Small Animals

Q: Will 2 rabbits Live Happily together?

A: In my experience I have found that young Bucks will live together, if they are introduced to their hutch at the same time. However as they become sexually mature, they can be very aggressive towards each other. This can sometimes be solved by having them castrated.
My advice would be that if you want 2 rabbits to live together then DOES are more likely to live together in harmony.

Q: Can I house lots of Guinea Pigs together?

A: Guinea Pigs are generally quite compatible if housed in single sexed groups from an early age. Boars may be aggressive, but Sows are more sociable and tolerant towards each other.

Q: What age is a good age to buy a Rabbit?

A: Eight to Twelve weeks.

Q: What age is a good age to buy a Guinea Pig?

A: Seven to Ten weeks.

Q: What age is a good age to buy a Hamster / Mouse / Gerbil / Rat?

A: Six to Ten weeks.

Q: Can I keep more than one Hamster in the same setup?

A: It is not recommended to house Hamsters together, particularly Syrian Hamsters.
Hamsters are solitary creatures and in the wild they each have their own burrows and trying to compel them to share accommodation is likely to have a fatal outcaome!

Q: How can I protect my Rabbit from Foxes & other predators?

A: The door fittings are obviously very important in this regard. Do not rely on the large common latches that are often fitted as standard, as these can easily be moved by a paw allowing the predator access.
We recommend that you fit a hasp and a padlock or even a sliding bolt.
Like the hinges, these should be kept well oiled to prevent them from rusting and becoming stuck.

Q: Should I provide any additional Protection for my Rabbit & Guinea Pig during the Winter?

A: There are many ways that you can help keep your Rabbit & Guinea Pig warm throughout the Winter.
You can apply a length of clear plastic sheeting to the mesh door, which should run the full length of the door and approximately half the height.
There are now products on the market which have been designed to help keep your Rabbit snug throughout the Winter.
Hutch Huggers & Hutch Snuggles are available to buy in store and will keep your Rabbits & Guinea Pigs warm all Winter.

Q: What should I do about Fly Strike?

A: The best course of action is to try to prevent it. Ensure the Rabbit's coat is not soiled, because this will attract Blowflies which are likely to lay their eggs here.
Maggots hatch rapidly and will then burrow into the skin, where they will produce deadly toxins.
Veterinary treatment is adviseable in cases of Fly Strike.

Birds

Q: Why has my canary stopped singing?

A: The cock canaries song is actually a territorial claim, used to attract hens during breeding season and to deter other cocks from challenging him at the same time.
A number of factors ,including light exposure, will bring a canary into breeding condition, with this behaviour being under hormonal control.
However canaries stop singing during the debilitating moulting period when they are not seeking a mate. Your pet should be singing again after completing his moult.

Q: I want to buy a budgie that will talk and become tame, what is a good age to buy it?

A: Budgies are fully weaned at six weeks old, most of our budgies come in at eight weeks of age.You will find at this age they are relatively friendly and will be fairly easy to train and tame.

Q: I keep a pair of zebra finches indoors as pets, what can I do to stop them from breeding?

A: Simply take away their nest box or nesting basket, once their chicks have fledged.
They will do not need this for roosting purposes, and it will cause the hen to stop laying almost immediately.

Q: Why have there been spikey feathers on my budgerigars head for weeks?

A: The bird may be suffering from a deficiency in the output of hormones from the thyroid glands in the neck. This is due to lack of iodine, an iodine nibble will often be sufficient to treat this.

Q: is it a good idea to let my budgerigar out of its cage to fly around the room?

A: Yes, budgerigars are naturally active birds that need exercise.

Q: how can you tell the difference in male and female budgerigars?

A: if you look at the bird's beak, just above it there is a lump called a cere.
If it is blue in colour the bird is a male (or a cock bird), if the cere is brown or pink in colour the bird is female (or a hen bird). Younger birds are harder to sex.

Q: Can you keep more then one budgerigar in a cage?

A: Yes, as long as they have a cage that is suitable to house two or more birds.
Budgerigars like company, and male and females will get on well together even if two or more of the same sex are living together.