Care Information for Other Small Animals

Ferrets

Ferrets are relatively unusual as pets, but this is becoming less the case. They can make wonderful and lively companions – they have engaging personalities, they are quick to learn, and you can spend hours watching them play, dance, and chase each other! They are extremely sociable and enjoy the company of their own kind, so our advice is that it’s better to keep more than one if possible. As with all pets, they need regular careful handling and lots of attention, but with the right care they often live to around ten years old. Be warned – ferrets seem to be addictive, and most ferret owners can’t imagine life without them!

You can either keep ferrets indoors, or outside in a garage or shed. Wherever they’re kept, it’s important that their cage is big enough for them to run around, and climb up and down to different levels. They can be easily trained to use a litter tray – the main problem most owners have is needing to ‘ferret-proof’ the house because they are so naturally inquisitive! Ferrets really love exploring, and will appreciate being taken out for walks to the local park, on a harness and lead. Make sure they’re microchipped just in case they escape though…

Most people have a preconceived idea that ‘all ferrets smell’. This isn’t necessarily the case – the odour that people find unpleasant is often due to the influence of sex hormones, therefore treating ferrets with a hormone implant, or occasionally neutering them, is usually enough to control the smell.

The easiest thing to feed your ferret is one of the commercial complete ferret foods available either from our practice or from all good pet shops. Ferrets are carnivores, and will naturally appreciate being fed treats of fresh meat! Of course, fresh clean water should be available at all times.

Ferrets are generally very healthy, and it’s not hard to keep them in top condition. We advise that ferrets have yearly vaccinations because they are extremely susceptible to canine distemper. They can also catch human colds and flu, so be careful about handling your ferret if you’re not feeling well. You should regularly check their ears, because they often get a build up of dark brown wax, and can also be prone to ear mite infections.

Chinchillas 

Chinchillas are by nature very timid creatures, although they can be tamed with lots of patience and gentle handling. If you have young children that want a pet they can cuddle and stroke then a chinchilla may not be the right choice, but they can be wonderful, lively and inquisitive to watch. They can often live to around twelve or even fifteen years of age!

Chinchillas do like the company of other chinchillas, but they can be kept singly. They are largely nocturnal; they usually wake up and come out to play in the evening about the time people come home from work! They need to be housed in large multi-layer cages, so that they have lots of space to jump and play around in. We suggest that you keep the cage away from heaters or radiators, because these little creatures can be very prone to heat-stroke if they overheat. Chinchillas love to take dust-baths several times a week, which helps keep their skin and fur in tip-top condition.

Chinchillas, like rabbits, are herbivores which need lots of fibre in their digestive system. We recommend that you feed a complete balanced commercial food that has been specially designed to meet their complex nutritional needs, for example the Burgess Excel Tasty Nuggets. They can be fed fresh greens as well, for extra nutrients and variety, but come in and talk to us about what’s good and what’s not so good for them. Clean fresh water must always be available.

Chinchillas are still unusual as pets, so there’s a lot about their health that we don’t fully understand. We do know that, because their teeth keep growing throughout their live, chinchillas can be prone to dental problems. We also see chinchillas with respiratory infections, and occasionally with a condition called bumblefoot, where the soles of their feet become ulcerated and sore. If you are at all concerned that your chinchilla is dribbling, sneezing, has a runny nose, has lost its appetite, or has sore feet, then make an appointment to see us straight away. .

Gerbils

Like hamsters, gerbils are relatively easy to care for and therefore extremely popular as pets. They are inquisitive and friendly, and can become quite tame. Contrary to hamsters, gerbils are extremely social creatures; having company makes them more active and happy, and helps them live a longer life. Always choose two gerbils from the same litter, never try to introduce two who don’t know each other – they may well fight and kill each other. Make sure that your gerbil cage is made of either plastic or metal – they will easily gnaw their way out of wooden cages and escape! In the wild, gerbils would dig, burrow and live in underground tunnels, so put plenty of bedding in the cage, along with a nest box for sleeping, and cardboard tubes for them to run through. You can give your gerbil an occasional sand bath – they love it! Remember they’re usually most active during the evening and night, so putting the cage in a bedroom might not be ideal!

We advise feeding a commercial diet that has been designed for gerbils, so that it meets their specific nutritional needs. In the wild, gerbils would get their daily water requirement from the food that they eat, but as manufactured pet food is very dry, you should always have clean fresh drinking water available. Gerbils love sunflower seeds as a treat, and also like fresh fruit, vegetables, hard-boiled eggs and cheese – just be careful that they don’t get too fat! Make sure you provide wooden items for them to gnaw on, to prevent their teeth overgrowing. Gerbils are generally healthy creatures – we look for them to be alert, with bright eyes and a glossy coat. Of course, as with all pets, if you’re worried about any aspect of your gerbil’s health, then give us a call for some advice.

Hamsters

Hamsters are very popular pets, with young and old alike. They are relatively easy to care for, they don’t smell, they can bond very well with their owners – and they’re cute! They are nocturnal; sleeping in the day and waking in the evening, so they are ideal for those returning from school or work. Hamsters generally require smaller cages than other pets, so can be a good choice of pet for those in flats, or small houses. There are lots of different species of hamster, from the larger Syrian hamsters (which must always be kept by themselves), to the smaller Russian hamsters (which can be kept together).

Hamster cages need lots of accessories - hamsters were designed to run, and they love exercise! They should have lots of tunnels and tubes to run through and climb on, lots of bedding to burrow in, and a cozy sleeping hut where they can hide away. If hamsters are not handled from an early age then they may be scared and try to bite when they’re picked up. Be prepared to take a lot of patience and time to win their trust.

There are a lot of choices when it comes to hamster food. We advise that you feed a pelleted diet, rather than a loose ‘muesli-style’ mix. This way, your hamster can’t pick out the sweet sugary bits and leave behind the bits with the fibre and goodness! You also need to provide your hamster with a variety of wood structures and toys for them to gnaw on, which will help prevent dental problems. Hamsters are generally very healthy little things, but we do occasionally see cases of ‘wet-tail’. Symptoms of this can range from a hamster just not eating, to severe diarrhoea with scald and ulceration around the bottom area. If you’re at all concerned about your hamster, then please phone us for an appointment.

Rats

Domestic rats, contrary to popular belief, are clean, highly intelligent animals that enjoy human company. They can make wonderful family pets, becoming extremely tame and easy to handle. They are extremely social, so you should always get a pair or a small group of rats to live together. As a general rule, males rats are larger and lazier, whereas females are smaller and tend to be more active and playful. They generally only live for two or three years.

Rats are best kept in large multi-level cages, and as they are very active and extremely curious, they will appreciate spending lots of time outside their cage. They are nocturnal, therefore will be most active at night – something to think about if you are planning on putting the cage in a bedroom or on a landing!

A good quality commercial food designed specifically for rats should be the main component of their diet, but this can be supplemented with small amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables. Be very careful not to overfeed, as rats can very easily become fat! Of course, fresh clean drinking water should always be available. Like all rodents, a rat’s front teeth will grow continuously, so they need to be provided with things to gnaw on to prevent dental problems. Rats can also be prone to respiratory infections, so be careful about handling your rat if you’ve got a cold.

Pet bereavement

Pets are part of our families, so losing them can be a terrible shock and a lasting pain. Unlike with human bereavement, this is often not understood by others, making your loss more difficult to cope with. We do recognise the distress that may be experienced, and our trained staff are here to provide support and counselling