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Providing Quality Care for your Pet

Pocket Pet Information

Rodents
Guinea Pig
Rabbits
Ferrets

Pocket Pets

Pocket Pets are small mammalian pets, smaller than our cats and dogs, and so the term pocket pets. They typically consist of various rodents, rabbits, guinea pigs, and ferrets, but any small mammalian pet would qualify. We’ll look at each group separately.

Rodents

Pet rodents consist of mice, rats, gerbils and hamsters most commonly. Their care is very similar.

  • Provide fresh water via a water bottle with sipper tube
  • Clean, dry absorbent bedding; newspaper works well
  • Fresh commercial diet pellets specific for the rodent type
  • Safe, non-toxic chewing material such as paper towel tubes or tree branches
  • Easy to clean, escape proof cage
  • Exercise wheel or device
  • Gentle handling about 30 minutes per day
  • Avoid predators such as dogs, cats, or ferrets
  • Keep from young children
  • Avoid electrical cords

Contact us for an appointment at the first sign of any illness such as not eating or trouble eating, lethargy, any lumps, bumps or sores, sneezing or any discharge, or if there are any unusual changes in your rodents behavior.

Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs are gentle animals which make excellent pets. Their care is similar to that of rodents. Being larger, they require a larger cage and chewing material. Guinea pigs do require a daily supply of vitamin C as do people. Make sure the pellet food is made for guinea pigs and is fresh. Vitamin C added to water can be inactivated by metal sipper tubes. Feed supplemental sources of vitamin C such as green cabbage leaves, or any citrus fruit or rinds. Guinea pigs come in long or short hair varieties. The long haired types do require more grooming care to avoid matting.

Your guinea pig should remain bright and active. If there are any signs of illness such as not eating or trouble eating, sneezing, discharge or breathing difficulty, weight loss, increased thirst, lethargy, lumps, bumps or any sores, or any changes in their behavior, call us immediately for an appointment to see Dr. Valese.

Rabbits

Rabbits make great pets and do come in a number of varieties with different body sizes, coat color patterns and ear conformations. Although rabbits are typically gentle, they can bite, scratch, and kick. For this reason they are not well suited for younger children. Their kicking response can also cause harm to the rabbit if not lifted and handled properly. Never pick up a rabbit by its ears. Gentle handling with support to their hind quarters is necessary.

Rabbits can be fed commercially available rabbit pellets, but these cannot make up the bulk of your rabbit’s diet. They do need a good supply of high quality grass (not alfalfa) hay. Rabbits have a unique digestive system which requires roughage like grass hay. Rabbits do need to have access to their own droppings as they need to eat these stools to extract the nutrients that were not available to them on the first passage of the food. This process is called coprophagia. It’s a disgusting habit when seen in pet dogs, but a necessary function in rabbits. Rabbits can be fed some fresh vegetables, but this too must be limited to prevent digestive upset or diarrhea. Provide your rabbit with an ample supply of fresh water. Rabbits can be litter trained if kept indoors. Those kept outside must have a safe enclosure to protect against foul weather and predators like dogs and bears. Fly and gnat control is needed for the protection of your rabbit as well.

As with the other pocket pets, your rabbit should be seen by Dr. Valese at the first sign of any problems eating, drinking, breathing, if acting listless, any change in stools or urinations, sneezing or coughing, any noticed lumps or bumps, or any change from it’s normal behavior or activities. We can also see your new rabbit for a post purchase exam and teach you to better care for your new pet.

Ferret

Ferrets are very active and playful pets. Most ferrets are neutered and have their scent glands removed at a few weeks of age which is before they are purchased as pets. Even with the scent glands removed, ferrets can still have a strong musky odor. Unlike the other pocket pets, ferrets are carnivorous and require a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Ferrets can be fed a cat food diet; however this diet is too high in carbohydrates for aging ferrets. It’s best to start a young ferret on a proper ferret food diet early in life as later dietary changes can prove difficult. Not all commercial ferret foods are created equal. Some contain grains (carbohydrates) which your ferret does not need and can lead to future health problems. We have found a commercially made diet for ferrets which is high in protein and contains no grains like corn or wheat. We feel this is a superior diet for optimal long term ferret health.

Pet ferrets should receive an annual examination and stool screen for intestinal parasites as do cats and dogs. The ferret should receive vaccination protection as well. In addition to this we've listed some general health tips.

  • Provide ample supply of fresh water
  • Keep in a secure, escape proof cage when left unattended. They are escape artists.
  • Provide safe ferret climbing devices, tubes, and toys.
  • Protect from young children, dogs, and cats.
  • Provide a towel or cloth socks to hide in.
  • Avoid foam rubber, will chew into cushions.
  • Avoid burrowing into furniture where may be accidentally crushed.
  • Can be litter trained, use plain clay cat litter.

Any changes in your ferrets activity, eating, drinking, appearance or behavior should be brought to our attention immediately as there may be a health concern. If your ferret appears healthy and it has been over one year since your ferret has last been examined or you have a new pet ferret call us today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Valese.