mice, hamsters or gerbils, and also like to have various levels on which to rest. Some pet shops do not give correct advice as to which type of cage is the best and, as a consequence, animals can sometimes spend their whole life in unsuitable accommodation. Aquariums are never suitable for rats, regardless of recommendations to the contrary.