The daily interactions with your rabbit or rodent allow you not only to build a relationship, but also to detect any developing illnesses.

What are their daily needs?

Washing your rabbit or rodent

Baths and showers are stressful experiences for rabbits and rodents. They can have negative repercussions on their digestion or be the cause of accidents from trying to escape or slipping in the bath.

If your little animal is dirty, you can wash the affected area with a wash cloth and shampoo adapted to your pet. Rince with warm water using the same cloth, then dry and keep your pet away from air currents on their damp fur.

Animals originally from deserts (chinchillas, gerbils) don't need water to keep clean: allow them to gambol about in an adapted sand bath in a receptacle for 20 minutes a day. By rolling in it, they maintain their fur. Avoid leaving the sand bath out all day - used excessively, it can dry out your pet's skin and be soiled by excrement.

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Taking care of their coat

A rabbit, angora ferret or peruvian guinea pig needs to have their fur brushed daily in order to avoid tangles and knots having to be shaved off. They also risk getting hairballs stuck in their digestive tube that could require medical if not surgical treatment to remove. For other pets, regular brushing with a fine comb should get rid of the dead hair.

Rabbits molt twice a year (spring and autumn). This molt can be very large - entire tufts of hair falling out even without a comb, just by pulling gently. However heavy the molt, your pet's skin should never appear to be hairless. During this molting season, brushing must be done more regularly in order to avoid having hair everywhere in the house as well as avoiding digestive or skin problems.

For ferrets, their fur is naturally greasy and shiny and so do not need a lot of care. Don't wash them more than once a month.

Taking care of their claws

Badly-cared for claws get stuck in furniture and clothes and are painfully ripped out when your pet struggles. The frequency of trimming depends on the activeness of your pet, and will need to be done more frequently on the front claws than the back. In Guinea pigs, their claws grow cork-screw style and can hamper movement.

Long claws can be cut using a small claw-clipper, leaving a few millimetres above the flesh (pink, sensitive part of the paw) in order to not hurt or make your pet bleed. If the claw is pigmented, you need to base yourself on the length of the transparent claws, or merely blunt them.

How do you take care of your pet?

source : animalsantebienetre.fr

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