Complete Guide to Rodent Care

Did you know that mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, and guinea pigs are all considered rodents? They are also fast becoming some of the most popular pets around, both for children and adults. This is not surprising as rodents make very good pets, are usually easily hand-tamed, and are quite cute and fun. They are as fun to watch as they are to hold. In addition, rodents do not take up much room or other resources, are easy to look after, relatively inexpensive, and there are many different varieties of each kind to choose from.

Though it may be shy and nervous at first, your pet rodent will grow quickly to love you and trust you for its protection and care. Most rodents have an average lifespan of 2 to 3 years (guinea pigs will live 4 to 7 years), but good care and love will ultimately determine how long your pet lives. Animals fed a healthy diet and kept in clean cages using the proper bedding will live longer than those fed junk food who live in dirty cages on poor quality bedding. In addition, a neglected animal will be depressed and sometimes just wither away, while an animal given lots of attention and love will live months beyond its life expectancy because it is happy and has a much stronger will to live. In this article, we will therefore cover all the basics of good care for your rodent.

Cages and Bedding

Two of the most common shelters used for rodents are aquariums and wire cages. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Aquariums are breakable and will have less ventilation which can cause condensation when humid and sometimes even ammonia buildup. And though an aquarium may protect the rodent from drafts, it has pretty poor air circulation which makes it heat up quickly, and this is especially true if the tank is placed near direct sunlight. However, aquariums are easier to clean and have the lowest chances of rodents escaping.

Wire cages are probably the best, but make sure there are no wire floors (it should be a solid and flat floor) because rodents are known for getting their feet and legs caught in them and causing injury. Otherwise, wire cages offer plenty of air circulation and ventilation. They also offer more climbing and playing surface area for climbing rodents than aquariums. In addition, wire cages allow you to interact more easily with your pets. However, wire cages are not as easy to clean as aquariums, will definitely have to be protected from drafts, and may have a higher chance of rodent escape. For both an aquarium or a wire cage, you should use a sturdy but removable wire top. If you are using a wire cage, you do have another additional advantage of being able to use an optional removable bottom tray so that you can easily change the litter in the cage.

Let us talk a little more about temperatures and climates. Rodents do vary a little as to what they prefer. Gerbils are very hardy and good at surviving temperature variations. Mice are least hardy when it comes to temperatures and should be kept in a 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit temperature range to maintain good health. You should get and use a thermometer. Place the thermometer near your mice shelter and monitor it often enough to ensure that the temperature is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. For most other rodents, just make sure to avoid putting your rodent through big temperature changes, and do not keep it in an area that is too hot or too cold and also avoid placing it near a drafty/windy area. A range of between 60 to 80 degrees is good.

For bedding, avoid cedar and pine shavings. Cedar and pine are woods that contain a relatively high amount of chemical - called phenol - which gives them that fresh and woodsy smell. Harmless to humans - they are used in cleaners and air fresheners. However phenols are poisonous and toxic to most rodents - especially rats and mice - and can cause organ damage and as well as weaken the immune system. Many people still believe that cedar is okay for guinea pigs, hamsters, and gerbils - but to play it safe it is best to use the other options listed in the next paragraph.

For bedding, hardwood shavings such as aspen are the best. Other acceptable litters are paper products, corncob bedding, and even rabbit food pellets. In any case, bedding should be clean, nontoxic, absorbent, as well as easy to replace, and the litters mentioned just now fit those criteria pretty well. When litter starts getting damp, dirty, or old, you will have to change it. You should clean the cage and change the bedding at least once a week. Cages can be disinfected and cleaned with a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts hot water. Be sure all residue is thoroughly rinsed off and the cage is well dried. As mentioned earlier, you can get a cage that comes with a removable bottom tray made from either plastic or metal so that you can easily change the litter in the pan.

Whether you get an aquarium or a wire cage, it should provide enough space for your rodent to move around freely and comfortably. As a general rule, a 10-gallon aquarium usually makes a nice home for 1-3 rodents. Cage or tank size may also depend on the size of the animal - for example, a 1-foot square space is considered the minimum space for one guinea pig. Keep in mind that most types of rodents will love to have one or two companions of their own kind. Do make sure that the rodents are the same gender (females usually get along with each other the best) to help keep them behaving their best, and so that you do not have to neuter them. Hamsters are the one of the few rodents that usually do best alone, especially Syrian hamsters. If you really want to buy more than one hamster it would help to buy them from the same litter or family.

As a last note, understand that cages made with wood are not recommended as rodent urine will soak into the wood, causing ammonia buildup and other problems. In addition wood can splinter and cause injury to your rodent, and rodents may also chew on or even through the wood. Plastic cages are acceptable as they work much like aquariums. Although they are usually not breakable, they will still have poor ventilation and air circulation.

Food and Water

For food, most rodents will do best with a pre-mixed, high-quality pet rodent food available at your local pet store. A special food, each of which contains all the vitamins and minerals necessary and in the right amounts, is made for each kind of rodent. Most rodent foods are also available in pellet or block form. Kaytee is a good brand of rodent food and Kaytee Forti-diet is a suitable and recommended basic daily diet for most rodents. The rodent diets containing seeds and nuts are not recommended because they contain too many fats and oils for most rodents. A rodent grain mix is available from Kaytee as well, but if fed should only be given as a treat once a week or so.

Your pet rodent will crave treats sometimes, and it is also indeed very fun for you the owner to feed treats to your pet. Fruits and vegetables are usually the healthiest treats. Possibilities include celery, cucumber, sweet corn (maize), carrots, broccoli, alfalfa, apples, grapes. Rats do love table scraps, but do not overdo. Chicken bones are fine - rats gnaw the bones and will not choke on them like a dog will. Guinea pigs will also eat fresh grass (not lawn clippings), dandelions, and clover. Mice will also greatly enjoy sunflower seeds, cheese, jam, as well as crumbs from cookies, chips, or fruit and grain bars. Most of these treats are fresh and can spoil quickly, so any uneaten food should be removed from the cage within 24 hours. Do remember to give treats in moderation or you will end up with a fat rodent.

Make sure that you have something for your pet rodent to chew on, as all rodents love to chew. Rodents also have constantly growing teeth, and so they need to chew on something keep their teeth ground down and in good condition. Flavored or non-flavored wood chews, chew sticks, gnaw bones or some other chew toy or treat - all available at your local pet shop - are great choices and will need to be provided. If you have some wood at home to give to your rodent, make sure that wood is clean and has no paint or other chemicals on them.

If you let your rodent out of the cage, it may want to chew on electric cords, chair legs, and unattended food. We suggest that you keep food covered or stored securely, and rub bitter apple solution or even Tabasco sauce on electrical cords and other items that your rodent seems to want to chew. If your rodent is given access to chew toys or treats, it will be less likely to chew other things that it is not supposed to chew.

Your rodent should have a constant supply of water and food - so make sure that food and water is available at all times. Always keep at least one food bowl filled with a dry rodent food. Water and food should also be given fresh every day, so replenish and refill the food and water each day. It is best to get a ceramic crock or a very thick plastic crock type food bowl, these bowls are heavy and sturdy and will prevent the rodent from tipping it over or chewing on it. Mice can use a small china or pottery dish. A demand-type water bottle is recommended for all rodents. Water bowls can be tipped over, leaving your rodent with no water for long periods of time, depending on how often you check on your pet. They can also be easily contaminated with bedding and rodent feces.

Wash and disinfect food and water containers regularly, preferably daily. You can do this while you replenish the water bottle and the food bowl, which is usually about once a day as well. It is recommended that you remove any uneaten fresh food at the end of the day and refill as necessary. You can clean and disinfect the water bottle and food bowl with hot soapy water. Use a bottle brush to clean the bottle to prevent bacteria buildup and prevent it from clogging up. Be sure to rinse well with hot water.

Actitivity and Fun

Human contact and attention is important in keeping a rodent tame, friendly, and happy. Frequent, gentle handling will ensure that a rodent will continue to love and trust its owner. Make sure to spend ample time with your pet rodent and handle it at least once a day. Sometimes a new rodent may be so nervous and afraid that it will bite. Remember that most small animals that bite will do so out of fear and not out of meanness, so be very gentle and patient with them. Always give a new rodent about a week of time to itself in its cage - do not handle it for that time. Before picking up your new pet, try to talk to it gently, offer it a treat and pet it gently first to calm it down as much as possible. Until your new pet becomes comfortable with being handled, keep it close to the floor when picking it up so if it jumps it will not be greatly injured by the fall.

Frequent and adequate exercise and activity is also very important for all rodents. You should provide plenty of accessories and toys in your rodent's cage. Exercise balls and wheels are great basics for most rodents. You can also get a special playhouse that comes with tubes, wheels, and other exciting stuff. Rats and mice are known for climbing and shredding, and they will enjoy having something like toilet paper for shredding purposes, and a hemp or other rope can be strung across the inside of the cage and be used for climbing. Socks, dish towels, rags, scrap cloth can also be scattered and strung throughout the cage to be great mouse and rat cage climbing and hiding accessories. An accessory for visual security should be provided for every rodent - this can be a large plastic or cardboard tube for your rodent to or hide in when it wants to.

A caged rodent will need daily out time to provide necessary exercise, unless it happens to be a wheel runner - in which case it can be taken out perhaps once a week or so. Most well-behaved rodents can be let out of the cage to explore the house with the owner's supervision. If you are afraid your rodent will run away when it comes out of its cage for playtime, you can place your rodent in something like a flat wooden tray of about 2 feet by 3 feet (or however large you would like it) with a side all around of about 1 foot tall that you can build or buy. Higher walls will be needed for gerbils, who are great jumpers.

There is also a more detailed article purely dedicated to the subject of activities and fun with small animals on the Pet World facts page, click here to get to it. For the most correct and safest methods of picking up a specific rodent (mouse, rat, guinea pig, gerbil, or hamster), please see the specific fact for that rodent under the Small Animals section on the Pet World facts page.

In Sickness and In Health

To help monitor your rodent's health, it is suggested that you look for any unusual behavior, or watch to see if the rodent becomes less active. Also check your pet regularly for consistent weight. They should never be bony or thin. Remember to get their vaccinations done as needed too.

Diarrhea is the most common problem that rodents may get. Check if your rodent's droppings get softer or stick together, this may indicate diarrhea. You pet may also develop a wet a smelly area around the underside of the tail. This definitely indicates diarrhea and is called wettail. Diarrhea can kill your pet if not treated for immediately. Diarrhea shows up more often when you first get a pet, as it will feel a lot of stress until it gets used to its new home.

To help prevent diarrhea in a new pet, try and keep the animal on the same food and water that it was always on and gradually change the food if you want to, and handle your pet gently and sparingly for the first week or so. If your pet should get diarrhea, come to Pet World immediately for some Dri-tail or another good medicine. Whole wheat dry toast crumbs can be given for mild diarrhea.

If you have any more questions regarding how to care for any kind of pet rodent, just ask us and we will help you any way we can.