Small Furry Pets General Care Issues

guinea pigs

All these animals are incredibly cute.  Some can interact with humans; others are skittish and like being left alone. Some can be trained to enjoy handling and even do tricks. When I talk about a species, it is always in generalities.  Mice generally like to live with other mice, but maybe your particular mouse doesn’t. Hamsters are generally afraid of people, but maybe your hamster really loves human attention. All animals have tendencies of their species, but also individual tendencies may be stronger.

Cage

hamster cage Photo by Andy Holmes on UnsplashPhoto by Andy Holmes https://unsplash.com/photos/a-white-mouse-in-a-cage-NKuEFCmK-XE

These animals all need to be kept in a cage and the cage needs to be cleaned pretty frequently. It also has to be big enough for your pet to run around in.  There are minimum sizes of cages, but larger than the minimum is always better. 

Cages should have ventilation, be kept out of direct sunlight, and be draft free.  These animals like to live in a quiet place, so it is usually better to keep their cage in an area without a lot going on. On the other hand, some of these animals become classroom pets and do just fine.


Bedding

hamster bedding Photo by Andy Holmes on UnsplashPhoto by Andy Holmes https://unsplash.com/photos/two-rodents-in-a-pile-of-leaves-JmFh2ZsDZK4

You have to decide what kind of bedding is to be used in the cage. Some types of bedding are good for some small animals, but not for others. Cedar and pine wood shavings are generally NOT recommended. I use fleece to line my guinea pig cage. There is an initial expense, but then you keep reusing it.  It needs to be laundered frequently and I had to figure out how to not get hay stuck in my washer.

Food and Fun

hamster eating Photo by Andy Holmes on UnsplashPhoto by Andy Holmes https://unsplash.com/photos/brown-mouse-on-brown-wooden-table-fyc0u7SoBOQ

These animals all need fresh water, food, and entertainment. You can usually buy food from the pet store made specifically for your breed of pet, or food for small furry animals in general.  Most of these animals like fresh food like vegetables and fruit as a supplement. They can drink from a bowl or a water bottle, but bottles are usually much cleaner.


These animals can benefit from toys that provide them with stimulation.  Some toys you can make yourself.  My guinea pigs love to chew on empty toilet paper rolls.  Other fun toys can be bought from the store.  But be careful about what you buy.  Some manufacturers seem to be more interested in making money than providing enrichment to your pet.  Some toys and treats are actually bad for the animals they are being sold to.  Also, some toys are good for one type of small furry animal, but bad for others.  An example of that is hamster wheels and hamster balls.  Some hamster wheels are not well designed and may hurt a hamster, and some wheels may be good for hamsters, but bad for another animal, say, a guinea pig. So put some thought an research into any toy you buy your pet.


Health

veterinarian Photo by Italo Crespi: https://www.pexels.com/photo/veterinarian-doctor-sitting-at-desk-15551426/Photo by Italo Crespi: https://www.pexels.com/photo/veterinarian-doctor-sitting-at-desk-15551426/

Make sure there is a vet nearby that can work with your small furry animal if they get sick. Most vets just work with dogs and cats.


You think you have what it takes to adopt a small furry pet? Explore the different animals that can be adopted to get a better idea of what each animal needs.  I’ll provide a basic introduction to appropriate cages, bedding, sociability, size, and lifespan of small furry pets, from smallest - mice - and getting larger - hamsters, then gerbils, then rats, guinea pigs - and finally the largest - rabbits. You can also read about less common small furry pets such as chinchillas, degus, ferrets, hedgehogs (not quite so furry, but they are small!), and prarie dogs.


You might like these

  • What you need to know if you want to keep a mouse as a pet

    Mice

    What you need to know if you want to keep a mouse as a pet

  • Thinking about getting a hamster? Here is info on hamster care and hamster feeding.This hamster page will help you decide if you want a hamster as a pet.

    All About Hamsters

    Thinking about getting a hamster? Here is info on hamster care and hamster feeding.This hamster page will help you decide if you want a hamster as a pet.

  • Before adopting a gerbil as a pet, learn about how to care for one. Learn about cages, food, toys, activity, sociability, size, lifespan and more.

    Gerbil

    Before adopting a gerbil as a pet, learn about how to care for one. Learn about cages, food, toys, activity, sociability, size, lifespan and more.

New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.