FAQ: Grooming for small pets

Fungal infections typically show round bald patches and flaky or crusty skin, often around the nose, eyes and ears. Since some fungi can spread to people too, such changes should be assessed by a vet.

Lumps and wounds can come from bites, abscesses or tumours, so a vet should examine them. Until you get there, keep the animal somewhere clean and do not try to squeeze or lance the lump.

While brushing, clipping nails or checking the animal, you can notice lumps, wounds, parasites, weight changes or dental problems before they become serious. Small pets often hide signs of illness, so such checks are very useful.

Look at the foot pads: they should be clean, with no redness, scabs or swelling. Red or swollen feet can indicate inflammation linked to wet bedding or hard flooring, so in that case see a vet.

Regular weighing, for example once a week, helps notice weight loss early, which is often the first sign of illness. It is important to use the same scales each time and write down the results.

Home care is enough for most short-haired animals, but for long-haired breeds or a matted coat a groomer can be helpful. Choose someone experienced with small animals.

A greasy coat can come from infrequent sand baths in chinchillas and degus, high humidity in the room, a fatty diet or gland activity. If the coat does not become fluffy after adjusting care, it is worth talking to a vet.

A chinchilla’s coat mats when it lacks sand baths, is kept in a damp place or cannot groom itself due to illness. Provide regular sand baths and a dry, cool environment, and if that does not help, see a vet.

Yes, a chinchilla’s coat is very dense and dries poorly, so moisture can cause skin disease. Keep the cage in a dry, cool room and fit the water bottle so it does not drip onto the bedding.

Gently dry the chinchilla with a soft towel, pressing the coat rather than rubbing, and keep it somewhere warm and draught-free until the coat is completely dry. If the coat stays damp for a long time or the animal becomes lethargic, talk to a vet.

Old animals often move less and groom themselves less well, so they may need help cleaning their bottom, brushing and trimming nails. They are worth checking more often and taking to the vet regularly.

Yes, gently touching the feet and ears and briefly brushing young animals makes them easier to groom as adults. Sessions must be very short and calm so the young animal does not get stressed.

Remove wet bedding, droppings and uneaten fresh food every day, and do a general clean about once a week or less often, depending on the cage size and number of animals. Large cages with deep bedding need a full clean less often.

Hamsters are very sensitive to their own scent and food stores, so a complete clean-out stresses them. When cleaning, remove only wet spots and spoiling food, and leave some of the dry bedding and nesting material.

Dry food the hamster has stockpiled can usually be left, as destroying the store causes stress. However, spoiling fresh food, vegetables and protein foods must be removed regularly so they do not go mouldy.

In most cases hot water and a mild unscented washing-up liquid are enough, with diluted vinegar for urine scale. Pet-safe cleaning products can also be used according to the label, rinsing and drying everything well afterwards.

Avoid strongly scented products, essential oils, cleaners containing ammonia, phenol-based disinfectants and air fresheners. Their residues and fumes can irritate small pets’ sensitive airways, skin and eyes.

Very diluted bleach is sometimes used to disinfect a cage after illness, but everything must then be rinsed thoroughly with water and aired until no smell remains. It is not needed for routine cleaning, and if in doubt, ask a vet.

Disinfecting is worthwhile after an animal has been ill or had parasites, before housing a new animal or when using a second-hand cage. For routine cleaning, hot water and a mild detergent are usually enough.

Dilute the vinegar with water, spray or wipe it onto urine scale, leave it for a few minutes and scrub. Then rinse the cage well with clean water and dry it so no sour smell remains.