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At Easter, as well as at other times, a lot of rabbits find new homes.  So here we would like to offer you some good guidelines on rabbit care and training. Before buying one, first make sure that you have adequate space in your home to put your rabbit and its cage. Rabbits can also be put outside in a cage on the porch, in the yard, or even out in the garage. However, if you keep your rabbit outside and it is summer or winter, make sure that it does not get too hot or too cold as this can kill it. Also make sure that you will, or you have someone who will, take care of the rabbit. Once you have decided that you and your home can sustain a rabbit or two, then you are ready to go pick out your rabbit(s)!

If you and your family decide that you want to keep the bunny inside the house, it may be best to get one of the smaller breeds of rabbits. These include dwarf rabbits, Holland lops, mini-lops, mini-rex, and small dutch rabbits. The larger breeds of rabbits usually do best outside as they can get quite large and may be difficult to keep inside the house. However, smaller breeds can also be kept outside or in the garage. Whether you are getting large or small rabbits and whether you choose to keep them outside or inside the house, the cage should be big enough so that your rabbit has room to move around comfortably inside it.

For food, it is a good idea to buy a good quality rabbit food from your local pet store. Some foods may not contain the right mix of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients adequate for a rabbit. Rabbits can also occasionally enjoy some fresh fruits or vegetables for a treat. It is best to get a ceramic crock or a very thick plastic crock-type food bowl, as most rabbits like to chew. For water, you will want to get a large 16 oz. or 32 oz. water bottle, because rabbits like to drink a lot. Water bowls usually do not work out as well as rabbits may get them dirty easier.

Make sure that you have something for your rabbit to chew on, since as mentioned earlier they love to chew. They may want to chew on electric cords, chair legs, and unattended food dishes. To prevent such behavior, you should simply provide them with some wood chews, gnaw bones or other chew toys, all available at your local pet shop. You can also use pine and some other woods, as long as they are clean and have no paint or other chemicals on them. Like most other small animals, a rabbit’s teeth continue to grow over its lifetime and must be kept ground down through chewing.

Sometimes a rabbit’s teeth will overgrow and must be trimmed. Have a veterinarian do this and show you how. As their toenails grow, they should also be trimmed with pet nail trimmers. Another thing to be aware of is that rabbits’ eyes do not have tear ducts, therefore any irritation of the eye needs immediate attention. If they get red or irritated, rinse with lukewarm water. If the condition persists or gets worse, see your veterinarian. In addition, your rabbit will occasionally need some grooming. Get a good grooming brush to brush your rabbit. This will help keep its hair from getting matted. Long-haired rabbits such as angora rabbits will need quite a bit of grooming.

A rabbit can be house trained and litter box trained, and this is an especially good idea if you want to keep your rabbit indoors. These are not difficult tasks, but you will need some time. It is best and easiest to start with a rabbit when it is as young as possible, preferably right after you get a bunny at about between 6 and 13 weeks old. You will need to gather these items for house and litter box training: a cat litter box with some non-appetizing cat litter, a spray bottle filled with water, some Tabasco sauce or bitter apple solution, some paper towels, and a broom and dust pan. We also assume that at this point you already have a rabbit or two, and an rabbit wire cage complete with water bottle and food dish.

Below is a complete guideline to house training and litter box training a rabbit:

Step 1 – Place the new rabbit in the cage you have purchased or built for 24 hours. Do not disturb or handle. Observe which corner the rabbit uses to urinate in. Once a rabbit has picked out one spot to use as its toilet, it will usually always use the same spot.

Step 2 – Put your litter box over the chosen toilet corner. Once you are sure the rabbit is using the litter box, you may start handling your pet. Start by removing the bunny for 10 to 15 minutes several times a day. If treated in a kind and gentle manner, the rabbit will soon come to enjoy its trips outside its cage. Supervise small children when they play with and handle the bunny. Rabbits are best picked up with one hand by the loose skin at the back of the neck, and you can also support their legs with your other hand to prevent kicking.

Step 3 – You may now leave the rabbit out of its cage for longer periods of time, but watch carefully and return it to the cage if it shows signs of lifting its tail to urinate. If you catch it urinating outside the cage, spray it with the water bottle and return it to the cage. By the end of the third week, you should be able to leave the door of his cage open when you are home. However, you should put your rabbit back in its cage if you have to leave home for the day or for anything over an hour or so. Never leave a rabbit out of its cage unattended for too long unless you want to clean up after it.

If you do not catch your rabbit urinating inappropriately in time, clean all of the stain and the odor as completely as possible, and then spray the area with a good rabbit repellent such as bitter apple solution, and it should not return. Even after a rabbit has been litter trained pretty well, it may still leave small droppings occasionally here and there. When you find these just whisk them up with your dust pan and broom. Do not leaving droppings around, as this will only encourage the bunny to keep using the same area for a toilet.

As mentioned previously, rabbits love to chew. We suggest that you rub bitter apple solution or even Tabasco sauce on the cords and other items that your rabbit seems to want to chew. Again, if you catch your rabbit chewing in time, use your spray bottle and spray it. Never hit your rabbit, as this will make it mean and aggressive. As you have seen so far, you should spray it with water for punishment instead, as rabbits do not like being sprayed with water.

This is just some of the basic information about rabbits and their care. Getting a book on rabbits is recommended to really get familiar with them. With good care, rabbits can live for about 5 to 7 years. If you have any questions regarding rabbits and their care, feel free to ask.

Rabbits have been around for a long time. However, the history of rabbits contains some interesting errors. The Phoenicians were the first people to discover rabbits. At around 1100 B.C., Phoenician seafarers found rabbits in the approximate region of what is today Spain and Portugal. The Phoenicians called the rabbits “i-shepan-im.” This name was accepted by the Romans, who then added this word into their language, which later interestingly evolved to become the Latin name Hispania for Spain!

Soon after these wild rabbits were discovered, they were first tamed when the Romans raised them for meat, keeping them in open-aired enclosures much like chickens on a farm. Then, much later in the sixteenth century, the process of selective breeding and the keeping of rabbits as pets began. In fact, most of the wild and domestic rabbits in the world today are direct descendants of the Old World/European wild rabbits that have been domesticated for centuries. The most common types of wild rabbits in North America are cottontails, snowshoe rabbits, and jackrabbits.

Another interesting error in the history of rabbits is that rabbits were originally classified as rodents because of their small size and prominent buck teeth. But both hares and rabbits are classified into a class of creatures called the Lagomorphs. Hares and rabbits are different subspecies of the same family, kind of like how orangutans and gorillas are different subspecies of the ape family. Although in the same family, hares and rabbits are so very different in their appearance and behavioral traits that they cannot produce offspring together. After we take a brief look at the fascinating differences between hares and rabbits, we will be focusing on rabbits and especially domestic rabbits that many of you see at Easter and in your local pet store year-round.

Hares are generally faster, more active, and hardier than rabbits. In fact, they usually prefer to run rather than hide from enemies. They are also usually larger and have longer ears and legs than rabbits. Hares give birth to active, fur-covered babies with open eyes and young hares are called leverets. Hares prefer to and usually live alone or just pair off with one mate. In short, Bugs Bunny is more likely a hare rather than a rabbit! Historically, hares have always been and still are usually found only in the wild, and they are rarely domesticated.

Rabbits are slower, less hardy, more timid, and appropriately they tend to burrow underground to hide rather than run from enemies like hares do. Young rabbits are called bunnies or kits, and they are born hairless and blind. Rabbits often prefer to live together in groups, with distinct social orders. A dominant male in the group usually fights off all the other males in an area and mates with all the females in that area. A group of rabbits is called a herd and this group or herd lives in a warren (system of underground burrows built by and for rabbits in the wild). In contrast to hares, rabbits have been domesticated much more than the hares.

As you may know, there are many domesticated wild animals that have become well cared for human pets. Among these are birds, fish, dogs, cats, hamsters and many other small animals. Rabbits, however, are often not so blessed with human protection and love. The main reason for this is that rabbits are so easy to use and abuse. Rabbits are highly reproductive, demand little care, adjust easily, and never voice complaints that we can hear. Rabbits produce meat and fur, and serve as research animals in countless laboratories. It is the lucky rabbit that gets adopted by a pet lover. Rabbits actually make very good and loving pets.

As mentioned above, rabbits tend to be quite silent, and may occasionally just grunt to show displeasure or express some other strong emotion. However, rabbits are actually quite expressive and full of personality. In fact, rabbits talk to each other and even to their owner constantly, not so much with sounds as with movements. There are large movements such as dancing and grooming, and there are quite small communications such as shifts in position, movements of feet, ears, nose, etc.

Like humans and many other creatures, both wild and domestic rabbits prefer to live in groups and are the happiest and live the longest when with others of their kind. As you might imagine, adding a second or third rabbit is easiest if all the rabbits are of the same gender (females still tend to be more peaceful and friendly than males though), or if the rabbits are of different gender then make sure they are all neutered or spayed.

Boredom and depression are common symptoms of loneliness in rabbits, and these may be accompanied by destructiveness and hyperactivity in some rabbits, withdrawal in others. Getting your rabbit another companion is an easy way to prevent such problems and you will have two very happy, loving rabbits. Of course, your love and attention will also bring companionship and happiness to the rabbit(s). Do note that keeping two rabbits is generally not much more expensive than just one. Pellets, hay, fresh fruits and vegetables, and a few extra scoops of litter lining for two small animals puts little additional strain on the budget.

Although rabbits highly prefer one of their own kind as a non-human companion, if you have another small animal or well-mannered large animal, that will work well too. House rabbits and indoor cats can get along fine, as do rabbits and well-mannered dogs. Dogs should be trained to respond to commands before being trusted with a free-running rabbit, and supervision is needed to control a dog’s playful impulses (this is especially true for puppies).

Lastly, let us look at the huge and exciting variety of domestic rabbits for one to choose from. There are big rabbits, medium rabbits, small rabbits, fluffy rabbits, not so fluffy rabbits, long-eared rabbits, short-eared rabbits, etc. All are very lovely. Currently, there are about 50 recognized breeds! Below we will look at some popular rabbit possibilities for you as well as classify them by size and weight, hair length and type, and ear length and type. Remember that these are just some of the more common breeds of rabbits. There are many others but they may be harder to find.

Size and Weight

Rabbits that grow to about 12 to 15 pounds and over are called large breeds. Some popular ones are:
Giants – 12 to over 15 pounds
Giant Lops – 10 to 12 pounds

Rabbits that grow to about 7 to 12 pounds are called medium breeds. Some popular ones are:
English lops – 7 to 12 pounds
Blue Viennese – 7 to 11 pounds
Japanese – 7 to 10 pounds
New Zealand Reds – 7 to 10 pounds
Belgian Hares – 7 to 9 pounds
Rexes – 7 to 11 pounds
Satins – 7 to 9 pounds
Angora long hairs – 7 to 12 pounds

Rabbits that grow to about 5 to 7 pounds are called small breeds. Some popular ones are:
Himalayans – 5 to 6 pounds
Black-and-tans – 5 to 7 pounds
Small Chinchillas – 5 to 7 pounds
Dutch – 5 to 7 pounds
Fox rabbits – 5 to 7 pounds

Rabbits that grow to about 1 to 5 pounds are called dwarf breeds. Some popular ones are:
Dwarf Lops – 3 to 5 pounds
Dwarf rabbits – 1 to 3 pounds
Dwarf Rexes – 1 to 3 pounds
Holland Lops – 3 to 5 pounds
Dwarf fox rabbits – 2 to 3 pounds

Hair length and type

Rabbits also have many different hair lengths. Most breeds have a normal hair length of about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. Rabbits with hair under one inch long are called shorthaired breeds, but their hair length still usually remains at above half an inch. Most rexes are shorthaired. Although their hair is short, their overall fur is as soft as velvet. Angoras and fox rabbits are two longhaired breeds. Their hair is fluffy and wavy and grows to at least 2 1/2 inches in length. Longhaired rabbits require the most maintenance, especially with respect to grooming.

Ear length and type

Most rabbit breeds come with upright ears. Rabbits with droopy ears are lops. Lops are some of the cutest breeds of rabbits, and they sometimes even look like little dogs. Rabbits also have different ear lengths. The dwarf rabbit has very short ears. Most other rabbits have medium to long ears that extend straight up. Here are some varieties of ear lengths that you can choose from:

Giants’ ears grow to over 7 inches.
Belgian hares’ ears grow to 5 to 6 inches.
Dutch ears grow to 3 to 4 inches.
Dwarf rabbits’ ears grow to about 2 inches.

Whatever kind of rabbit you have, or want to get, just treat it well, give it lots of care and love, and your rabbit will make a very good pet who will give you lots of love in return.

Guinea pigs, also called cavies, are not pigs at all but belong to the rodent family like mice or hamsters. Fossil records of guinea pigs date back to over 18 million years ago, during Miocene Period, also called the Age of Mammals.

Guinea pigs originally hail from South America, mostly in Peru, where today most of them still live in the wild. The local people, including the Inca Indians, have used them and still use them mostly for food today. Only a select few were kept as pets. The Spanish brought guinea pigs from South America to Europe around 1554 and since then they have spread all over the world as pets. Much later, the highly selective breeding of guinea pigs began in the early 20th century.

Being the common prey for all predators in the wild, guinea pigs are shy, careful, and also very alert. Although they are shy by nature, guinea pigs are very active, friendly, cuddly, and even vocal and communicative once they get acquainted with their owner and/or other pigs. In fact, researchers have counted at least eleven different sounds that guinea pigs make in communicating with each other and their owners. When you pick up the guinea pig it may be quite skittish and fearful. It should quickly relax in your hands as you stroke it. They love to be petted and will squeak and grunt with pleasure when they are gently handled.

Guinea pigs are also very gentle and clean creatures. Their gentle and friendly social nature, fair temperament, and low maintenance make them excellent pets. In addition, guinea pigs can be trained to perform easy tricks, but only when food is involved and with many repetitions. The potty training of guinea pigs is rather easy, because they consider the cage a safe place and will litter in familiar territory.

Guinea pigs do best in a cage that has a sturdy but removable wire top, with a removable bottom tray made from either plastic or metal so that you can easily change the litter in the pan. If you decide to use a small cage (about one foot by one foot space or less for each pig is considered small), please keep in mind that it is only appropriate for sleeping and resting, and that the pigs will also need a play and activity space for when they are awake. This can be a flat wooden tray of about 2 feet by 3 feet with a side all around of about 1 foot tall that you can build or buy. Guinea pigs do not jump so no cage lid is required and again the walls do not need to be very high (1 foot is fine).

The other option is to just use one large cage for both sleeping and activity. If using just one large cage, it should have at minimum a haystack, and a small wooden house or a large plastic or cardboard tube for sleeping or hiding in. You should also have accessories and entertainment items in the cage such as toys, or a special small house with tubes, wheels, and other exciting stuff for when the guinea pig is awake. This also lets your guinea pig get exercise, which is very important. Well-behaved guinea pigs can also be let out of the cage to explore the house with the owner’s supervision.

For food, guinea pigs do best with a high quality pet rodent food with vitamin C added, or guinea pig pellets available from most pet food makers. They should also be given free access to some alfalfa or timothy hay for fiber. Guinea pigs are vegetarians. They will eat fresh grass (not lawn clippings), dandelions, and clover. They will also like celery, cucumber, sweet corn (maize), carrots and fruit. More convenient and cheaper is dried mix from your local pet shop. A large bag can last for a long time.

You should give your guinea pig a water bottle and use a heavy weight crock for the food. Longhaired guinea pigs may need to be brushed regularly using a slicker comb or similar tool. Guinea pig toenails may also need to be clipped occasionally with human nail clippers if they get too long. With a little care, a proper diet, and your friendly companionship, your guinea pig should live a long, happy, healthy life – usually four to seven years.

You may wish to buy at least two guinea pigs as they get lonely on their own. If you get more than one guinea pig, you must get guinea pigs of the same sex or you will very quickly have more guinea pigs than you can handle. Males are more active than females, grow larger, and may have more odor and may fight other males. If you must purchase a male and a female then you will have to have the male neutered and/or the female spayed.

The puppies (baby guinea pigs) that you choose should be plump and well fed, should have bright eyes and clean ears and nose, and should have clean, silky fur all over including under the bottom. The guinea pig should be alert and active.

There are many different kinds of guinea pigs. They are classified by whether they have long or short hair, straight or swirled texture hair, and an endless variety of colors. Four popular varieties that many people get are listed below:

• The Abyssinian guinea pig: A popular breed, it is also called an abby for short. This guinea pig will have rather short tufts of hair all over its body. This guinea pig is fairly easy to take care of as the hair does not get too long.
• The teddy bear guinea pig: Another popular breed, the teddy bears have a type of hair that results in them having a soft, fuzzy, teddy bear look. Teddys also have a round appearance and sloped, Roman nose.
• The white crested cavy: A less common breed than the above two, it is also known as the crested guinea pig. This guinea pig gets its name from the single rosette of hair that appears on top of its head.
• The Peruvian guinea pig: Originally called the angora, this breed is known for its long, silky hair that comes in many colors. In fact, their hair usually grows right to the ground, and the front hair covers their eyes unless brushed back. As a result, this breed of guinea pig requires a lot of grooming. They must be brushed daily to keep their coats looking good and free from mats, and to keep the hair out of their eyes. The Peruvian is not recommended for beginners because of its high maintenance coat and challenging personality.

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 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 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 it.

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.

Activity 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 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.

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 and smelly area around the underside of the tail. This definitely indicates diarrhea and is called wettail. Diarrhea can kill your pet if not treated 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, get some Dri-tail or another good medicine immediately. Whole wheat dry toast crumbs can also be given for mild diarrhea.