Brenda J. Ernest, DVM, Dipl. ABVP - Veterinarian
11816
N. 56th Street 
Temple Terrace, Fl. 33617
813-985-2889
close to I-75, University of South Florida, and New Tampa
board-certified specialist in dog and cat practice
special interest in ferrets, rabbits, small mammals, and birds
A lot of information on the care and feeding of small mammals exists on the Internet, some good and some not so good. We have tried to provide links to the best information available. While we find these sites most informative, we are not responsible for their content.
A variety of small mammals such as hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, mice, rats, and chinchillas are commonly kept as household pets for adults and children alike. These pets have been bred in captivity for years and are ideal for a variety of pet owners because of their small space requirements, quiet nature, ease of handling and relatively simple husbandry requirements. Diet is an important part of the care of these pets and each species should have its own specific nutritional needs met. A hamster is not a chinchilla is not a sugar glider, and so on.
Clean water must be accessible to these pets at all times. Some species, such as chinchillas and gerbils, require less water due physiological adaptations to living in an arid environment, but they still need a ever present water source. A drip water bottle is the best choice because it cannot be contaminated with bedding, food, feces and urine. Animals unfamiliar with a drip bottle may have to be trained to use it. Do not add vitamins to the water for any of these species. The disadvantages of adding vitamins to the water include; making the water taste disagreeable and promoting bacterial growth. In addition, many vitamins are inactivated shortly after they are exposed to air, water and light which reduces their effectiveness. Although, it is a rare problem, it is possible to overdose a pet on vitamins which can result in disease. Medications should be added to the water only under the advice of your veterinarian.
Remember, before making changes to your pet's diet, consult your veterinarian.
Gerbils Guinea Pigs Chinchillas Rats, Mice, & Hamsters
links:
Midwest
Exotic Hospital University
of Missouri
NetVet Veterinary
Partner
As with any pet,
good quality food and clean, fresh water must be provided at all times. In the
wild, gerbils feed on leaves, seeds and roots. Current recommendations for
feeding in captivity are pelleted rodent ration containing 20% - 22% protein.
These rations are typically processed as dry blocks or pellets designed for
rodents. Seed diets are also “formulated” and sold for gerbils, but these diets
should only supplement the basic rodent pellet, and not more than 1/2 teaspoon
per day. Gerbils prefer sunflower-based diets to pellets, but these seeds are
low in calcium and high in fat and cholesterol. When fed alone, seed diets often
lead to obesity and potential
nutritional deficiencies. Snacks may include sugarless breakfast cereals, whole
wheat breads, pasta, cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables; all fed in moderation.
Gerbils eat approximately 5 to 8 grams of food daily.
Although gerbils in
the wild require little water to drink since they derive most of their fluid
from the foods they ingest, caged gerbils must be provided with a continuous
source of clean water. Inadequate water consumption can lead to infertility,
lower body weight and eventually death. Water is easily provided in water
bottles equipped with drip tubes. This method also helps keep the water free
from contamination. Always make sure that the tubes are positioned low enough to
allow the pet easy access. The average adult gerbil drinks approximately 4 to 10
ml of water daily. Although this amount is only a fraction of the total bottle
volume, fresh water should be provided daily, not only when the bottle
empties.
links: Veterinary Partner Midwest Exotic Hospital University of Missouri NetVet
Guinea pigs are herbivores and require a similar diet as rabbits with plenty of grass hay and greens and limited commercial pellets. They have continuously growing incisors and molars which wear down, as in the rabbit, with the normal action of eating. Guinea pigs also produce nutrient rich cecotropes in a similar manner as the rabbit which they eat directly from the anal area. Guinea pigs should have unlimited grass hay for the same reason as rabbits. While other rodents, rabbits and ferrets can produce their own vitamin C inside their bodies; guinea pigs cannot produce their own vitamin C and require an external source. Dark, leafy greens are very high in vitamin C, for instance a cup of fresh kale contains approximately 250mg of vitamin C compared to a cup of oranges (without the peel) which contains only 50mg of C. The minimum daily requirement for vitamin C in the guinea pig is 10-30 mg per day. Guinea pigs can easily get this amount and more with the feeding of 1/2 to 1 cup of fresh leafy greens daily. Some particularly high vitamin C foods are kale, dandelion greens, parsley, collard, green peppers and mustard greens. Supplementing vitamin C in the water is not very effective due the rapid breakdown of the vitamin when it is exposed to light and heat and the fact that some vitamin C products have a very bitter taste. Feeding fruits and other vegetables in small amounts is also acceptable.
Commercial guinea pig pellets can be fed in limited quantities. Guinea pigs can become overweight on unlimited pellet feeding, particularly if they are not allowed to exercise daily. Feed 1/8 cup pellets per 2 lb guinea pig daily. Although guinea pig pellets have vitamin C added, you should not depend on them to provide the full daily amount. Guinea pig pellets must be used within 90 days of the day they were produced to guarantee sufficient amounts of vitamin C. In many situations, bags of pellets have been sitting on the shelf for longer than 3 months and the vitamin C content is drastically reduced due to breakdown by contact with air, moisture and high environmental temperatures. Scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, is still one of the most common diseases seen in the pet guinea pig fed a strictly commercial pelleted diet. Rabbit pellets should not be substituted for guinea pig pellets because they may contain excessive levels of vitamin D which can be toxic to guinea pigs. Do not feed cereal grains or sugary foods to guinea pigs.
Guinea pigs are notorious for playing with their water bottles and spilling a great deal of water into the cage. The bottle may have to be refilled frequently and the bedding underneath it changed daily to prevent mold from growing.
links: Midwest Exotic Hospital Atlantic Coast Conference Veterinary Partner
Chinchillas have a diet similar to rabbits and guinea pigs. They are herbivores with continually growing teeth as in the rabbit and guinea pig. They originally came from a dry, cold mountainous area. Chinchillas appear to have a diet that depends a great deal on dry grasses and other plant material. Chinchillas should be provided with unlimited grass hay because the fiber is critically important to proper digestion and the tough hay strands may be helpful in keeping the teeth worn properly. They can also be offered greens as described for the rabbit, but they will tend to eat less, and offering one half to one cup daily is sufficient. Commercial chinchilla pellets can be fed in the amount of 1/8 cup daily for an adult chinchilla. The pellets should contain approximately 16 to 20% protein, 18% fiber, and about 2 - 5% fat. Chinchillas can also be offered small amounts of dried fruits and nuts not to exceed 1 teaspoon total volume per day. Chinchillas rarely have a problem with obesity and these 'treat' foods appear to be greatly relished.
links:
Hamsters: Midwest Exotic Hospital University of Missouri NetVet Veterinary Partner
Mice: Midwest Exotic Hospital University of Missouri NetVet Veterinary Partner
Rats: Midwest Exotic Hospital University of Missouri NetVet Veterinary Partner
Rats, mice, and hamsters have similar dietary requirements. They all eat primarily plant material but rats, mice and particularly hamsters are also know to eat some meat products and are considered omnivorous. All of these species have continually growing incisors which wear down as described for the rabbit. The basic diet for this group should consist of a good quality rodent chow or lab block. Rodent chows should have a minimum of 16% protein and 4-5% fat content. These dry foods can be left in the cage at all times in a bowl or hanging feeder to be consumed as needed. Very young, recently weaned animals may have a problem gnawing on the hard pellets and it will be necessary to break them into smaller pieces or soften them for a few weeks until the pet is more mature. Pelleted food should be purchased in amounts that will be used in three months to prevent spoilage. Good quality rodent chows are considered to be fairly complete diets for this group.
Other foods can be fed in addition to the commercial pellets but should not constitute more that 10% of the total diet. Fruit and leafy greens as described for the rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas can be offered. Remove any uneaten fresh foods within 3 to 4 hours to prevent spoilage. All of these species love grains, nuts and seeds, but these foods should be offered in very small quantities because of their high fat content. If these 'treat' foods are given free choice, the pet will eat them exclusively, not eat the balanced pellets and develop nutritional disease such as obesity. A few nuts or seeds daily given as a special treat is acceptable. Meat and cheese in small amounts may be offered to mice, rats and hamsters. These foods spoil rapidly and should be removed from the cage within one hour if not eaten.
links: Midwest Exotic Hospital
Sugar gliders have broad dietary needs. The diet of the wild sugar glider includes sap and gum from eucalyptus and acacia trees, nectar and pollen, manna and honeydew and a wide variety of insects and arachnids. Their diet varies with the season. These animals are primarily insectivorous during the spring and summer months. During the winter months, the sugar glider feeds on gum from the eucalyptus and acacia trees, as well as sap and sugar excretions from the trees and sap-sucking insects. Although these animals readily accept fruit, nuts and grains, these are not a substantial part of their natural diet. Contrary to the nutritional needs observed in the wild, much of the information found in lay publications lists fruit and vegetables as a major portion of the captive diet.
Several components make up the recommended sugar glider diet. The
captive diet should include nectar, insects, other protein sources and limited
fruit and vegetables. Protein is a critical nutritional factor in sugar gliders.
Various protein sources include insects (mealworms and crickets), eggs, newborn
mice, lean meat and commercial protein sources (insectivore diets, monkey chow).
Another natural dietary component is sap and nectar, which provides the
necessary carbohydrates. Sources include fresh nectar, honey and artificial
nectar products. Examples of commercial products include prepared lorry diets
and Gliderade&Mac226; (Avico). Commercial sugar glider and insectivore diets
are available and should be included as part of the diet. Leafy green vegetables
can be provided as a source of fiber and certain vitamins. Sugar gliders accept
a wide variety of other foods, including fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds
(sunflower and pumpkin). Fruit juices and strained baby food can be offered if
free of preservatives. Since these foods are not a significant component of the
natural diet, they should constitute less than 10% of the diet. A broad-spectrum
vitamin and mineral supplement with a good calcium supply is lightly sprinkled
on the food daily.
A simplified diet for captive sugar gliders has been
proposed. The diet consists of 50% insectivore/carnivore diet and 50%
Leadbeater’s mixture, with a small amount of other foods as treats. Various
insectivore/carnivore diets are marketed and the choice depends on reliability
of the company, availability to the owner and acceptance by the pet. The
Leadbeater’s mixture consists of 150 ml water, 150 ml honey, I shelled
hard-boiled egg, 25 mg high protein baby cereal and 1 tsp vitamin and mineral
mixture. This mixture is kept refrigerated until served. The mixture can be
frozen for later use, with refrigerated portions discarded after about 3 days.
Acceptable treat food can include lean meats, diced fruit, bee pollen and
gut-loaded insects. Treats should constitute less than 5% of this diet. *NOTE*
The links provided include a variety
of recipes for feeding your sugar glider.
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