A balanced diet
All animals need to eat the right food to maintain a healthy body and mind. Certain ingredients will stop rodents’ teeth overgrowing and causing painful or life-threatening conditions.
To express natural behaviours
To avoid stress and boredom, animals need to feel as normal as possible. For example, a rabbit will feel much better with a tub of soil to dig and a fruit-tree branch to gnaw on.
Companionship
Animals that are naturally sociable, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, MUST be kept in pairs or groups of their own species. And if you don’t want a population explosion, you should consider neutering.
Exercise and play
All creatures should have an interesting environment that’s big enough for running and jumping, with a variety of toys to climb or chew. We recommend putting treats inside a play ball to give them a mental and physical workout.
Monitoring for illness
Small furries can go downhill very quickly if they become ill – so should be handled and checked twice a day. Symptoms that can indicate a serious problem include runny eyes, a runny nose, weight loss, drooling, wet fur around the mouth or rear, fur loss, soft droppings stuck to fur or small amounts of droppings.
If you spot any of these symptoms, please don’t hesitate to call to book an appointment. We’ve got a wealth of experience with rabbits and other small pets, so can set your mind at rest or recommend treatment.