Small Mammals
Small mammalian pets include animals like guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, rats and mice. These smaller pets are very different animals to dogs and cats and require a different approach to their medicine, surgery and anaesthesia. They also have their own unique behaviour and health issues.
At Acorn House we see a wide variety of smaller pets, belonging to both children and adults. We also anaesthetize and operate on them when necessary, usually keeping them in overnight after an anaesthetic to ensure they recover fully and are eating well before returning home.
We would advise all prospective new pet owners to research their chosen type of pet well before buying. Consider issues such as:
- Life expectancy (e.g. rats live anything between 18 to 24 months on average)
- Are they nocturnal (most hamsters are most active at night and can be grumpy in the day when woken)
- Ease of handling (e.g gerbil’s tails can be pulled off by enthusiastic children) and the ability to nip/bite (e.g. some hamsters/gerbils/mice)
- Are parents happy to take over handling/cleaning/feeding if the child loses interest (e.g. some guinea pigs can live up to 8 years by which time your child may have other interests)
- Cages and runs
- Diet (one of the most common areas of problems seen by vets in these animals)
- Care whilst you are away on holidays
- Veterinary bills (just because the pets are small, and may have cost little at a pet store, costs associated with keeping them can be considerable)
Considering issues such as these will help you make a decision that is right for you and your family. If in doubt, ask to speak to a vet or nurse for advice. We all have our favourites but will happily discuss your choice of pet with you. It may surprise you to read that many of us think rats are excellent pets for children for example.
As there is no NHS for pets, many of our owners now insure their pets. We recommend this is taken out for animals to help with any treatment fees. By law we can no longer advise on individual policies as we are not a member of the FSA. However we do have leaflets at reception and encourage you to do some research as policies vary widely.
We recommend that all new pets have a complete and thorough health check by one of our vets and that this is repeated on an annual basis. During this we are happy to discuss neutering of your pet and answer any questions as best we can. We also stock food and hay for general sale.
We look forward to meeting you and your small pet if you decide to join us.