FAQ: Treats for small pets

Dried fruit is very high in sugar, so it is only a rare, small treat for rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and rats. Degus must not have it, and chinchillas are better off without it.

Biscuits made for small pets are often made from flour, sugar and fat, so they add little nutritionally. Omnivores can have them now and then, while herbivores do better with hay or herb treats.

Ingredients are listed in descending order of quantity, so the first ones make up the largest share. If cereals, sugar, honey or molasses come first, the treat will be high in calories; if herbs or hay come first, it will be more fibrous.

Avoid sugar, honey, molasses, syrups, dairy, artificial colourings and highly processed flour. For herbivorous species, grain, seeds and nuts in large amounts are also unsuitable.

Bright colours are mostly meant to catch the buyer's eye rather than the animal's, as rodents see colour differently from humans. Choose naturally coloured treats without artificial colourings.

Dry treats such as herbs, hay or dried vegetables usually keep without artificial preservatives if stored dry. Soft or moist treats without preservatives spoil faster, so pay attention to the best-before date.

Not always. Honey and dried fruit can be natural too, but they are still very sweet. What matters more than the label on the pack is the ingredient list and whether the treat suits your animal's species.

Pressed treats are ground ingredients compressed into pellets, sticks or cubes. They are easy to portion, but some are made with binders, so check what holds them together: hay or sugar and flour.

Treat sticks are seeds, grains or herbs bound around a wooden stick, often hung in the cage. They suit omnivores now and then, while herbivores should only have sticks made from hay and herbs without honey.

Better not. A single stick is often a large serving of high-calorie food, especially for a small animal. You can break it and give it in parts over several days, or hang it up for a short while and take it out again.

Snack mixes contain herbs, flowers, dried vegetables and sometimes seeds or fruit. They are handy to scatter in hay or hides so the animal forages, but keep the amount to a treat portion, not a meal.

If the animal gets a complete food, it usually needs no extra vitamins, and an excess of some vitamins can be harmful. Only give supplements or fortified treats regularly after talking to a vet.

No. Garlic, onions, leeks and other alliums can damage rodents' red blood cells. Avoid treats containing them and do not share human food cooked with them.

No. The theobromine and caffeine in chocolate are toxic to rodents and rabbits even in small amounts. If your pet has eaten chocolate, contact a vet straight away.

Chocolate, coffee, alcohol, avocado, onions, garlic, raw beans, raw potatoes and their sprouts, rhubarb, fruit stones and apple seeds are dangerous. Also avoid salty, sugary and fatty food.

Apple seeds contain substances that can release cyanide during digestion, so cut out the core before giving apple to a rodent or rabbit. The apple flesh itself is a fine treat in small amounts.

Iceberg lettuce is mostly water with few nutrients, and it gives some animals diarrhoea. Darker leafy greens such as romaine, rocket or parsley are a better choice.

Guinea pigs can occasionally have an orange segment, but citrus fruit is acidic and can irritate the mouth. Hamsters are best not given it, and other rodents do better with less acidic fruit.

Grapes are very sweet, so for rabbits, guinea pigs and rats they are only a rare, small, seedless treat. Degus and chinchillas are best not given them at all.

Dandelion, plantain, clover, ground elder, yarrow and meadow grasses are commonly gathered for rodents and rabbits. Only pick plants you can identify with certainty, away from roads and in unsprayed areas.