Small & Exotic Mammal Husbandry

"Small mammals" covers a wonderful mix of animals, and each one has its own needs. It really helps to know who is who before we care for them. Some of these live right here at Pets on the Green — those are marked with a 💚.

Which small mammals might we meet?

• 💚 Rabbits — big personalities, need lots of space and a companion. (Our Bert & Ernie are Netherland dwarfs.)
• 💚 Guinea pigs — chatty, gentle, very social herd animals. (Say hello to our Preston.)
• 💚 Skinny pigs — nearly hairless guinea pigs that need extra warmth. (Ours are Frankie & Teddy.)
• 💚 Fancy mice — busy little explorers that live in groups. (Our Salt & Pepper.)
• 💚 Sugar gliders — gliding exotics that must live in a colony. (Our Mimi and her group.)
• 💚 Hedgehogs — spiny, nocturnal African pygmy hedgehogs. (Gary is our famous one.)
• Rats, gerbils & hamsters — other popular pet rodents you may meet elsewhere. (We don't keep these ourselves.)
• Ferrets & chinchillas — special exotics with their own needs. (Not part of the POTG family.)

Prey animals vs the rest

Most of these little ones — rabbits, guinea pigs, rodents — are prey animals. In the wild, something is always trying to eat them, so they hide pain and fear to stay safe. That means a poorly rabbit can look "fine" until it is very ill. Ferrets are hunters, not prey, so they behave a little differently and can be bolder.

Here is a big surprise for lots of people: most cages and hutches sold in pet shops are far too small. Small animals need much more room than we think to hop, run, climb and just be themselves.

Good housing basics

• Solid floors — never wire mesh, which hurts little feet.
• Hides — cosy places to tuck away and feel safe.
• Exercise space — daily room to move, not just a tiny box.
• Kept out of direct sun, draughts and damp.

Every species is different

• Rabbits & guinea pigs need a large, secure run attached to their home so they can exercise safely every day.
• Chinchillas love to jump and climb, so they need a tall cage with shelves at different heights.
• Ferrets are busy and clever and need lots of enrichment, tunnels and out-of-cage play.
• Gerbils love to dig, so they need a deep layer of safe bedding to burrow into.

Some small mammals get very lonely on their own, while a few actually prefer their own space. Getting this right makes a huge difference to how happy they are.

Who needs a friend?

• Rabbits are social and should live with a bonded rabbit friend — never alone.
• Guinea pigs are herd animals and need at least one guinea pig companion.
• Rats, mice and gerbils love company and do best in same-sex groups.

Who likes their own space?

• Syrian hamsters are solitary and will fight if kept together — they should live alone.

Feeding these animals well is one of the most important things we do. The wrong diet is a very common cause of illness.

The golden rule for rabbits & guinea pigs

1. Unlimited good hay — this should be around 85% of their diet and must always be available.
2. Fresh leafy greens every day.
3. A small amount of plain pellets — just an eggcup or so, not a big bowl.

Other diets

• Rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils — a good-quality complete dry mix plus tiny amounts of suitable fresh food.
• Ferrets are obligate carnivores — they must eat meat-based food and cannot live on rabbit or rodent food.
• Chinchillas need a special high-fibre diet of hay and chinchilla pellets and very few treats.

This module explains why hay matters so much — it keeps both ends working properly!

Teeth that never stop growing

Rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and rodents have teeth that keep growing all through their lives. Chewing lots of hay and safe things to gnaw wears the teeth down naturally. Without enough to chew, teeth grow too long, become sharp and painful, and stop the animal eating.

Gut stasis — a rabbit emergency

A rabbit's tummy needs to keep moving all the time. If a rabbit stops eating and stops pooing, its gut can slow down or stop — this is called gut stasis, and it is a genuine emergency.

A bored animal is an unhappy animal. Enrichment means giving them interesting things to do that let them behave naturally — foraging, chewing, digging and exploring.

Lovely enrichment ideas

• Foraging — scatter food or hide it in hay so they have to search.
• Tunnels — safe cardboard or fabric tunnels to run through and hide in.
• Chews — untreated wood and safe gnawing toys (also great for teeth).
• Dig boxes — a box of safe substrate for diggers like gerbils and rats.
• Wheels — for hamsters and mice, always a solid (not wire) wheel of the correct size, so backs and feet stay safe.

A clean home keeps animals healthy and smelling sweet, but too much strong cleaning can stress them or remove their comforting smell. Gentle and regular is best.

A good cleaning routine

• Spot-clean daily — remove wet bedding, droppings and old food each day.
• Full clean regularly — wash the home and replace bedding, but pop back a little of the old clean bedding so it still smells like home.
• Fresh water and clean bowls every day.

Bedding to avoid

Because most small mammals are prey animals, being picked up can feel frightening. Calm, gentle, confident handling helps them feel safe.

Safe handling rules

• Support the whole body — one hand under the chest and one supporting the back end, so they never dangle.
• Handle low to the ground — always over a soft surface, because a fall can badly injure or even kill a small animal.
• Never scruff or lift by the ears — and never lift a rabbit by its ears or scruff; it is painful and frightening.
• Keep it calm and brief — quiet voices, slow movements, and short sessions to start with.
• Let a nervous animal come to you first, rather than grabbing.

Because these animals hide being poorly, spotting the early signs saves lives. Learn what a healthy animal looks like so you notice changes quickly.

Warning signs to watch for

• Not eating or drinking, or making fewer droppings — always serious in a rabbit or guinea pig.
• Hunched up, quiet, hiding away or not moving normally.
• Wet tail in hamsters — a runny, dirty back end that needs urgent care.
• Overgrown teeth, dribbling, or dropping food.
• A dirty bottom in rabbits — this risks flystrike, where flies lay eggs on the skin; it is a life-threatening emergency, especially in warm weather.
• Laboured breathing, discharge from eyes or nose, lumps or sores.

Here's a lovely daily routine to keep your small mammals happy and healthy. Tick off each job as you learn it — your progress saves automatically.

• Check every animal is bright, active and eating normally
• Top up unlimited fresh hay
• Give fresh leafy greens (plus vitamin C for guinea pigs)
• Refresh clean drinking water and wash bowls/bottles
• Spot-clean toilet areas and remove old food
• Check bottoms are clean and dry (flystrike check in warm weather)
• Count and check droppings look normal
• Provide daily exercise and safe run time
• Offer enrichment — foraging, chews or a tunnel
• Gentle, calm handling or company time (kept low and brief)
• Look over each animal for lumps, sores or overgrown teeth
• Wash hands before and after care

Decide what you would do. Tap your answer, then read the guidance.