Caring For Pet Mice & Rats
While pet mice and rats are some of the easiest small animals to care for they do still require proper care in order to be healthy and happy. Like with most every animal the most important aspects to the overall health of these pets is proper nutrition, a clean place to live and plenty of exercise. These are all fairly easy for those who own rats of mice to accomplish.
For rats and mice nutrition is most often the most overlooked aspect of their health. This improper diet leads to most common problems within these species. Like most animals, rats and mice when provided mixes as food these pets will eat the items they like and leave the rest. When unsuspecting owners refill this mix they are only encouraging their pet to eat only the foods the like and this will result in an improper diet.
Rats and mice tend to like sweat things as well as seeds and nuts that are high in fat. Owners should try and avoid sweats at all costs since these are just not good for the animal. But there are some great rat treats and mice treats available on the market that can be used for those special times in place of sweat treats. The nuts and seeds though can be given to the animals but they need to be done on a limited basis.
For optimal health rat owners as well as those who have mice need to provide them with a balanced diet of nutritionally complete food. This means making sure the animals get plenty of roughage in the form of vegetables and fiber along with all the nutrients they need. This food should also require plenty of chewing in order to make the pets work their teeth in order to wear down those continuously growing teeth.
Supplement Rabbit Food With Timothy Hay
Rabbits as well as guinea pigs and chinchillas need to be fed a good healthy diet of nutritious food but it is also important to provide them with plenty of roughage as well. Of course not all the hay available at the pet store is made the same. Just as many rabbit foods are made with filler and not completely healthy many hays on the shelf are not made with the best grasses. Pet owners need to make sure the hay they are providing their small pet is of the highest quality for the most benefit to their pet.
While some consider hay to be a rabbit treat this is not really the truth since it is so essential to their health it is a necessity. Hay provides the fiber rich roughage that rabbits, chinchillas and other small animals need for proper digestion. This fiber helps these small animals move food through their digestive system especially in the large and small intestine.
Hay also provides the added benefit of helping to wear down the front teeth of small pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs. The teeth on these herbivores do not stop growing so rabbit chews and things that will keep them worn off are essential for keeping them from getting too long.
Timothy hay is more than just the fiber that a rabbit needs for digestion though. Since this type of hay is made with quality grasses it also offers nutritional benefits as well. This hay will provide herbivores like rabbits not only fiber but also calories as well that will help keep them full and happy. While rabbit food should be measured out and controlled in order to keep the rabbit from gaining too much weight hay on the other hand should be provided in unlimited amounts for all the benefits it offer
Cage Setup For Chinchillas
Chinchillas make wonderful pets for those who want one of these adorable small animals that are native to South America. A large part of making a pet chinchilla happy and healthy is setting up their cage in a way that it feels like a home to them. Simply getting a wire or glass cage and putting a few things inside may not result in a happy pet and this will affect their overall health.
The chinchilla cage should be ventilated but yet not be in a drafty spot where the animal will be exposed to too much cool air. Since chinchillas love to climb this cage should be preferably a multi level model with lots of ledges for sitting on. There should be plenty of room for the animal to move around as well as room for the things they will need.
The bottom of the chinchilla cage should be covered with plenty of bedding to provide more cover for the animal that likes to burrow. This bedding will also help reduce odor and keep the cage clean so that the chinchilla will not be exposed to their own waste. It is important to remember that chinchillas can be sensitive to some materials and at no time should bedding be used that is made with cedar, pine, or sawdust. Only natural materials such as aspen should be used as bedding for a chinchilla cage since oils and preservatives in some bedding can irritate their skin.
Placement of the chinchilla cage is also very important since these animals tend to be nocturnal in nature and prefer quiet places. The cage should be placed in a bright place but not in direct sunlight. For quiet make sure the cage is in a room that gets more privacy and preferably place the home against a wall.
Why You Should Provide Plenty Of Bedding For Your Small Pet
If you own a small pet such as a rabbit, ferret, or gerbil their cage should be filled with plenty of clean bedding or litter at all times. This bedding is essential for many reasons and should be changed out often to ensure that it is clean for the animal and that it is comfortable inside their cage.
For these small animals in the wild they are prey to larger animals making them instinctually want to hide and burrow when they want to nap or be alone. That is why many owners will find their small pet burrowed into the bedding that they provide in the bottom of the cage. This bedding does a whole lot more than to cover the bottom and control odor and waste. Of course small pet owners should supplement this litter in the bottom of the cage with hideaways and other bedding made just for their species to give their pet plenty of places to get some peace and quiet. Things such as tunnels and hammocks will give ferrets and other small pets places that are more like natural habitat so they feel at home in their cage.
The litter and bedding in the bottom of the cage will also do the job of keeping odor and waste down. For this reason it will need to be refreshed often to ensure that it is clean. This is important for the health of the animal as well as for the room that the cage is located so there will be no odors.
Pet owners do need to take care on which bedding material they select for their pet. Not all cage bedding is okay for all animals. Chinchillas for example should not have cedar based cage bedding but instead need aspen chinchilla bedding for their cage. Know what your species needs and make sure that the litter you use is right for them
Mice As Pets
When some people think about mice as pets they question why anyone would want to keep an animal that many consider to be a pest. But domesticated mice actually make excellent pets that are nothing like their bad reputation cousins that infest homes and barns. White pet mice require little and are easy enough to care for making them an ideal first pet for young children.
A mouse cage should provide them with plenty of room inside to move around and include ramps and wheels for them to run on. But of course since they are so small this is still not a large cage that will take up a large space in your home. The cage will also need plenty of bedding to fill the bottom since mice are known for being very clean animals. While cages for mice can be bought in either wire or glass the wire cages will provide the animal with more ventilation as well as the opportunity to climb the sides.
Feeding mice is extremely easy since food is available from quality pet shops that is nutritionally balanced in a easy to feed pellet form. This mice food can also be supplemented by fresh fruits and vegetables as a treat and of course it should all be accompanied by plenty of fresh water. Mice also need plenty of chew toys available for them to keep their front teeth ground down with just as other rodent based pets do.
As pets mice are capable of creating bonds and providing companionship to those who spend some time with them each day. Mice are very playful and social animals and owners should consider owning at least two so that they are not along in their cage. Many are surprised with just how good of a pet a mouse can be once they bring their first one home.
Encouraging Play In Pet Ferrets
Ferrets are extremely intelligent pets and require plenty of mental stimulation in order to be truly happy and content. Ferret toys provide much of this mental stimulation whether they are playing with them alone or preferably playing games with their owner. This is important for not only their entertainment but their health as well since a bored ferret will spend too much time sleeping.
Choosing your ferret toys is not a matter of just grabbing things that look like they will entertain your pet. The toys you pick out should encourage their natural instincts so that a ferret will want to play with them often. Tunneling, hunting, and digging are activities that inspire a ferret so the toys you choose should encourage these habits.
Toys that move or interact with the animal will encourage their basic hunting skills and allow them to use them as prey so to speak. Ferret balls will roll and encourage them to chase just as if they are in the hunt. Many owners are also amazed to discover that their pet ferret can solve puzzles such as putting objects into a box. These toys will not only entertain but also challenge the ferret to solve them giving them plenty to do while you cannot be playing with them.
Ferrets also love to crawl through tunnels. These types of toys can be incorporated into your home or even placed inside their cage. Playing hide and go seek in a environment much like the burrows that their cousins in the wild instinctively live in will inspire their play and create lots of mental stimulation.
Ferret toys also include those that they are meant to chew on. Ferrets need to chew and if you do not provide them with edible chew toys that are safe for them they may end up chewing on things that will harm them.
Rats As Pets
For those who are willing to look beyond the undeserved bad reputation of the rat these animals actually make really good pets for animal lovers of all ages. The reputation that the rat has is really one of the most inaccurate of all the small animals. Rats are actually very clean animals that are very trainable and love to play. From cleaning the cage to taking the time to play with them pet lovers from adults down to very small children enjoy taking the time to make friends with these animals.
Rats are relatively easy to house but do appreciate having a rats cage large enough so they can climb the sides for exercise. Since rats love to play so much there should be plenty of room inside for rat toys and other things to keep them busy when they are inside. The bottom should be filled with plenty of bedding to help keep it clean since rats are very tidy animals and want to be kept in a clean environment.
Rats have special dietary needs so owners need to ensure that they are buying quality rat food from a reputable pet store. Only the best shops will ensure that the food for rats is high in fiber but yet low in fat just like these animals need to for optimal health.
Rats make excellent pets and will respond to their owners the best when at least thirty minutes a day is spent with them. Owners can train them to respond to their name when called. Many owners feel that rats are easily the most trainable small pet available and owners are amazed at just how intelligent they truly are. But they are also very social so owners need to give them plenty of time or even keep two so that they can each other for extra socialization.
Why Gerbils Eat Their Own Droppings
Many gerbil owners are bothered when they first see their pet eat their own droppings but many do not realize that this is actually a natural part of their digestion process. Often called coprophagy gerbils and other small rodents eat their own droppings in order to get the most nutrients from the food that is being provided to them. Though it may be a little unappetizing owners need to know that this is totally natural and okay for them to do.
Gerbils are herbivores and get all of their nutrition from plant material. Pet stores such as The Rabbit Hutch Shop offers gerbil food that is nutritionally balanced just for them. Of course gerbils do not get all the nutrients out of the food when it passes through their bodies the first time since they are too large to be properly absorbed.
By ingesting their droppings gerbils are taking that same gerbil food back into their bodies in order to digest it one more time. This time the nutrients are smaller and break down even more where their bodies can absorb them the absolute best. This process allows the bacteria in the gerbil’s body to break down the plant matter completely and get every bit of what is in the food you offer them. By passing through their body more than once the food that owners provide their pets have a chance to be fully utilized by their small intestine and colon to provide their bodies with what they need to be healthy.
It is hard for gerbil owners to believe but the feces of their pet actually have a substantial amount of nutrients inside that is good for them. While it may be unpleasant to see this habit does have a good purpose and owners should not discourage their gerbil from doing it.
Chinchillas As Pets
Chinchillas are one of the most recognizable animals in the pet shop and with their absolutely adorable looks many end up taking one home. These small animals are extremely soft with large eyes and ears that attract attention and curious personalities that win over hearts. With patience and care chinchillas will bond with their human owners to be not only a cute animal in a cage but a real companion as well.
Also called rabbit mice these animals are members of the rodent family with many of the same characteristics and needs. As with many rodents the front teeth of a chinchilla will continue to grow so making sure they have plenty of things to chew on will allow them to keep these teeth worn down.
A chinchilla cage should have plenty of room inside for the animal and since they love to climb multiple levels are ideal. Chinchilla cages should also have plenty of ledges to sit on as well as a sleeping den where they can hideaway to get some sleep. There should also be lots of chinchilla bedding provided for them to burrow into and for helping them and their cage stay clean. A chinchilla will also need sand for a bath to keep their fur clean. Of course not any sand will do so make sure it is chinchilla bath that is used for this purpose.
Like with many animals a chinchilla loves treats so owners need to regulate these and make sure that they get the right amount of healthy food and all the hay they can eat each day. This should be accompanied by plenty of fresh water and the chinchilla will remain happy and healthy. Those who decide to get a chinchilla and take the time to get to know them end up loving the companionship they offer.
Keeping Your Guinea Pig Healthy & Happy With A Set Routine
Guinea pigs are very easy pets to keep but for their optimal health and happiness there are a few things that owners need to remember to do to ensure that they have the best possible conditions. Guinea pigs do not require much but they do really thrive on routine. These pets are creatures for habit without a doubt so the best thing a guinea pig owner can do is to stick to the same routine for their pet.
Having a set time that you do things with your guinea pig is something that they will respond to in a positive way. Sudden changes to the routine or even the food that is fed to them can cause the guinea pig excess stress that will compromise their health. This may sound like a hassle but most of us already have a set routine in our lives so adding one that includes your pet guinea pig should not be too hard.
Continuing to use the same kind of guinea pig food may sound boring but for them it is a comfortable part of their daily life. It is best to use the same food and not make changes to their diet quickly since this will cause them to have too much stress. Even changes in the bedding that is used in the guinea pig cage can cause stress in the animals as well.
Stress in a guinea pig will make them susceptible to disease, which will have adverse affects on their overall health. Unlike many animals guinea pigs do not respond well to treatment from veterinarians so it is vital to keep them healthy in the first place. Though generally hardy and healthy animals that can stand up to just about anything as long as they are kept in a routine a guinea pig will make a wonderful pet.