Small Animal Care Guide

Guinea Pig

Diet

A well-balanced guinea pig diet consists of:

• High-quality guinea pig food, Timothy hay and limited amounts of vegetables and fruits.
• Require 30 to 50 mg of vitamin C daily from high-quality food, vitamin supplements or fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C.
• Clean, fresh, filtered, chlorine-free water, changed daily.
• Do not feed chocolate, caffeine or alcohol as these can cause serious medical conditions. Avoid sugar and high-fat treats.

Feeding

Things to remember when feeding your guinea pig:

• Fresh food, Timothy hay and water should always be available.
• A limited amount of vegetables and fruits can be given daily, but should not exceed 10% of their total diet.
• Vegetables and fruits not eaten within 24 hours should be discarded.

Housing

• Guinea pigs acclimate well to average household temperatures, not to exceed 80°F; be cautious of extreme temperature changes. The habitat should never be in direct sunlight or in a drafty area.
• A minimum 36″L x 30″W x 18″H escape-proof habitat with a solid surface area and plenty of room for exercise and play makes a good home for one guinea pig. It is best to provide the largest habitat possible.
• 1 to 2″ of bedding should be placed in the habitat; proper bedding includes high-quality paper bedding, crumbled paper bedding or hardwood shavings. Cedar-based products are not recommended.
• Guinea pigs may be kept in same-sex pairs if they are raised together; otherwise, keep adult guinea pigs housed separately. Different types of small animals should not be housed together.

Normal Behavior

• Easy to handle; prefers a routine and similar time for playing, feeding and resting each day.
• Hides in objects, but will come out when people are near the habitat.
• Chew on objects to maintain all their teeth, which grow continuously; ensure they have plenty of chew sticks or mineral chews available.

Habitat Maintenance

• Clean and disinfect the habitat and its contents at least once a week with a 3% bleach solution. Rinse and allow to dry completely before placing the guinea pig back into the habitat.
• Remove wet spots daily; change bedding at least twice a week, or more often as necessary.

Grooming & Hygiene

• Guinea pigs stay clean and rarely need baths, but can be spot-cleaned with a damp washcloth or unscented baby wipes if needed.
• Fur may be brushed with a soft-backed brush. Hairless guinea pigs benefit from a small amount of non-toxic aloe-based lotion rubbed onto skin to keep it soft.
• Guinea pigs need their nails clipped approximately once a month.
• It is normal for a guinea pig’s teeth to be yellow; cleaning is not necessary.
• Consult with a veterinarian if a guinea pig’s teeth or nails seem too long.

Health

Signs of a Healthy Animal

• Active, alert and sociable
• Eats and drinks regularly
• Healthy fur and clear eyes
• Breathing is unlabored
• Walks normally
• Communicates by squeaking

Red Flags

• weight loss
• abnormal hair loss
• diarrhea or dirty bottom
• distressed breathing
• lethargic
• eye or nasal discharge
• skin lesions
• overgrown teeth

Common Health Issues

Hamster

Diet

A well-balanced hamster diet consists of:

• High-quality hamster lab blocks and limited amounts of grains, vegetables, fruits and Timothy hay.
• Clean, fresh, filtered, chlorine-free water, changed daily.
• Do not feed chocolate, caffeine or alcohol as these can cause serious medical conditions. Avoid sugar and high fat treats.

Feeding

Things to remember when feeding your hamster:

• Fresh food and water should always be available.
• A limited amount of grain, vegetables, fruits or Timothy hay can be given daily but should not exceed 10% of their total diet
• Vegetables and fruits not eaten within 24 hours should be discarded.
• Hamsters acclimate well to average household temperatures, not to exceed 80°F; be cautious of extreme temperature changes. The habitat should never be in direct sunlight or in a drafty area.
• Habitat should be plastic, metal or glass and escapeproof with a solid bottom; there should be plenty of room for the hamster to exercise and play. It is best to provide the largest habitat possible.
• 1-2″ of bedding should be placed in the habitat; proper bedding includes high quality paper bedding, crumbled paper bedding, or hardwood shavings. Cedar-based products are not recommended.
• House adult hamsters separately. Different types of small animals should not be housed together.

Housing

• Hamsters acclimate well to average household temperatures, not to exceed 80°F; be cautious of extreme temperature changes. The habitat should never be in direct sunlight or in a drafty area.
• Habitat should be plastic, metal or glass and escapeproof with a solid bottom; there should be plenty of room for the hamster to exercise and play. It is best to provide the largest habitat possible.
• 1-2″ of bedding should be placed in the habitat; proper bedding includes high quality paper bedding, crumbled paper bedding, or hardwood shavings. Cedar-based products are not recommended.
• House adult hamsters separately. Different types of small animals should not be housed together.

Normal Behavior

• Play during the night and rest during the day (nocturnal) but can adjust to your schedule.
• Easy to handle but may nip if suddenly awakened from a nap or startled.
• Chew on objects to maintain incisor teeth, which grow continuously; ensure they have plenty of wood chew sticks or mineral chews.

Habitat Maintenance

• Clean and disinfect the habitat and its contents at least once a week with a 3% bleach solution. Rinse and allow to dry completely before placing the hamster back into the habitat.
• Remove wet spots daily; change bedding at least once a week, or more often as necessary.

Grooming & Hygiene

• Hamsters stay clean and rarely need baths, but can be spot-cleaned with a damp washcloth or unscented baby wipes if needed. Some hamsters enjoy an occasional dust bath. Hairless hamsters benefit from a small amount of non-toxic aloe-based lotion rubbed into their skin to keep it soft.
• It is normal for a hamster’s teeth to be yellow; cleaning is not necessary.
• Consult with a veterinarian if a hamster’s teeth seem too long.

Health

Signs of a Healthy Animal

• Active, alert, and sociable
• Eats and drinks regularly
• Healthy fur and clear eyes
• Breathing is unlabored
• Walks normally

Red Flags

• weight loss
• abnormal hair loss
• diarrhea or dirty bottom
• distressed breathing
• lethargic
• eye or nasal discharge
• skin lesions
• overgrown teeth

Common Health Issues

Mice

Diet

A well-balanced mouse diet consists of:

• High-quality mouse food or lab blocks and limited amounts of grain, vegetables and fruits.
• Clean, fresh, filtered, chlorine-free water, changed daily.
• Do not feed chocolate, caffeine or alcohol as these can cause serious medical conditions. Avoid sugar and high fat treats.

Feeding

Things to remember when feeding your mouse:

• Fresh food and water should always be available.
• A limited amount of grain, vegetables, fruits or Timothy hay can be given daily but should not exceed 10% of their total diet
• Vegetables and fruits not eaten within 24 hours should be discarded.

Housing

• Mice acclimate well to average household temperatures, not to exceed 80°F; be cautious of extreme temperature changes. The habitat should never be in direct sunlight or in a drafty area.
• Habitat should be plastic, metal or glass and escape-proof with a solid bottom; there should be plenty of room for the mouse to exercise and play. It is best to provide the largest habitat possible.
• 1-2″ of bedding should be placed in the habitat; proper bedding includes high quality paper bedding, crumbled paper bedding, or hardwood shavings. Cedar-based products are not recommended.
• Mice can be kept in same-sex pairs that have been raised together. Different types of small animals should not be housed together.

Normal Behavior

• Play during the night and rest during the day (nocturnal) but can adjust to your schedule.
• Very curious, like to burrow, hide in objects and play; easily frightened by loud noises.
• Chew on objects to maintain incisor teeth, which grow continuously; ensure they have plenty of wood chew sticks or mineral chews.

Habitat Maintenance

• Clean and disinfect the habitat and its contents at least once a week with a 3% bleach solution. Rinse and allow to dry completely before placing the mouse back into the habitat.
• Remove wet spots daily; change bedding at least once a week, or more often as necessary.

Grooming & Hygiene

• Mice stay clean and rarely need baths (males have a stronger odor than females), but can be spot-cleaned with a damp washcloth or unscented baby wipes if needed.
• It is normal for a mouse’s teeth to be yellow; cleaning is not necessary.
• Consult with a veterinarian if a mouse’s teeth seem too long.

Health

Signs of a Healthy Animal

• Active, alert, and sociable
• Eats and drinks regularly
• Healthy fur and clear eyes
• Breathing is unlabored
• Walks normally

Red Flags

• weight loss
• abnormal hair loss
• diarrhea or dirty bottom
• distressed breathing
• lethargic
• eye or nasal discharge
• skin lesions
• overgrown teeth

Common Health Issues

Rabbit

Diet

The majority of a rabbit’s diet should be composed of grass hay (any variety), which is rich in vitamins A & D as well as calcium, protein and other nutrients. Eating hay promotes health and should be available at all times. Avoid the use of alfalfa after a rabbit has reached approximately 7 months of age as it is very high in calcium and protein and more than a rabbit needs. Feeding quality pellets along with hay and other green leafy vegetables is important to add the nutrients not readily available in hay. A well balanced rabbit diet consists of:

• High-quality rabbit food, Timothy hay and limited amounts of fruits and vegetables.
• Clean, fresh, filtered, chlorine-free water, changed daily.
• Do not feed chocolate, caffeine or alcohol as these can cause serious medical conditions. Avoid sugar and high fat treats.

Feeding

Things to remember when feeding your rabbit:

• Fresh food, timothy hay and water should always be available.
• Vegetables and fruits not eaten within 24 hours should be discarded.
• Fruits and vegetables should not exceed 10% of their total diet.
• Many house plants are toxic and a rabbit should not eat grass treated with pesticides or any other chemicals.
• It is normal for rabbits to eat cecotropes—soft black feces filled with minerals and nutrients (coprophagy). This practice generally happens early in the morning which is why pet parents rarely notice.

Housing

• Rabbits acclimate well to average household temperatures, not to exceed 80°F. Be cautious of extreme temperature changes. The habitat should never be in direct sunlight or in a drafty area.
• Habitat should be at least four times the size of the rabbit and escape-proof with an area that has a solid surface and plenty of room for exercise and play. It is best to provide the largest habitat possible.
• 1 to 2″ of bedding should be placed in the habitat. Proper bedding includes high-quality paper bedding, crumbled paper bedding or hardwood shavings. Cedar based products are not recommended.
• Rabbits may be kept in mixed-sex pairs if spayed or neutered, or same-sex pairs if they are raised together. Otherwise, keep rabbits housed separately. Different types of small animals should not be housed together.

Normal Behavior

• When handling a rabbit, ensure you are fully supporting the body, especially the hind legs. Never pick up a rabbit by its ears or try to hold it on its back.
• Rabbits can be litter box trained.
• Rabbits chew on objects to maintain all their teeth, which grow continuously. Ensure your rabbit has plenty of chew sticks or mineral chews available.
• Rabbits can chew on apples, willow, aspen branches, pine firewood, untreated fresh pine lumber attached to habitat or a basket with hay inside (let the rabbit chew the basket as well as the hay).
• Not all wood can be given to rabbits. Do not give rabbits apricot or peach fruit tree branches.

Habitat Maintenance

• Clean and disinfect the habitat and its contents at least once a week with 3% bleach solution. Rinse and allow to dry completely before placing the rabbit back into the habitat.
• Remove wet spots daily; change bedding at least once a week, or more often as necessary.
• Scoop litter pan daily.

Grooming & Hygiene

• Rabbits stay clean and rarely need baths, but may be bathed using shampoo designed for rabbits or kittens, if necessary. Frequently clean areas of the ear you can see without going into the ear canal using a cotton ball.
• It is good to brush rabbits regularly to remove hair that is shedding, help prevent hairballs and keep long haired rabbits from matting. Short-haired rabbits should be brushed once a week and long-haired rabbits should be brushed twice a week.
• Consult your veterinarian if a rabbit’s teeth or nails seem too long. Nails should be clipped often so they don’t become curled.

Health

Signs of a Healthy Animal

• Active, alert, and sociable
• Eats and drinks regularly
• Healthy fur and clear eyes
• Breathing is unlabored
• Walks normally
• Communicates by making soft noises

Red Flags

• weight loss
• abnormal hair loss
• diarrhea or dirty bottom
• distressed breathing
• lethargic
• eye or nasal discharge
• skin lesions
• overgrown teeth

If you notice any of these signs, contact your veterinarian.

Common Health Issues

Rat

Diet

A well-balanced rat diet consists of:

• High-quality rat food or lab blocks and limited amounts of grain, vegetables and fruits.
• Clean, fresh, filtered, chlorine-free water, changed daily.
• Do not feed chocolate, caffeine or alcohol as these can cause serious medical conditions. Avoid sugar and high fat treats.

Feeding

Things to remember when feeding your rat:

• Fresh food and water should always be available.
• A limited amount of grain, vegetables, fruits or Timothy hay can be given daily but should not exceed 10% of their total diet
• Vegetables and fruits not eaten within 24 hours should be discarded.

Housing

• Rats acclimate well to average household temperatures, not to exceed 80°F; be cautious of extreme temperature changes. The habitat should never be in direct sunlight or in a drafty area.
• Habitat should be plastic, metal or glass and escape-proof with a solid bottom; there should be plenty of room for the rat to exercise and play. It is best to provide the largest habitat possible.
• 1-2″ of bedding should be placed in the habitat; proper bedding includes high quality paper bedding, crumbled paper bedding, or hardwood shavings. Cedar-based products are not recommended.
• Rats can be kept in same-sex pairs that have been raised together. Different types of small animals should not be housed together.

Normal Behavior

• Play during the night and rest during the day (nocturnal) but can adjust to your schedule.
• Hide in objects but will come out when people come near the habitat.
• Chew on objects to maintain incisor teeth, which grow continuously; ensure they have plenty of wood chew sticks or mineral chews.

Habitat Maintenance

• Clean and disinfect the habitat and its contents at least once a week with a 3% bleach solution. Rinse and allow to dry completely before placing the rat back into the habitat.
• Remove wet spots daily; change bedding at least once a week, or more often as necessary.

Grooming & Hygiene

• Rats stay clean and rarely need baths, but can be spot-cleaned with a damp washcloth or unscented baby wipes if needed.
• Consult with a veterinarian if a rat’s teeth seem too long.

Health

Signs of a Healthy Animal

• Active, alert, and sociable
• Eats and drinks regularly
• Healthy fur and clear eyes
• Breathing is unlabored
• Walks normally

Red Flags

• weight loss
• abnormal hair loss
• diarrhea or dirty bottom
• distressed breathing
• lethargic
• eye or nasal discharge
• skin lesions
• overgrown teeth

Common Health Issues