Small Animal Saturday

How do I catch a escaped hamster?

Most times a hamster will come back to their cage on their own. Place the cage open on the floor (with a supply of fresh food), near its usual location. Leave it over night since Hamsters are nocturnal. Then check in the morning for your little runaway.

If this doesn't work you can try locating you little one by setting up a small pile of counted sunflower seeds in each room. Then count them in the morning. If he is still around he will be drawn to the food. Once you have narrowed down the room try setting up his home in there and wait once again. If you like you can wait up (you have to be very quiet) to close the door behind your hammy or check back in the morning to see if he is home.

Small Animal Saturday

Ok this Small Animal Saturday is not based on a question I was asked but something I experienced last week.

Lets talk Hamsters... I see people stop in with their little ones and ohh and ahhh over the ever so cute Hamsters. Then they ask me "Do they bite?" My answer is always..."Anything With a Mouth can BITE!"

Now a few days ago I was holding one of the Hammies and was petting him when someones dog barked and scared the poop out of the cute little guy. WHO proceeded to BITE the Crap out of me! We are talking Blood flowing and me trying to to swear in front of the little kids walking around the store.

Hammies have VERY sharp teeth. If you are thinking of getting on you should be ready for the chance that one of these little guys might get freaked out and in their panic will bite you. When someone is looking at one as a possible pet and they have children under 10 I always recommend getting a Guinea Pig instead. Guinea Pigs are larger, easier to handle and the least likely of all the rodents to bite.... notice I don't say never! I have had a Guinea Pig nip at me (he didn't draw blood). Because small children are going to react more strongly if they are bitten by their beloved fuzzy buddy a hamster should be out of the question. An older child can better understand the risks and will be better prepared for that possibility.

By the way my finger still hurts.

Small Animal Saturday

I get asked this question quite frequently at the pet store so I'm posting it here.

Which Bedding is better the paper or the wood?

We use both types in the small animal habitats and I find that it depends on the type of animal you have. If you have a gerbil or dwarf hamster the wood bedding works fine the amount of urine these animals produce is minimal so there is no problem. But with the larger animals I feel the paper bedding is better since it is more absorbent. Wood bedding doesn't suck up as much of the moisture it just floats on top.

Now there are several different styles of bedding even in the paper style but something to remember is never use PINE or CEDAR wood as your pets bedding. They give off toxic fumes that can cause respiratory problems in your small animal.

Small Animal Saturdays

Can old newspapers be used for bedding material for my gerbils?

Newspapers are not a good choice for bedding for any small pets. When they pee on it the ink will run and get all over them. Not only will this be extremely messy but they may contain potentially toxic chemicals in the ink residues. They may also contain ingredients other than paper which can cause intestinal blockages or other problems. This goes for magazines as well, the 'glossy' finish can be highly toxic when chewed but your small pet.

Small. Animal Saturday

Welcome to todays edition of Small Animal Saturday. Today I would like to talk about something that would seem to be common sense but still happens anyway.

If you have a boy hamster and a girl hamster and you let them "play" together you will get babies! Even if you are keeping them in seperate cages. Hamsters are mostly solitary animalsand when you put the opposite sex together the only "playing" they will be doing will produce little ones!

Just Like these...
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Small Animal Saturday

My rat was lonely and I want to buy a new one to be his companion. How do I introduce them?

Rats are very social animals but it can take up to several weeks to introduce a newcomer. It will take some time and patience. If it is possible, get your rat a litter mate or another rat that your rat lived with before. This will make introductions easier. If not then use the following steps to introduce your rats to each other.

1. Place both rats in separate cages and place the cages near each other. This will allow the rats to scent each other in safety. You don't want to place the new rat directly in with your old one since he will feel defensive and may attack the new guy to protect his territory.

2. After a few days switch their cages so they can get a close up scent of each other. Just for a short while then return them to their own home. Do this several times.

3. Next introduce them in a neutral location like the bathtub, large box …etc. Watch for aggressive behavior such as puffing up the fur, arching their backs swinging their bodies sideways, I've even seen them whack their tails on the ground. If you see signs of aggression then carefully pick up one of the rats to prevent an attack. Use a towel to prevent bites. Then try again later.

4. If they have reached a point where they are accepting each other in the neutral territory then the next step is to let them interact in the area where you play with your first rat. Once again watch carefully.

5. Finally.., Thoroughly clean out the large cage, make sure you clean all the toys, the house, food and water dishes. Then rearrange it so it looks like a new territory. Trim your rats nails to help prevent scratching. Wash your rats with a mild shampoo to give them a nice clean scent that is the same for both of them. Then place them in their clean cage. Its best to do this in the morning when rats are sleepy.

Now be ready there will be some dominance behavior. The dominate rat will "attack" the submissive rat and force him onto his back. This is normal rat behavior, someone has to be the head rat. Watch for the raised hair, arched back, and sideways approach that are signs of aggression. If so, remove one of the rats but if no signs of aggression then leave them together.

Don’t worry if one rat is squeaking it doesn't mean it's getting hurt. This is just a rat's way of saying "I give up". As long as you have followed the introduction process step by step, and as long as neither of the rats are showing signs of aggression, the just let the fight run it's course. If you take the new rat out, you'll prolong this adjustment phase.

If however is it appears that the attack is especially vicious or one of the rats is being injured then you should remove him from the cage. For a few days there may be dominance behavior but before long they will be rat pack mates sleeping eating and grooming each other.

Small Animal Saturdays

Ok I know it's Sunday but as they say Better Late Then Never.

This question was asked the other day: How do I keep my Hamster from biting me?


You need to earn his trust to get him to stop. If he is biting you then he is afraid of you. Remember rodents are food for lots of other animals and they are afraid of everything. To earn his trust try the following steps.

1. Give him a couple of days with out handling him. This will allow him time to relax.
2. After a couple of days offer him a treat with one hand while gently petting his back with the other. Make sure you wash your hands so they don't smell like anything eatable.
3 After a couple of days with the hand feeding try picking him up make sure you scoop him so that you are supporting his hind legs this will make him feel more secure. If you are worried about being bitten again then try scooping him up using his house or a small box so you can hold him close to you and pet him with out getting your hands near his mouth.

Also make sure he has a chance to fully wake up before trying to pick him up ;)

It may take a while before he feels secure with you but take your time and you will be able to hold him without getting bitten.

Small Animal Saturdays

Hello all Welcome once again to Small Animal Saturday.

A question I often get asked at work is what is the best size cage for my "Hamster.. Guinea Pig... Mouse..ETC." There is only one way to answer this question. The Largest size cage you can get for the size of space you have at the price you can afford!

If you have the space and cash to buy a larger house for your pet then do so. It gives them more room to explore and you more flexibility to create an interesting environment for your new friend. At the same time if you have a limited budget then a smaller home is ok too. Just be more creative about how you entertain your friend. Get a rodent ball to all them to roam the house while keeping him safe or create a table top play ground to explore with toilet paper or paper towel tubes for tunneling and blocks for climbing just remember to place a barrier around the edge to keep him safe and make sure you are supervising him at all times.

Small Animal Saturday

Can you find the Pet in this picture

Ok I have to admit that this is not the best picture but there is a mouse in there can you find it?

Small Animal Saturday

How Often Do You Ba th a Guinea Pig?

This is a question I am frequently asked at the pet store. The fact is you don't.

Most guinea pigs don't like the water. A Bath can actually result in stress that can be unhealthy for your pet and they should not be bathed unless they absolutely need it.

Instead try one of the following:

Powder baths can be sprinkle on and brush out with a bristle brush.

Spot clean fur with a washcloth and warm soapy water.

Small Animal Saturday

Mice As Pets

Welcome to the first edition of Small Animal Saturday. Yes I know I'm a few days late. I composed this on Saturday and forgot to post it.

Today I would like to talk about having a mouse as a pet. There is no thing more comical at a pet store then watching a bunch of mice running around their enclosure.

It is highly entertaining to watch as several of them try to run in the exercise wheel at once. They are cute little bundles of fur but they are also one of the stinkiest pets you can buy. This is definitely something a new mouse owner needs to be aware of. We had a couple of mice dumped in our store. The owners weren't prepared for the care the mice required. The cage was filthy and they had shoved dryer sheets into the cage. The chemicals could have killed them. They didn't realize that a pet mouse may require having their cages cleaned several times during the week. You can also try a light layer of baking soda in the bottom of the cage to help control the odor. Don't think I am trying to talk you out of a pet mouse they can be a cute addition to your family if you are prepared for them. Not to mention I would love to see more go home as pets instead of the alternative.

Small Animal Certification

Well as you may or may not know I'm working on getting my small animal certification. I'm hoping to get your help to improve my knowledge of small animals. That being said I'm starting Small Animal Saturdays. E-mail me your small animal questions to:

april9876@gmail.com

Every Saturday I'll post the questions and the answers. This will give me access to questions a customer might ask me and give me the chance to do some research while answering your questions on pets you have or are considering adding to your family.

Thanks for your help!