The Chinchillas life span is typically about 15 years but they have been known to live until 18 – 22 years so yo have to be very commited before taking on a Chinchilla.
Chinchillas are approximately 10 – 14 inches and the tail adds on another 5 – 6 inches to the length of their body.
The Chinchilla will become tame with gentle handling from a young age and can bond very closely with their owners although sometimes they do not like to be held or cuddled, which was the case with Minty, my Wilson White Chinchilla. They are a very active and playful animal, they can be kept singly and usually will do fine as a same sex pair especially if they are littermates or introduced at a very young age.
Chinchillas are nocturnal so please bear in mind that they will be most active in the evening/night and should be kept quiet throughout the day. They prefer a consistent routine for feeding and can get very stressed if their routine is changed. As they are very active, Chinchillas must have a roomy cage for exercise and plenty of toys for playtime. Chinchillas do need a variety of toys to keep them busy especially items for chewing to ensure their teeth are kept in good condition. They must also have regular access to a dust bath.
The Chinchilla require a diet made up of grass or hay along with food for Chinchillas. They can be fed treats but only in moderation, apples, raisins, grapes and vegetables are quite acceptable. The digestive system of a Chinchilla is very sensitive so any change of diet must be introduced gradually.
Remember, Chinchillas must gain your trust so you must be very patient and gentle with them.
Rats make very good pets, especially for older children. They are a very intelligent animal and you should have a good sized cage with plenty of toys to keep them amused. An ideal cage for a rat is one with plenty of levels. The cage should be situated indoors and away from any radiators or windows to prevent a change in temperature. The bottom of the cage should be covered with a layer of wood or paper based litter, do not use wood shavings as this can cause irritation to the rats eyes and noses resulting in an allergic reaction. The rats should also have a private space where they can sleep with bedding to keep them warm, do not use straw for this as straw can also irritate.
Rats often sleep during the day but are not nocturnal like hamsters and will enjoy spending time with you during the day or evening.
Rats are a very sociable animal and can get very lonely. It is strongly recommended that rats be kept together in a same sex pair as human contact is not enough.
Rats live on average 2 – 3 years of age and given the right care and attention will stay healthy throughout their lives however they are prone to a number of common illnesses such as colds. Like many of the smaller animals, your rats teeth are constantly growing and it is therefore very important to give your rat wooden toys or mineral stones to gnaw on.
In the wild, rats will eat almost anything and pet rats should also be provided with a varied diet containing all the necessary food groups. Foods such as rat muesli or rat nuggets are a good diet for rats, you can also give them fresh food such as cooked egg, cooked chicken scraps, vegetables such as sprouts, carrots and apples. If giving your rat additional treats, do so in moderation to avoid stomach upsets. Make sure your rat has water at all times as they do tend to drink more water that other rodents.
When your rat first comes to live with you, they should be left alone for the first few days to give them a chance to familiarise themselves with their new surroundings. When putting your hand in their cage to feed them, allow them to smell your hand, gently stroke them and when they are comfortable with you, then you can take the next step of picking them up, never pick them up by their tail, always gently scoop them up with both hands.
Rats do have a reputation of being a dirty vermin, but this is completely untrue. Rats are very clean, intelligent animals and will bring you many hours of amusement as they play in their cage.
Guinea Pigs make ideal pets for children as they rarely bite or scratch although they can sometimes be nervous. They are very inquisitive little creatures and should be handled regularly. Guinea Pigs are very talkative!!
Guinea Pigs can live for 4 – 8 years and both male and female make good pets. Because Guinea Pigs are very sociable animals they are happier living with another Guinea Pig for company. If you are not wanting to breed them, always make sure they are the same sex if they are going to be living together. I would recommend that guinea pigs do not live with rabbits as some people suggest. Guinea pigs are very vocal and rabbits do not understand this sound, rabbits also tend to mount for domination and could seriously damage a guinea pig by doing this. Rabbits naturally frolic and kick which could also injure a guinea pig.
Guinea Pigs can be kept outdoors all year round but they should be brought inside or into a shed for the winter period. If you do keep your guinea pigs outside, make sure the hutch is kept free from draughts and fully weatherproofed. The hutch must be raised off the floor to keep the bottom of the hutch dry . The base of the hutch should be covered with woodshavings to provide an absorbent layer and the bedroom should be filled with bedding material to cuddle up into at night. Straw can irritate guineas pigs eyes so please try and avoid it. Alternatively guinea pigs can live contently indoors in a cage specifically for rabbits or guinea pigs but must be placed in an area away from radiators or draughts.
Guinea Pigs must have a run with plenty of toys and space to keep them in good shape and also to keep them happy!!
Guinea Pigs like to eat muesli or nuggets but unlike other animals guinea pigs do not produce their own Vitamin C and must receive it in their food. Vitamin C drops are also available in liquid form and can simply be added to their water. Hay should also be available in small quantities to help grind down their teeth and stop them from growing too long. Small amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables can also be fed to your guinea pig but always introduce new food gradually to stop any tummy upsets.
When getting your new guinea pig, he is likely to be nervous so it is best that for the first few days, you do not handle them, just talk to them. When you do eventually pick up your guinea pig, use both hands, one hand under the chest and the other hand resting on their back. Hold them close to you to stop them from wriggling and falling. Once your guinea pig is used to being picked up, he will love to be held.
Since starting Bunnies Barn, I have received quite a few enquiries asking if I board ferrets and the answer is yes, I do. It seems there are very few places that do board Ferrets and I personally think it is because they seem to have gained a negative image which is very undeserved. Ferrets live 6 – 8 years on average although they have been known to live until 11 or 12. The females are called Jills and the males are called Hobs, baby ferrets are called Kits.
Ferrets do sleep a large part of the day but do usually adapt their schedule to that of their owner. Ferrets will entertain you endlessly with their antics and as I recently told one owner, watching the Ferrets play beat watching the television anyday. I could have sat and watched them play all day. It certainly lifts your mood!
Ferrets are sociable and it is recommended to have more than one. Having two increases the fun factor for the owner as the ferrets interact with each other.
Ferrets are very intelligent and will continue to figure something out with surprising persistance. They are a very quiet animal and the only time you will probably ever hear the Ferret make a noise is when it is hurt or frightened.
Ferrets can live in a cage, preferably with multiple levels and toys and they do need time out of the cage daily for playtime and exercise. Of course, you can take them for walks with a Ferret sized harness.
When the hot weather arrives, it is very important to make sure your Ferrets do not overheat. Ferrets are prone to heat stress and heatstroke are a very serious risk. Make sure your Ferrets cage is not placed in direct sunlight.
Ferrets do have the underserved reputation of being smelly and whilst it is true they have a distinctly musky odour about them, it is not overpowering. This odour comes from their skin glands.
If you are thinking about owning a Ferret, I would highly recommend it. They will entertain you endlessly with their antics.
Gerbils make very good family pets, they are easy to look after and with plenty of love and attention will become very will tame. Gerbils produce very little waste, naturally conserving all their water and nutrition they can as their bodies are able to withstand desert conditions. Gerbils live for 2-4 years and are very curious creatures making them an ideal pet and very entertaining company for older children.
Gerbils are very sociable and are used to living in colonies. They should be kept in single sex pairs or groups. If a gerbil lives on its own, he may become depressed and develop behavioural problems which could develop into poor health. In order to keep your gerbils happy, buy them at the same time so they are used to living together from a young age, gerbils over 10 weeks are unlikely to bond and will fight.
Gerbils can live in most cages or a glass tank but if you are having more than one, make sure you have plenty of space for them to run about in. When choosing somewhere to put the cage, make sure it is away from radiators and draughts. A good gerbil cage is one made from plastic, apart from ventilation areas, meaning you can provide a good, deep layer of woodshavings for them to tunnel in. Whichever home you choose for gerbils, you should provide plenty of toys and tubes for them to chew and play with. Gerbils are very enthusastic chewers! If you decide to put a wheel in their cage, please make sure it is suitable for gerbils as they can catch their long tails in the open bars resulting in snapped tails.
Gerbils eat gerbil mix and you can also supplement them with a very small amount of fresh fruit and vegetables such as apple but do not feed them too much as this can upset their stomach resulting in diarrhoea. Vitamin supplements and mineral stones can also be added to maintain a gerbils good health.
When your gerbil first comes to live with you, they should be allowed to settle in and get used to their new surroundings without being disturbed. You should then start to talk quietly to them so they can get used to your voice. The next step is to put your hand into their cage and maybe offer a treat, soon they will trust you and climb onto your hand. It is very important you handle your gerbil regularly to develop their trust and confidence. Never pick a gerbil up by its tail as this can be very painful.
Gerbils are very clean animals and their cages should be cleaned at least once a week. A healthy gerbil will be active and very playful and their eyes should be bright and their coat shiny. A gerbils teeth are always growing so please ensure you have plenty of wooden toys or mineral blocks for your gerbil to gnaw on.
Chipmunks are a pet suitable for older children and adults. They need attention every day but once a routine is established they are not a demanding animal. They are definately not a pet for a young child as any grabbing or dangerous handling can cause stress and sometimes even prove fatal.
Chipmunks are a nervous animal, they will bite sometimes but after gradual handling they will become tame. The regular handling does have to start from a young age. They are most active during the day and this means they are fun to watch. They are very quick movers and you must be very careful to close the cage securely after feeding or cleaning.
Chipmunks live on average to 5 years, the females being the longest lived of the species. If looked after properly with lots of love and care, they can live up to 8 years.
Chipmunks should have a good sized cage with plenty of items to keep them occuiped, such as rocks, pipes, branches and toys. A nesting box with bedding material should also be provided for each chipmunk. Like hamsters, chipmunks do store things in their cheek pouches so bedding material should be chosen carefully. Hay should be broken into small pieces, straw should not be used. To avoid causing the chipmunk any stress, their cage should be situated so at least one side of the cage is against a solid wall. It should also be kept away from draughts or damp. Chipmunks do not like to be in the direct sunlight or near hot items such as radiators.They must also be kept away from the television as they will become very stressed because of the electrical radiation.
You can buy Chipmunk food from certain pet stores and this should be given to the chipmunk in the recommended amounts. There should also be a supply of fresh water and they do like small amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables.
The chipmunk may be kept on their own but ideally it is better to house them in pairs or colonies. It is recommended that colonies are made up of chipmunks from different litters.
Because the chipmunk was originally found in North America, the chipmunk is a rodent that naturally climbs and will forage around in the branches of trees. As rodents they need to gnaw on wood and twigs to keep their teeth trimmed. In certain climates the chipmunk may hibernate during cold winter weather.
Chipmunks may be a bit harder to look after than the average pet but the entertainment they will provide as they dash around the cage will definately make up for this.