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Mini Pets
Dwarf Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Chinchillas & Hamsters
Small pets are easy to keep, and don't cost as much to
keep as bigger pets. They can eat food supplied by pet shops. The cage must be
cleaned regularly, and the water & feeding dishes washed.
Dwarf rabbits
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Dwarf rabbits are lovely, quiet pets. They must be kept
away from dogs & cats.
Dwarf rabbit called "Ginger." |
Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs require a lot of attention are
quite pricey to keep as they require fresh vegetables every day including
Green peppers (very important for the vit C content), Tomatoes, Lettuce
(not iceberg), Carrots, Parsley, Cucumber, Broccoli, Cabbage in small
amounts, Celery. They also love bananas, watermelon, strawberries,
apples and oranges.
They require regular grooming, bathing and nail
clipping. Their cages need to be cleaned at least once a week.
There are different types of Guinea pig: 3 long
straight haired varieties, the sheltie, the Peruvian and the coronet.
There are 3 long curly haired varieties, the texel, the alpaca
and the Merino. The short haired varieties are the rex, the
Abyssinian and the smooth haired. They originated in South
America
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Peggy-sue, a Sheltie guinea pig.
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Short haired guinea pigs
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Texel Guinea pig,
with long, curly hair.
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Chinchillas
Chinchillas are small animals - like a cross between a rabbit &
a mouse! They have short rounded ears & long fluffy tails. There are a variety of
chinchilla colours available. Chinchillas are not aggressive towards
humans. They will rather shy away than attack. They will bite if grabbed
unexpectedly or frightened. They were first bred for their fur coats but
that practice is banned in most countries in the world, however it does
continue in some countries. They originated in South America.
They are very sweet pets and get very tame with
handling and attention. They will take treats from your hand and sit on
your shoulder or lap. They are very easy animals to keep and they only eat
chinchilla pellets and special treats for chinchillas. They eat about
a tablespoon of food a day making them quite economical to own. They are
nocturnal and make good pets for people who work as they only require
attention in the evenings. They do not require grooming, but do like to
have a sand bath every day. Children's play pen sand can be used for them
to bath in. They have a very long life span and can live to be 20 years
and older. So anyone purchasing one must realise it is a long term
commitment. |
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| Midnight |
Snowbell |
Puff, a white
chinchilla, is a rare Royal Persian Angora. |
Silver, a white mosaic chinchilla |
Hamsters
Care of hamsters
Hamsters make clean, easy to keep pets. They will live
happily in a cage or chew-proof box as long as they have an exercise
wheel. Hamsters like to creep out at night when the house is quiet. They
like to have a place to hide during the day and will make a nest with wood
shavings or shredded paper. The bedding should be removed
periodically and the cage washed. Take the hamsters out first and put them
in an escape-proof container! Put a little of the old bedding back along
with the new bedding, so they have a familiar smell. They may be shy & hide when strangers
are in the house, but they become very tame if the owner handles them.
Hamster food
Hamsters like to eat seeds, for
example, canary or budgie seed. They will eat sunflower seeds, but don't
give them too many. They also like a bit of greenery, for example, grass,
chikweed or a tiny bit of cabbage. Too much can cause diarrhoea. Avoid
iceberg lettuce. They will eat most vegetables and fruit (not citrus).
Remove uneaten fresh food daily, or it will go foul. Remember that a
hamster's tummy is tiny! A tiny dog or cat biscuit will give them
something to gnaw. |
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Russian dwarf hamster |
How rewarding it is when our pets have babies! "Children are a reward
from God," says the Bible. Psalm (Song) 127 verse 3 |
Rats
Rats make entertaining pets. They
can be kept in a large bird cag e,
or two cages connected with a tunnel. They will eat almost anything but
rat food can be got from a pet shop. They like deep litter to hide in,
eg shredded paper. The cage and feeding dishes should be cleaned
regularly. Drinking water can be provided by an inverted test-tube with
a dropper. This ensures that no dirt gets in the water. Rat breeders
often provide a pedigree to prove which breed of rat it is. |
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