FAQ: Food for small pets

A growing body needs building material for bones and muscles, so youngsters get special food or alfalfa hay. Adults don't need as much – an excess encourages obesity and urinary stones.

In late pregnancy and while nursing, a doe is usually given more alfalfa hay and pellets, and there must always be plenty of water. Discuss diet changes with a vet and make them gradually.

Follow your vet's instructions: sometimes syringe feeding with a special recovery food is needed. For herbivores it is especially important to start eating again quickly, so if the animal is not eating, tell the vet straight away.

After neutering, rabbits sometimes gain weight more easily, so monitor it and reduce pellets and treats if needed. Hay should still be unlimited.

Not for long: it has more energy, protein and calcium, so an adult animal can become overweight, and for herbivores the risk of urinary stones rises. Switch to adult food at the right time.

Once weaned, at about 4 weeks, youngsters already eat the same food as adults. While growing, it helps to give them a little more protein, such as boiled egg.

It is very difficult and often unsuccessful, so contact a vet immediately. The babies need a special milk replacer; cow's milk must not be given.

Gradually reduce pellets and treats, and increase hay, greens and exercise. A rabbit must never be starved – a sudden drop in eating is dangerous for it, so plan the diet with a vet.

Mix the new food with the old one and gradually increase its share over 1–2 weeks, going even more slowly for rabbits and chinchillas. Watch appetite and droppings throughout.

Go back to a larger share of the old food and make the transition slower and more patiently. Do not leave the animal hungry waiting for it to ‘get used to it’ – this is dangerous for herbivores; if it is not eating at all, see a vet.

As with rabbits, this is an emergency, because digestion quickly breaks down without food. The cause may be the teeth, a lack of vitamin C or illness, so see a vet the same day.

First check its stash – the hamster may be eating from its stores. If the bowl stays full for several days, the cheeks are swollen, the teeth are too long or its weight is falling, see a vet.

Yes, small pets that have eaten the same food for a long time often become fussy and reluctant to try new things. Vary vegetables from a young age and change the main food only gradually.

Choose a food for the same species with as similar a composition as possible and switch gradually while you still have some of the old one. A small reserve at home helps avoid a sudden change.

Usually it lacks hay and fibre or is bored. Make sure there is unlimited hay and chew items, and choose safe bedding, as the animal may swallow some of it.

It digs around looking for its favourite pieces, and a light bowl is easy to tip over. A heavy ceramic bowl, smaller portions and pellets instead of a mix help.

Yes, hamsters, mice and rats are most active at night, and rabbits at dawn and dusk. So it is most convenient to feed them in the evening, with hay and water available around the clock.

Stable weight, normal droppings, activity and a glossy coat show it. Weigh the animal weekly and note it down – that way you will spot changes sooner than by eye.

No, with unlimited pellets these animals eat less hay, which harms the teeth and digestion and encourages obesity. Give pellets in measured portions and only hay without limit.

Weighing the portion in grams on kitchen scales is most accurate, and using one set measuring spoon is convenient too. Work out the amount from the pack's guidance and the animal's weight.