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Last edited by Petadmin on Wed Dec 03, 2008 11:08 am; edited 1 time in total

This month we have the pleasure of Small Angels Rescue offering their expertise in small animal care. They are happy to offer their expertise in Rat, Hamster, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Mouse, and Chinchilla care.

We know that as shelters, or parents of pets and children that sometimes you take in a small and furry and while you want to provide everything possible to provide them the best care, you might have some questions, so here is your chance to lean on the expertise of this very dedicated group of individuals who spend their days rescuing, rehabilitating and loving these great little fur-kids. So you may get to know them a little better please read on...

Angela Moxley is president and cofounder of Small Angels Rescue. As hamster coordinator, she arranges the transportation of hamsters from shelters to the rescue, oversees the hamster foster care program, and handles adoptions. She also edits the group's newsletter and chairs the fund-raising and outreach task forces. She holds a certificate in executive leadership from Humane Society University.

Jen Huber has kept rats as pets for 8 yrs and has been working with Small Angels as a Rat Coordinator for 6 months now. She's always striving to learn more about rats and enjoys talking about them.

Kristy Tevelow grew up having a vast array of animals, including mice. She first became involved with Small Angels about three years ago when she adopted a mouse for her daughter. She has since fostered and adopted many mice from Small Angels, including a mother and her 9 babies, which she kept. She is also a current SARI board member and Assistant Guinea Pig Coordinator. She currently owns seven mice, four guinea pigs, a cockatiel, a gecko, and two dogs. She is fostering four guinea pigs and two hamsters at the moment.

Sue Wilmot is the Guinea Pig Coordinator for Small Angels Rescue. She has had guinea pigs for 11 years as pets and been working with the Rescue since it started in October 2003. She has taken in and re-homed over 700 guinea pigs to date with the help of an extensive foster care network! She has adopted out singles to share the lives of other lonely guinea pigs and also bonded pairs

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 7:38 am Post subject: Hamster Trouble

I have a siberian dwarf hamster that I found at a pet store with a deformed lip. She was in the snake food bin...well I just couldn't help but feel bad for her, so I asked to buy her..as 'snake food' and brought her home as a family member. I had been told that these little guys tend to be more nippy than others. Well she was the sweetest little girl right from the start. Loved to be out, climb all over me, be petted and play in her ball etc, but lately she has been getting very nippy and agressive. She is nearly 2yrs old. My vet said he would not be able to tell me much, but I took her anyway...and well he could not tell me much. He suggested however that she was 'old' in hamster years and that likely this was a result. Could this be the case? Could she be in pain? She still eats and drinks but no longer plays in her wheel and because she has become so aggressive I do not put her in her ball anymore. She hides almost all the time, I am her only care taker so its not like she is being tormented by any one. Thanks for your help!
C.

Angela answers the hamster question:

Since she's 2, she is getting "up there" for a hamster; they tend to live 2--3 years. You don't say whether you took her to a vet who specializes in exotics, but that would be the first thing I would recommend. As well-meaning as "regular" dog and cat vets are, they often just don't know very much about these little guys—in fact, you may know even more than they do! An exotic vet, however, will have a thorough knowledge of symptoms, illnesses, and treatments and will be able to spot even subtle signs of illness. When normally sweet animals develop an aggression, it is often because they are not feeling well—just like we might be a little grouchy when we are sick. So if you can find a vet who knows what they are doing and can help you, you might be able to make her feel more like her normal self.

You mentioned that she doesn't use her wheel anymore and hides all the time. Do you think there could be something wrong with her legs?

I would also take a look at her diet. Eliminate store-bought treats, which are full of sugars, and slowly introduce a hamster food that is at least 16 percent protein. Eliminate corn, carrots, and fruits from her diet. These are high in natural sugars. Dwarf hamsters are prone to diabetes, so high-sugar foods are problematic. If you aren't already doing so, feed her small amounts of veggies daily. Green veggies like broccoli and spinach are great, as are any type of peppers (red, green, yellow--but not hot) and cucumbers. They also do well with whole grains, like cooked brown rice or whole wheat pasta, and whole wheat bread. They even like tofu! You can buy a container at the store for a few bucks, cut the block into quarters, and freeze what you are not using for up to 6 months. Keep the section you are using in the fridge in some water, and break off a small cube to give once a day. Tofu is high in protein and is a very nutritious snack for hammies.

You might find that a few diet changes are all that is in order to get her feeling better and rebalance her energy levels. In the meantime, I'd also definitely check out an exotic vet and see if they have anything to add.
—Angela Moxley

Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 1:35 pm Post subject: Rats!

I was thinking about adopting a rat from our local shelter. However we have cats and although I would keep them in a separate room away from the cats..somone told me that domestic rats are not as favorable to cats as wild and they should leave them alone. Is this true?
Also besides the treats you get from the pet store, what other treats can you give rats? Thanks!
Cary

Michelle answers the rat question:

Hi Cary,

Rats and cats can certainly live in the same household. I have a few kitties at my house, and they could not care less about the rats. When you bring your rat home, you will want to have the habitat in an area that is off limits to the cats while he/she gets used to the new environment. After the rat has adjusted to you and to the sounds, smells and routine of your household, you can slowly introduce the rat and cats and see how it goes. You may find that they are not interested in each other. You may find that one is overly interested in the other. Keep in mind that either one could hurt the other severely and quickly. Always, always, always supervise rat/cat interactions and try to end met and greets on a positive note. In the end, it will come down to the individual personalities of the animals, and they will let you know how they feel. Don't let cat guardianship deter you from adopting a rat. Common sense and an ounce of prevention can keep everyone safe and happy.

Rats are social creatures that usually do best with a companion. I encourage you to adopt a pair. If you adopt a single rat, consider adopting a companion for him/her in the near future. Rat introductions, if handled properly and patiently, are often successful. (Male rat introductions tend to be more challenging than female introductions.) Definitely do research before jumping into matchmaking.

Make sure to get an appropriately sized cage for your new friends. Pet stores often sell cages marketed for rats that are much too small. In fact, there is one particular "rat cage" on the market that we recommend to hamster adopters! A cage should provide a minimum of 2.5 cubic feet of space per rat, and keep in mind that there is no such thing as a cage that is too big. The cage should have solid levels, not wire. Standing on wire is very painful and can cause wounds, foot deformities and arthritis. Wire levels can be made safe by covering them with Magic Mats, ceramic or vinyl tiles, cardboard, coroplast, plexiglass, grass mats or other similar materials. A wonderful homemade cage is easy to make out of a bookcase. Check out "The Grotto" at www.dapper.com.au for housing inspiration.

Cage bedding should be Carefresh, aspen or some other similar safe material. Pine and cedar bedding are toxic to all animals and should never be used.

Provide a variety of toys to keep your rat occupied -- tubes, tunnels, boxes, hammocks, some bird toys, dig boxes, empty paper bags, stray socks, paper towel pinatas, (safe) chew toys, bobbing for peas in a little bowl of warm water, etc. A busy rat is a happy rat! Rotate toys to keep things interesting and provide plenty of daily out of the cage playtime.

Never put your rats in an exercise ball. Exercise balls are dangerous and stressful for all animals. Rodents have poor eyesight. In a ball their vision is even more limited. They always run into furniture and walls, which they don't see coming. It's like a car crash for them. They back up to try and get away and end up crashing into something else. It's very stressful. In addition, paws can get pinched/broken in the air slits. Animals can become over-heated. If they go to the bathroom in the ball, they have to run in their own waste. Furthermore, their great joy in life is exploring and checking things out with their paws and noses. They can't do that in a plastic bubble. Provide a large, safe play area for your rats and pass on the ball.

As for treats, there are many healthy goodies you can offer rats. First, make sure you are providing a quality base diet – free of corn, artificial colors, Ethoxyquin, BHA and/or BHT. We encourage people to avoid the commercial treats sold in pet stores. They usually contain cheap filler ingredients, extraordinarily high levels of sugar and chemical preservatives. Rats can take great delight in fresh raw foods -- just keep in mind variety and moderation.

Rats enjoy most vegetables. Avocado, peas, spinach, broccoli, cucumber, red pepper and (cooked) sweet potato are favorites around here. Avoid onions, tomato leaves, raw potato, garlic, hot peppers and iceberg lettuce.

Fruits are a hit too! I will soak whole raw oats in soy milk and mix in goji berries, banana and pear. The rats love it! Grapes, melon, apple and blueberries are all popular too. Make sure to discard any internal seeds/pits before serving and avoid citrus with male rats.

Other fresh and healthy yummies include pumpkin seeds, whole grains, tofu, cooked whole wheat pasta, basmati rice, dried seaweed and flax seeds. Have fun finding out your rat's favorite things. Just make sure to take it slow when introducing new foods so as not to cause an upset tummy.

Make sure to avoid mineral wheels and salt wheels. They are not necessary and can be potentially hazardous. Mineral wheels and salt wheels contain glue, and salt wheels are bleached.

We hope you find this information helpful and thank you for considering rat adoption.

Cheers!

Michelle
Small Angels Rescue

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 11:07 am Post subject: Guinea Pig Training

I have two awesome piggies. I would like to give them more play time and was wondering if they are litter trainable? I had a rabbit that I litter trained, but am curious if it is done the same way or what special considerations there are for piggies. Also, they love to play...and love to do things for treats...can they learn tricks like my rabbit did too?? I have not had much luck with them really learning any tricks, so wondered if they just don't learn those, or if there again area special considerations or approaches to it. Thanks!
Cranberry

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