General Small Furry husbandry

Question 1

What temperature range should syrian hamsters be housed at?

Answer 1

19 - 23 degrees celsius

Question 2

Why should you have a water bowl + a water dropper for small furries?

Answer 2

So that they:
* Have a choice
* They are likely to drop debris, food or excrement in it, and need to have access to fresh, clean water
* Water droppers can easily become stuck+ not work
* If living within multiples or pairs, gives every member constant access to water

Question 3

What should you consider when providing a wheel for small furries?

Answer 3

• It is sold
• Large enough
• Has no bars or negative spaces, to prevent getting their legs or feet stuck + prevent injury or broken bones
• The animal must be able to run stretched out, not bent over, where it can injure it’s back

Question 4

Why should you not use cotton wool as a bedding?

Answer 4

• Can become stuck on their limbs, entangled + cause constriction injury
• Can cause respiratory distress
• Can be digested + cause impaction

Question 5

What type of bowl should be used for small furries + why?

Answer 5

Ceramic.

• Due to its weight, it is hard to spill or cause injury
• Non-toxic material

Question 6

Why is it most important to spot clean + check a hamsters bedding daily, in particular?

Answer 6

Because hamsters hoard food in their bedding, which can go mouldy

Question 7

Why should deep bedding be provided to animal such as
Mice, Gerbils and Hamsters?

Answer 7

As they like burrowing!

Question 8

Name 4 wild plants rabbits are safe to eat

Answer 8

1. Brambles
2. Dandelions
3. Groundsel
4. Nettles

Question 9

Name 5 poisonous plants rabbits cannot eat in the wild

Answer 9

1. Daffodils
2. Snowdrops
3. Poppies
4. Bluebells
5. Delphiniums

Question 10

Name 3 poisonous weeds that rabbits cannot consume

Answer 10

1. Celandine
2. Deadly nightshade
3. Hemlock

Question 11

What is the most improtant component of the rabbit’s diet?

Answer 11

Roughage = good quality grass + hay

Question 12

Why is best to keep rabbits in inter-sexted paired bonds?

Answer 12

Because:
* They are naturally social + live in colonies in the wild
* 2 males will be aggressive + fight for territory

• You can have 2 multi-sexed rabbits, but only if they are spayed + castrated and they have grown up together

Question 13

Why should you refrain from feeding rodents sunflower seeds?

Answer 13

Because they are high in fat + lead to obesity

Question 14

Why should Chinchilla’s never be bathed in water?

Answer 14

Because their skin isn’t waterproof

Question 15

What 2 ways could you provide liquid vitamin c supplements to guinea pigs?

Answer 15

1.Water bottle + with stainless steel spout
2. Water bowl

Question 16

Why should you only use a stainless steel spout when administering vitamin c supplements to guinea pigs?

Answer 16

Because other metals with inactivate the vitamin c supplement

Question 17

Why must you keep water in the waterbowl fresh + free from organic matter when administering vitamin c supplements to guinea pigs?

Answer 17

Because the presence of organic matter, such as faecal matter, will inactivate the vitamin c supplement

Question 18

Why 2 reasons must you not give Guinea Pigs Rabbit food?

Answer 18

1. Rabbit food can contain Coccidiostats = are toxic to guinea pigs
2. Guinea pigs are unable to synthesize vitamin c + therefore require greater nutritional requirements than rabbits

Question 19

Why should you provide rabbits with complete pellets instead of a rabbit mix?

Answer 19

• Because they are fussy eaters + will pick the tastiest bits, leaving the most nutritionally food
• Doesn’t meet the rabbits nutrional requirements
• Complete pellets avoids the issue of selectivev feeding