FAQ: Health for small pets

Small, sharp pet nail scissors or clippers that cut rather than crush the nail are suitable. Keep styptic powder and good lighting at hand when trimming.

In light nails the pink blood vessel is visible, so trim only the clear tip well away from it. Trim dark nails a little at a time with a torch shining through, and if unsure, ask a vet to show you.

Press a clean pad or styptic powder onto the nail tip and keep the animal calm. If the bleeding does not stop within a few minutes, see a vet.

Usually not, as they wear down through running and digging. If the nails are very long, curl or snag, do not try to trim such tiny nails yourself and ask a vet.

A guinea pig’s nails grow constantly and do not wear down on soft bedding, so they start to curl and make walking hard. They need regular trimming, and a vet can show you how to do it safely the first time.

Usually the eyes need no cleaning. A small dry discharge can be gently wiped with a cotton pad dampened with boiled, cooled water; do not use eye drops unless a vet prescribes them.

Usually not, and cotton buds can damage the ear. If you see brown debris or crusts, notice a smell, or the animal shakes its head and scratches its ears, see a vet.

Lop-eared rabbits have a narrower, less ventilated ear canal, so wax builds up and infections develop more easily. It is worth checking their ears more often and having them looked at by a vet.

Cloudiness in the eye can be a sign of cataract, injury or another illness such as diabetes in degus. Have a vet see the animal, especially if the eye is red, watery or kept half-closed.

Useful items are the contact details of a vet who treats exotic pets, clean pads, styptic powder, nail clippers, a towel, a carrier and kitchen scales to track weight. Do not stock medicines without a vet’s prescription.

Support the chest with one hand and the rear with the other, and hold the animal close to your body, low over the floor or table. Never lift a rabbit by its ears or scruff, or a rodent by its tail.

The skin of these rodents’ tails can strip off, and the lost part of the tail does not grow back. Pick them up by supporting the body, and see a vet if the tail is injured.

Calmly put the animal in its cage and watch whether it limps, breathes normally, eats and moves. Falls can injure a rabbit’s spine, so if you notice any changes, see a vet.

First switch off the power, and only then touch the animal. An electric shock can burn the mouth and affect breathing, sometimes with a delay, so see a vet urgently, and protect cables afterwards.

Call a vet immediately and say what and how much the animal may have eaten; take a sample of the plant or packaging. Do not try to treat it yourself, as rodents and rabbits cannot vomit.

Many house and garden plants are toxic, for example dieffenbachia, oleander, cyclamen and most bulb flowers. When the animal roams free, keep plants out of reach and check that any new greens are safe before offering them.

Transport the animal in a secure carrier with its usual bedding, hay and a few vegetables, and protect it from heat and cold. It helps to note the symptoms you have seen and the diet, and to bring a fresh droppings sample.

Most rodents and rabbits do well at a cool to moderate room temperature without sudden swings. They are much more sensitive to heat than to cool, so keep the cage away from sun, heaters and draughts.

An overheated animal shows fast or laboured breathing, lethargy, drooling, hot ears, collapsing or seizures. Move it somewhere cool, offer water, do not plunge it into ice water and call a vet urgently.

Keep the cage in the shade in the coolest room, make sure there is always water and airflow, but do not point a fan straight at the animal. A cool ceramic tile or a frozen water bottle wrapped in a towel helps.