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FACT SHEET

Feeding Enrichment for Small Is ‘how’ you feed as important as ‘what’ you feed?

Choosing the right food for your is an important element of pet care. However, not only what you feed but how you feed can have a significant impact on their wellbeing.

In the wild, small mammals would spend most of their time AND GUINEA searching for, storing, and eating enough of their food which gives them the energy and that they need. You can encourage Herbivorous small mammals such as rabbits and guinea pigs these natural behaviours in your by creating the right enjoy foraging. So, putting their food in different locations will environment to help them stay active and stimulated by working allow them to express this natural behaviour and will prolong for their food reward. While playing and exercise can help reduce their feeding time, keeping them active for longer. boredom and stress in pets, feeding time is also a great opportunity for physical and mental activities and improving your pet’s quality of life.

General benefits of feeding enrichment for small mammals

• Prolonging the feeding time which reduces boredom. • Creating stimulating challenges to make them work and achieve rewards. • Encouraging natural behaviour such as You could place some of their food in hanging positions to make foraging, digging and stretching. them stand on their hind legs and stretch their muscles to reach • May help prevent by keeping the food. Also try stuffing a cardboard tube with , herbs, or pets active. suitable vegetables for your pets to get the food out of. • Dental health benefits by helping to wear down teeth (for those pets with constantly growing teeth). • Useful for training purposes and bonding between owner and pet.

Importance of Hay in a ’s Diet Importance of Hay in a Guinea ’s Diet

The majority of the diet of Rabbits and GREENS/LEAFY For more information scan or visit GOOD QUALITY www.pfma.org.uk VEGETABLES www.pfma.org.uk www.pfma.org.uk/rabbits HAY/GRASS GOOD QUALITY HAY/GRASS • Provide additional nutrients and This should make up the • Should make up majority of their diet. moisture in their diet. GUINEA PIG FOOD majority of their diet and • Important to be available every day. • Excellent sources of C. RABBIT FOOD • Source of fibre for healthy digestion and teeth. • Add variety of textures and tastes for • There are different types of food that always be available. Hay is are specially designed for guinea pigs to meet There are different types • Encourages natural foraging and grazing stimulation and enrichment. should consist of good the essential source of fibre behaviour. their nutritional needs. Guinea pigs • Can be given daily in small amounts. of food you can buy for for healthy digestion and • Examples are broccoli, kale • Always follow the feeding guidelines on pack, teeth and performing your rabbit. Always follow spinach, watercress and celery. for the correct amount to feed. TREATS natural behaviour. the feeding guidelines • Guinea pigs are unable to synthesise their own You can occasionally on pack, for the correct so it’s important they receive sufficient amounts from their food. treat your rabbit with a piece amount to feed. quality hay or grass. Click on these of fruit or root vegetable, Keep an eye on your guinea pig’s which is good for bonding body condition with the with your pet. However, they PFMA Guinea Pig Size-O-Meter are high in sugar, so limit TREATS them to avoid obesity and GREENS/LEAFY • Good for bonding with your pet. dental problems. VEGETABLES • Examples are small amounts of images to view our posters on this topic. Provide additional nutrients carrot, strawberry, raspberry or and moisture in a rabbit’s cucumber. diet as well as offering a • Give occasionally (limit them to variety of textures and tastes avoid weight gain and dental providing stimulation and problems). enrichment.

For more information please visit: www.pfma.org.uk/rabbits For more information please visit: www.pfma.org.uk/guinea-pigs Guinea pigs are different from rabbits and have their own nutritional needs.

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Feeding Enrichment for Small Mammals

HAMSTERS, GERBILS, MICE & RATS

Try using more than one location at a time to place their food. Ferrets enjoy solving puzzles and searching for their food so you You can also hide some of their food, or treats like suitable can hide some of their food around their enclosure to stimulate vegetables, inside paper bags or cardboard boxes for them to this behaviour. Some toys and treat dispensers can be used shred and discover their rewards! for feeding enrichment for ferrets too!

A suitable small activity toy can be filled with treats or kibbles to give them a challenge. Ferrets also love to chase things, so you can attach a treat to a string (or a teaser toy) to encourage their natural hunting behaviour.

Please Note:

• Only give treats and toys that are safe for your pet’s species and size. • Consult the pet food or toy manufacturer if you are not sure In the wild these dig , which are a series of about a product. tunnels, to live, breed, and store their food. To encourage these • Treats should form no more than 10% of their daily calorie intake. natural digging and storing behaviours, you can provide ready- • Uneaten fresh food should be removed after a few hours made tunnels, or let them make their own. Blocks of wood can to prevent spoilage. be drilled to make tunnels, which the animals may enlarge • Fresh drinking water should always be available for pets. themselves by their natural tendency to gnaw. • Consult your vet if you have any concerns over the health of your pet.

FACT SHEET Can’t All Small Mammals Eat the Same Food?

In the wild small mammals live in different climates and naturally eat different foods. In fact, food suitable for one species can be totally unsuitable for another. They also have different nutritional needs with some of them only feeding on plants and others relying on animal in their diet. So it is important for pet owners to get reliable nutritional Rabbit Size-O-Meter Guinea pig Size-O-Meter advice, specific to their pet type, to provide them with a balanced diet. Vets, specialist pet food retailers, manufacturers and small animal nutritionists are best placed to provide tips on what to feed your pets. For all pets, remember to clear away and replace any uneaten Size-O-Meter Score: Characteristics: Size-O-Meter Score: Characteristics: food on a daily basis to prevent spoilage. If introducing new foods, it is best to do it gradually. Very Thin • Hip bones, ribs and spine are very sharp to the touch Very Thin Each individual rib can be felt easily, hips and spine are • Loss of muscle and no cover prominent and extremely visible and can be felt with the 1 More than 20% below 1 More than 20% below slightest touch. Under abdominal curve can be seen. ideal body weight • The rump area curves in ideal body weight Herbivores Omnivores Spine appears hunched.

Herbivores such as rabbits, guinea pigs, Those animals that eat a variety of food sources including both Your pet is a healthy weight Your pet is a healthy weight degus and are animals that plant-based and animal-based foods are called omnivores. Thin • Hip bones, ribs and spine are easily felt Thin Each rib is easily felt but not prominent. Hips and only eat grass and plant-based food. All • Loss of muscle and very little fat cover Seek advice about your pet’s weight spine are easily felt with no pressure. Less of an Seek advice about your pet’s weight Between 10-20% below Between 10-20% below herbivorous small mammals need plenty Examples of omnivorous small 2 • Rump area is flat 2 abdominal curve can be seen. ideal body weight Seek advice as your pet could be at risk ideal body weight Seek advice as your pet could be at risk of good quality fresh hay and/or grass on pets are , gerbils, mice a daily basis. In fact this is an essential and rats. In their natural habitat part of their diet to keep their digestive they eat grass, seeds, grains and • Hip bones, ribs and spine easily felt but are rounded, Please note Ribs are not prominent and cannot be felt individually. Please note system and teeth healthy. Check our Hay insects. Although they are often not sharp – Ribs feel like a pocket full of pens! Getting hands on is the key to this simple system. Hips and spine are not visible but can be felt. No Getting hands on is the key to this simple system. Poster for more information and as a mistaken as herbivores, they are Ideal • No abdominal bulge Whilst the pictures in the Rabbit Size-O-Meter will Ideal Whilst the pictures in Guinea pig Size-O-Meter will 3 3 abdominal curve. Chest narrower then hind end. handy reminder of the importance of hay. omnivores and will thrive on a • Rump area is flat help, judging whether your pet is the right weight help, it may be difficult to judge your pet’s body www.pfma.org.uk/the-importance-of- variety of plant and animal-based purely by sight alone has its difficulties. A long condition purely by sight alone. Some guinea pigs hay-poster nutrients in their diet. Complete pet foods, specifically designed to coat can disguise ribs, hip bones and the spine, have long coats that can disguise ribs, hip bones while a short coat can make a rabbit’s appearance and spine, while a short coat may highlight these help keep omnivores healthy, are available. Small amounts of • Pressure is needed to feel the ribs, spine and Overweight hip bones more irregular and highlight these areas. You will Overweight Ribs are harder to distinguish. Hips and spine areas. You will need to gently feel your pet which Alongside their daily portion of good quality hay, which as a general suitable fresh fruit and vegetables can also be provided. 4 10-15% above ideal • Some fat layers need to gentle feel your pet which can be a 4 10-15% above ideal difficult to feel. Feet not always visible. can be a pleasurable bonding experience for both rule should be a serving around the same size as their body, they body weight • The rump is rounded pleasurable bonding experience for both of you! body weight you and your guinea pig. should also be fed a portion of species-specific pet food. When fed How important is water? alongside hay and/or grass, a product designed for their species will ensure they are getting all of the and minerals they need. Drinking water is incredibly important and a constant • Very hard to feel the spine and hip bones – Ribs Ribs, hips and spine cannot be felt or can with mild supply of clean fresh water should always be Obese can’t be felt! Obese pressure. No body shape can be distinguished. A small handful of suitable fresh available to your pet. Specially designed bottles 5 More than 15% above • Tummy sags with obvious fat padding 5 15-20% above ideal Underbelly touching floor when Guinea-pig is in herbs or leafy green vegetables with metal spouts are a good option but some ideal body weight • Rump bulges out body weight standing position, feet cannot be seen. can also be given occasionally to animals prefer to drink from a heavy bowl. So provide variety in their diet and why not try offering your pet both and see

behavioural enrichment. which they prefer. Any water spillage Produced with assistance and advice from Brigitte Lord MRCVS and Anna Meredith MRCVS Produced with assistance from Kate Leslie and Dr Wanda McCormick (Moulton College) and Dr John Lowe (Dodson and Horrell). Fresh should be cleared up so that your pet’s Carnivores Drinking bedding stays clean and dry. www.pfma.org.uk www.pfma.org.uk Water Should Carnivores are animals that eat mainly or exclusively animal-based Always be food. Ferrets, for example, are obligate carnivores which means Available they need a nutritionally balanced diet containing animal to stay fit and healthy and cannot be vegetarians. Complete foods, specifically designed for ferrets, are available. Find out more on our website. www.pfma.org.uk/ferrets THERE IS A PET OUT THERE FOR YOU! With the right care, small pets make great companions for children and adults alike. Do your Learn more about small mammals! research to see what different pets need and which pet type could suit you and your lifestyle best. Think about your home environment, your family members and how much time and resource you have for your new pet. PFMA’s Pet Care page is a great place to start or further your research on this exciting journey www.pfma.org.uk/pet-care Can’t All Small Mammals Eat the Same Food? Find out from this factsheet. Check out these body condition score charts for Rabbits and Guinea pigs.

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Published by PFMA, December 2020. www.pfma.org.uk