30 guides
Care guides
Topic guides that apply across species: setting up a habitat, feeding, staying safe through the seasons, finding a vet, travelling and budgeting.
Showing 30 guides
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Habitat & seasonsApartment Pets
Small mammals, birds, reptiles and fish rated for flat life on noise, smell, floor space and lease risk, with landlord rules for England and the US and an evacuation kit.
Beginner guide -
Habitat & seasonsAquarium Setup and Maintenance
Cycle a freshwater tank before adding fish, treat every refill for chlorine and chloramine, and hold ammonia and nitrite at 0 mg/L with weekly checks.
Intermediate guide -
Planning & travelBreeding Small Pets
Maturity, gestation, litter size and weaning for seven small pets, the postpartum and pelvic risks, and the English licence rule for selling as a business.
Advanced guide -
Planning & travelChoosing Your First Pet
Eight common first pets compared on lifespan, daily time, space, handling, company and active hours, plus the questions to settle before you buy or adopt.
Beginner guide -
Grooming & hygieneCleaning Small Pet, Bird and Reptile Habitats
How often to spot-clean and deep-clean each small pet's home, which disinfectants are safe at what dilution and contact time, and why birds need extra care.
Beginner guide -
Habitat & seasonsEnrichment by Species
Which natural behaviour each small pet and bird needs to express, the enrichment that meets it, sourced depths and timings, and the toys that cause injuries.
Beginner guide -
Planning & travelExotic Pet Laws
Sourced restrictions that catch pet owners out, from California's ferret and gerbil ban to Queensland's rabbit ban, small turtles, Florida reptiles and CITES parrots.
Advanced guide -
Grooming & hygieneGrooming Small Pets
A species-by-species grooming table covering nails, teeth, brushing and whether to bathe, plus dust bath timings, moult seasons, long-haired breeds and flystrike checks.
Beginner guide -
Diet & nutritionGuinea Pig Diet
Vegetables ranked by vitamin C and calcium per 100 g, a safe/limit/never table, a daily plan per guinea pig, and how diet relates to bladder stones.
Beginner guide -
Behavior & social lifeIntroducing New Pets
Step-by-step bonding for rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and birds, the fight signs that mean stop, and why Syrian hamsters should never be paired.
Intermediate guide -
Behavior & social lifeMulti-Pet Households
Which rabbits, guinea pigs, rodents, ferrets, birds and reptiles can share housing, which must never meet, and the diseases that cross species.
Intermediate guide -
Behavior & social lifeNocturnal, Crepuscular or Diurnal? Light, Noise and Handling by Species
Which small pets are active at night, at dawn and dusk, or by day, plus light cycles, ultrasound and bedroom placement, and when to handle each species.
Intermediate guide -
Health & safetyPet Emergency Preparedness
Per-species go-kits, keeping tanks and heat lamps going in a power cut, a pet-sitter sheet and ID records for floods, storms and evacuations.
Intermediate guide -
Planning & travelPet Insurance for Exotic and Small Pets
Which insurers cover birds, reptiles and small mammals in the US and UK, what policies typically exclude, the questions to ask, and when a savings fund works better.
Beginner guide -
Diet & nutritionPet Nutrition Fundamentals
What herbivores, carnivores, insectivores, omnivores and nectar feeders each need, how to read a pet food label, and which supplements are actually required.
Intermediate guide -
Health & safetyPet-Proofing Your Home
A room-by-room checklist of household hazards for free-roaming rabbits, ferrets, pet birds and reptiles, from chewed cables and recliners to PTFE fumes.
Beginner guide -
Health & safetyQuarantine for New Pets
How long to isolate a new bird, rabbit, fish or reptile, how to set up the room and handling order, and which tests to ask for, such as PBFD and psittacosis.
Intermediate guide -
Diet & nutritionRabbit Diet Plan
Daily hay, greens and pellet portions by body weight, a safe/limit/never food table, a muesli switch plan and the diet problems behind most rabbit vet visits.
Beginner guide -
Habitat & seasonsReptile UVB and Basking Guide
Ferguson zone, UV index and basking temperature for eight common reptiles, plus which UVB bulb to use, when it fades, and why glass blocks it.
Intermediate guide -
Habitat & seasonsSeasonal Pet Care
Safe temperature ranges and the main risk each season for rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, hamsters, hedgehogs, reptiles and birds, with species-correct first aid.
Beginner guide -
Health & safetySenior Pet Care
When rabbits, rodents, ferrets and birds count as old, the diseases each species develops with age, and a vet-backed quality-of-life checklist.
Intermediate guide -
Behavior & social lifeSmall Pet Body Language
What common rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, rat, gerbil and chinchilla signals mean, which ones need a vet, and the pain signs prey animals try to hide.
Beginner guide -
Health & safetySmall Pet First Aid
Which signs in rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, chinchillas and birds mean go now, what to do in the car, and the home remedies that make things worse.
Intermediate guide -
Habitat & seasonsSmall Pet Housing
Minimum enclosure sizes, bedding depth and flooring for rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, rats, chinchillas, degus and ferrets, with where sources disagree.
Beginner guide -
Health & safetySmall Pet Veterinary Care
Check-up intervals, which small pets actually need vaccines, when to neuter, and how to find and question a vet for rabbits, ferrets, birds and reptiles.
Beginner guide -
Habitat & seasonsSummer Pet Care
How to cool rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, birds, reptiles and fish tanks in a heatwave, spot heatstroke early, and give first aid that suits the species.
Beginner guide -
Behavior & social lifeTraining Small Pets and Birds
Step-up, target-stick, clicker and litter training for birds, rabbits, rats and ferrets, with session lengths and the right treats for each species.
Intermediate guide -
Planning & travelTravelling with Small Pets, Birds, Reptiles and Fish
Which small pets should travel, the carrier and temperature each species needs, US and UK paperwork, airline limits, and how to choose a sitter or boarder instead.
Intermediate guide -
Planning & travelWhat Small and Exotic Pets Cost
Charity cost estimates for rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, chinchillas, birds and fish, plus the hidden costs these figures leave out, such as vet fees and UVB lamps.
Beginner guide -
Habitat & seasonsWinter Pet Care
When to bring rabbits and guinea pigs indoors, how to prevent hedgehog torpor, and a power-cut plan for reptile vivaria and fish tanks during cold weather.
Beginner guide