By Emma Purnell, RVN Cert.Nut Degus are becoming more popular and can be fun and sociable pets but have some very specific care requirements. The degu is a rodent, fairly closely related to the guinea pig and the chinchilla. They can live until 8-9 years of age when cared for correctly...

By Emma Purnell RVN Cert.Nut. Ferrets can be cheeky and sociable pets but have specific care requirements that must be met to keep them happy and healthy. They usually have a lifespan of 8 -10 years so are a long-term commitment. Male ferrets are known as hobs, females are jills. Unneutered...

By Emma Purnell, RVN, CertNut Rabbits are often a species kept outside, but in extreme temperatures this means they can be more severely affected. Wild rabbits are naturally able to regulate their temperature well, as long as they can stay active and seek shelter if they need it. Making sure your...

By Emma Purnell, RVN Cert Nut Rabbits have traditionally been bought as a child’s pet; however, it is easy to incorrectly handle rabbits and potentially cause injury to both rabbit and handler. One thing we need to remember when dealing with and handling rabbits is that they are prey animals, they...

By Emma Purnell, RVN Cert. Nut Like most animals, rabbits generally do a good job of keeping themselves clean but there are certain times of year and specific things they may need help with. Some breeds, especially Angora’s, Lionheads and other long-haired rabbits, may need more help. Rabbits should NEVER...

By Emma Purnell, RVN Cert.Nut Guinea pigs can make wonderful pets – they are cheeky and inquisitive and very talkative! However, they can live for 5-6 years, are a long-term commitment and do still have a number of specific requirements which must be met in order to have them as...

By Emma Purnell, RVN Cert.Nut. Our pet rabbits are living longer as we learn more about how to care for them and keep them healthy. However, these requirements change as they age and we need to be able to adjust their care appropriately. When is a rabbit senior? This varies between...

By Emma Purnell, RVN Cert.Nut. Our rabbits are just as prone to obesity as other companion animal species and this is a growing concern. How can we tell if they are overweight? What should we do to keep their weight healthy? Unlike most animals, there is a lot of very good, and...

By Emma Purnell, RVN Cert.Nut. Animals that are small have a much lower tolerance for the extremes of temperature, as they will match the environmental changes much more rapidly. It means they can quickly become hyperthermic, even if originally from hot climates. The ideal temperature range for several common small mammal...

By Emma Purnell, RVN Cert.Nut Many of our small mammal pets can suffer with painful and potentially life threatening dental problems. Rabbits and rodents (including guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils and degus) have very different teeth to ours. We have a set of ‘baby’ teeth which are replaced by adult teeth that...