SMALL ANIMAL - Dog Information | Cat Information | Pocket Pets | Other Pets | Emergency | Special Issues | Resources |
|
Chinchillas Chinchillas are rodents closely related to guinea pigs. In the wild they live in barren and mountainous areas of South America. They are kept as pets but are also raised for their fur. The average life span is around 10 years. Pregnancy usually averages around 16 weeks. They wean at around 6-8 weeks of age. Like most small mammals, they require close attention to diet and environment in order to remain healthy. Diet Commercial chinchilla pellets are available and usually well balanced. Good quality, fresh hay (such as Timothy) can be added. Dried fruits and carrots can be offered as occasional treats. If chinchilla chow is not available you may use a good quality guinea pig or rabbit chow. Water should be clean and fresh – thus changed daily or whenever it appears contaminated. Housing Chinchillas should have a cage that is easy to keep clean and well ventilated. It should not be in direct sunlight or be exposed to cold draughts or heavy traffic. The chinchilla comfort zone is 62 – 72°F. The size should provide plenty of exercise area and for a hut into which they may retreat for privacy. Straw or paper may be used as flooring but this should be cleaned out daily. Practicing good sanitation will help your chinchilla enjoy a longer life. The cage should not be made of wood as they may chew this and cause excessive damage. A dust bath can be placed in the cage, away from the food and water source, but should not be left in for more than a few hours to prevent dust build-up. Larger pet stores often supply specific sands for this use. Males and females should not be housed together as the females tend to be aggressive. Never leave your chinchilla alone with dogs or cats as even rough play can lead to injury and stress. Handling Chinchillas are generally easy to handle but care should be taken, especially with young children who may be too rough. Rough handling can result in hair loss (fur slip). They may be picked up by grasping the skin close to the base of the tail and cradling the body. Do not suddenly grab at your chinchilla as they may become fearful or even bite. Health concerns Check your chinchilla often for hair coat quality, appetite and water intake, stool production and general activity. Changes in these can signify disease. Fecal production and consistency should be monitored often to ensure that the gastrointestinal tract is working properly. Diarrhea may be a sign of enteritis and small amounts of the stool should be checked for bacterial overgrowth or protozoons such as giardia. Enteritis is often fatal in chinchillas despite treatment Pneumonia (bacterial, viral, etc) can occur, especially when the housing and its location are poor. Excessive dust can predispose to upper and lower respiratory problems. Ringworm is a skin parasite that can cause hair loss and scabs, especially in the face and feet. Like other rodents, malocclusion (improper tooth growth) can occur. Drooling, loss of appetite and weight loss are cardinal signs. The teeth may need to be clipped often to help control this condition. Heat stroke can occur if chinchillas are exposed to direct sunlight, high humidity or both. Affected animals are usually found lying down and panting. You should spray cold water on the feet and call the veterinary clinic immediately. Numerous other disease conditions can occur which may require referral to a veterinarian who is more specialized in dealing with small mammals and who are equipped to do so. We recommend that you purchase a good reference book for chinchilla care. The guinea pig is a rodent that derives from South America. They are docile and easily cared for and make good pets for children. On average, the life span of a guinea pig is 7 years. They have a pregnancy length of 65 days (similar to dogs) and wean their young at several weeks. Diet Commercial chows are best and avoid using other rodent or rabbit chows as these are not properly balanced for guinea pigs. Guinea pigs have a dietary requirement for Vitamin C (ascorbate) and this may be provided in the water or in cabbage or oranges as well as crushing vitamin C tablets into fresh water daily. Small amounts of fresh hay and other fruits may be offered but sparingly. Water should be clean and fresh and changed daily. Provide water in a sipper tube bottle. Housing Housing should be durable and easily cleaned. Avoid wood crates or objects as these will likely be chewed and damaged. Shredded paper provides good bedding and burrowing material. This should be changed daily. Avoid cedar shavings and saw dust. Guinea pigs may be housed together and males and females often form permanent (monogamous) couples. They may still fight so check for wounds often. The cage should be kept out of direct sunlight and free from cold draughts. Place it in a quiet place away from noise, heavy foot traffic and larger animals. An ambient temperature of 65-75°F should be maintained. Avoid high humidity. Never leave your guinea pig alone with dogs or cats! Handling You may scoop up and cup guinea pigs with the palms of your hands but support their bodies close to yours. Do not scare them! Let them know of your presence before grabbing them. Health concerns Beyond good nutrition and sanitary housing, guinea pigs can develop various ailments. Monitor activity, appetite and water intake, hair coat quality and stools as changes in these can signify disease. Pododermatitis (inflammation of the feet) is common on wire cage flooring. Lameness may be present and painful, lame guinea pigs are not likely to eat very well. This condition should be treated by a veterinarian. A change in housing may be recommended. Scurvy is a condition caused by vitamin C deficiency. Poor hair coat and painful joints are common. Early diagnosis is crucial in order to reverse the condition and prevent chronic problems. Prevention is key and easily done through dietary supplementation. Barbering occurs when they chew out patches of hair. Hair loss can also occur with numerous other diseases so it should be investigated for the potential of parasitic lice/mites, etc. if parasites are present then all in contact guinea pigs should be treated with an appropriate medication. Pneumonia can be a fatal condition caused by a viral or bacterial agent. Dirty, stressful environments are predisposing factors. Antibiotics are indicated but should be used carefully under the direction of a veterinarian as they can cause a fatal endotoxemia (toxic gastroenteritis). Malocclusion of the teeth can lead to drooling and “wet chin” and loss of appetite. The teeth should be examined and trimmed periodically as needed. Please provide the best diet and care possible so that your guinea pig may enjoy a longer, healthier life. We recommend that you purchase a good reference for guinea pig care. Hamsters are rodents who derive from Europe through the Middle East. They have an average life span of 2-3 years. Hamsters can breed at around 10 weeks of age and wean their young at 3 weeks. Pregnancy lasts only 16 days! Diet A good quality rodent diet, such as rat chow, is suitable and clean fresh water at all times. Seed diets should be used sparingly as these can lead to obesity and nutritional deficiencies. Grains, dried fruits and vegetables can be provided as treats but only sparingly. Hamsters will store food so check their sleeping areas often to prevent excessive food in their cages and waste. Water should be provided in a sipper tube bottle and should be changed daily. Housing Housing should be easy to clean and well ventilated. The cage should be kept out of direct sunlight and cold draughts. Burrowing material such as shredded paper should be changed daily. “Toys” and other furniture should be removable and easily cleaned. Sanitation is critical to the health of your hamster. Wooden cages and objects should be avoided as these will be chewed and damaged. An ambient temperature of 65-75°F is preferred. Hamsters will tolerate group housing but females can be very aggressive towards males and injuries can be expected. Never leave your hamster alone with dogs or cats as even rough play can cause injury and stress. Handling Hamsters may generally be picked up by scooping with the palm of your hand and then carefully supporting them. Never scare them – let them know of your presence! You may scruff a hamster that tends to bite but remember to be firm and gentle. Health concerns Providing the best diet, proper and sanitary housing will go a long way in ensuring a longer, healthier life. Monitor activity, appetite and water intake, and stools as any changes in these can signify disease. “Wet tail” is a disease caused by a bacterium in the gut and can be fatal in as little as one week. Antibiotics and fluids are required although some hamsters will die despite treatment. Dirt, overcrowding and stress are all factors that contribute to this disease. Quarantine any sick animals until they are treated and recover. Hamsters can acquire parasites of their skin and this may cause hair loss and scabby, dry skin. These conditions should be treated with an appropriate medication. Separate any hamsters out who are showing signs of any disease, including skin conditions, until they are treated. Hair loss can occur due to a variety of diseases. Avoid giving antibiotics without veterinary care as they can cause a fatal endotoxemia (toxic gastroenteritis). Remember also that rodents age rapidly and old age changes occur quickly. Give them the best food, housing and care possible! We recommend that you purchase a good reference book for hamster care. Rats and mice are rodents and while they are relatively short-lived, they make excellent pets as they can easily be handled, are rarely aggressive and fun to watch. The average life span for a rat is about 2-3 years and for a mouse about 1-2 years. Young, called pups, are weaned at 3 weeks of age. Male and female pups should be separated early because they are able to reproduce by 65 days! Pregnancy lasts around 3 weeks. As with all small mammals, diet and housing are the biggest factors in health and longevity. Diet Commercial pellet formulas are readily available at most stores and are the main component of their diet. Seed diets are convenient but they can lead to obesity and nutritional deficiencies. Also, some rats and mice will pick through the seed mixture and waste most of the food. You may occasionally sprinkle small amounts of seed into a separate dish for a “treat”. Water should be provided in a sipper tube bottle and this need to be changed and filled daily. Housing A wide variety of rodent cages are available, some complete with “toys”. Toys are provided for activity and to prevent boredom. The cage should be free of sharp edges or wooden objects and easy to clean (including all items within the cage). Mice and rats love to burrow and shredded paper can be used as flooring but this should be changed daily. Sanitation is extremely important. An enclosure, such as a hut provides privacy and a sleeping den. The cage should be kept out of direct sunlight and free from cold draughts. Rodents prefer an ambient temperature of approximately 65-75°F. They will sleep during the day but a 12 hour light cycle is optimal. Rodents are social creatures and will enjoy the company of other mice or rats. Remember that they can mate and produce large litters! Never leave your mouse or rat alone with a dog or cat as even rough play can lead to injury and stress. Handling Rats and mice are usually easy to pick up by either scooping in the palm of your hand (mice and smaller rats) or by picking up at the base of the tail (larger rats). Avoid grabbing the end of the tail as injury may occur. Let them know of your presence before grabbing them to prevent fear and struggling. Never pick them up when they are asleep – would you want to be startled from your sleep!?! Health concerns Good quality food. Fresh water and proper housing are the most crucial factors in rodent health, but diseases can occur despite these. Monitor activity, hair coat quality, appetite and water intake and stool production. Changes in these can signify disease. Enteritis (inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract) can produce soft stools or diarrhea and dehydration. Antibiotic treatments can often cause fatal enteritis. Rodents can carry pinworms and these can be transmitted to people, especially children. Practice good sanitation when handling any animal in your house. Pneumonia is a disease caused by a virus, bacteria, fungus or environmental agent and can be fatal. You may notice nose and eye discharge and a loss in appetite and hair coat quality. Antibiotics are needed but should be used carefully to prevent toxic gastroenteritis. This is a contagious condition and any sick rats or mice should be separated from others as soon as possible. Re-introduce them back to the others whenever all clinical signs have been resolved. A condition called Tyzzer’s disease results from a bacterium and thrives in dirty, stressful environments. Affected animals become rapidly sick and may die, even with intervention. Remember that rodents age rapidly and old age changes can almost occur “suddenly”! Give them the best food and care possible. We recommend that you purchase a good reference book for rodent care! |
|
© Copyright 2004 Perry Veterinary Clinic P.L.L.C. |