Small Pets
Health advice for small pets, written from real experience.
Health
A hamster chewing a mouthful of cedar shavings out of curiosity is rarely an emergency, but living on cedar day after day is a genuine respiratory and skin risk. Here is what to check right now and the bedding swap that fixes it for good.
Health
A gerbil's tail skin slips off as an escape defence against being grabbed or held by the tail, leaving raw tissue underneath that will not heal on its own. Here is what to do in the first hour and why a vet visit, not a wait-and-see approach, is the right call.
Health
A thinning coat or a bald patch on a hamster has several very different causes, from a leaking water bottle to mites that need vet treatment. Here is how to tell which one you are looking at.
Health
Ferrets have a natural musk that is normal, not dirty. Here is the difference between that baseline smell and the signs, a sudden change, hair loss, that mean something needs a vet.
Health
The full setup list for rabbits and guinea pigs, why the pet-shop cage is almost always too small, and the handful of items that quietly decide whether these animals stay well.
Health
Wet tail is a fast-moving, potentially fatal illness that hits young and stressed hamsters hardest. Here is what it actually looks like, why it moves so quickly, and what to do the moment you suspect it.
Health
An occasional sneeze is nothing. Repeated sneezing, discharge, or noisy breathing in a rabbit or guinea pig can point to a respiratory infection that needs a vet, and both species hide illness until it is already serious.
Health
GI stasis is the single most dangerous emergency in pet rabbits and guinea pigs, and it can turn serious within hours. Here is what causes it, the early signs, and what to do the moment you suspect it.
Health
Dental problems are one of the biggest health issues in rabbits and guinea pigs, and one of the most preventable. Here is why their teeth cause trouble, and how to head it off.
Health
Rabbits, guinea pigs, and other small pets mask illness until they are very unwell. Here are the subtle signs to watch, and the ones that mean call a vet today.