Small pet

When it comes to reading your rabbit, the ears, eyes, and body posture are some of the most reliable indicators of how they’re feeling. Let’s break it down.  ,Rabbits might not bark or meow, but that doesn’t mean they’re not communicating.   In fact, they’re constantly expressing themselves through bunny body language, which includes subtle shifts in posture, movement, and behavior.   Here’s what you need to know about rabbit body language, including how to decode common signals and respond in ways that help your bunny feel safe and understood. 

Your chinchilla is capable of making lots of sounds—from squeaks and coos to barks and cries—and they all mean something different.   Recognizing their sounds not only strengthens your bond, but it also helps you learn more about your chinchilla’s likes and dislikes. Here’s how to understand what your chinchilla’s trying to say. 

The hare vs. rabbit question can be so confusing—aren’t they basically the same animal?   Both rabbits and hares have big, floppy ears; soft fur; and an adorable hop. With all their similarities, how different can they really be?  As it turns out, the differences between hares and rabbits are significant. They’re completely different animals with totally different habitats, behaviors, and history.   Read on to understand what exactly makes a rabbit a rabbit and a hare a hare—so you can tell them apart the next time you need to drop some lagomorph knowledge on your friends at trivia night.  

Degus can make wonderful pets for experienced small-animal pet parents who are ready to meet their unique needs. These intelligent, social rodents—native to Chile—are curious, energetic, and highly interactive, but they also require specialized care, housing, and diet.  Before adopting a degu, learn what makes them unique and how to keep them healthy, happy, and thriving. 

Curious about what hamsters can eat and whether cheese is a safe treat? According to avian and exotic veterinarian Dr. Susan Tyson, VMD, MS, hamsters are omnivores, meaning their diet should include a healthy mix of veggies, fruits, and even insects.   So, the big question is—can hamsters eat cheese? Whether you’re considering offering a nibble as a treat or have a little one eager to share a snack from their plate, here’s what you need to know. 

Keeping the litter box clean is very important to protect your bunny, as a dirty litter box increases the chance of bacterial infections, respiratory irritations, flies, mites, mold and fungal spores in the litter and bad odors around your rabbit cages. Rabbit urine is filled with calcium and strong-smelling ammonia. The longer it goes without being cleaned, the worse it is for your bunny. These are my tips for making litter-box cleaning a little easier.

Rabbits love being outdoors, but because they are prey animals, their natural instinct is to bolt to safety and hide when out in the open, says Dr. Angela Maxwell, MBBS, founder and CEO of the Bunny Hutch and CLIMATES-Rescue, a small animal rescue, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. However, there is a way to satisfy your bunny’s longing to be outside and keep her safe: Take your rabbit walking on a leash. Any bunny, at any age, can be trained to walk on a leash, Dr. Maxwell says. The trick is to do it slowly, and to have plenty of patience and rewards. Here are some tips on how to leash train a rabbit.

Rabbits make fantastic pets for a number of reasons, but if you don’t know how to care for a rabbit, adopting your very first one can be overwhelming. “Rabbits are wonderful companions, but they are not starter pets,” says Natalie L. Reeves, a rabbit advocate and founder of rabbit rescue and education organization Big Apple Bunnies. “They need just as much love and attention as dogs and cats, but they’re more delicate. Also, because their bones can easily break and they often do not like being picked up, rabbits are not always the best pets for children who understandably want to hold them.” Dr. Tiffany Margolin, DVM, agrees and adds, “Rabbits are very different than almost any animal on earth, as they are domesticated pets, yet they have very little in common with our dogs, cats or birds. In truth, they are most like the horse in that their digestive system is the most important and susceptible part of their bodies when it comes to health.” On the plus side, your new pet rabbit will be intelligent, quiet and friendly, and will return all the love you provide to it, Reeves adds. If you’ve done your research and think you’re ready for a new pet rabbit, keep some of these bunny care basics in mind before bringing your new pet bunny home. Here’s everything you need to know about how to care for a rabbit: