Anything For Animals

posted by admin on Jan 1

Unfortunately, Pet Insurance is individual, so you need to find the best one for you and your pet.

Whether you have a dog, cat, parrot, snake, gerbil or horse - you need to know that your pet’s health is covered - whatever happens.

However, there are different types of pet insurance available and so you need to search around for the best one to cover you and your pets - and this isn’t necessarily the most expensive or the cheapest options.

If we use dog insurance as an example; you need to check your insurance covers all the things relevant to your lifestyle and everything relevant to your dogs ongoing needs.

For example, some insurance policies won’t cover your dog if you take it to work with you.  Some insurance policies won’t cover certain dog breeds or certain dog ages. 

And some will only pay out a certain amount of money for each individual illness.  So, if your dog has an eye problem when they are 2 years old and you use up the alloted amount of cover treating it; if the same eye then gets sore again at any time - the insurance company won’t be obliged to pay any more for it.  You will have to pay it all yourself. 

Things like this could be a problem with certain dog breeds which may have hereditary eye problems like entropian, retinal dysplasia or other more general problems like elbow or hip dysplasia.

And obviously it’s not just dogs with these insurance issues - as there are certain things that will be specific to other species - like eventing horses, working ferrets, hunting owls, female anythings used for breeding, show animals, and so much more.

That is why the best thing you can do when insuring your pets is to ask an expert.  Insurance companies offer a variety of levels of cover depending on what you need and what you are willing to pay for it.

However, as they offer different things - it is up to you to make sure you are happy with what you are paying for - and you have checked that it covers ALL that you need AND want.  For example if you want all conditions to be covered for everything, then you need to make sure that you find the exact policy which does that.  You can’t just sign up to what looks ok and than get angry when you aren’t covered.

It’s that same as buying a house - you can’t pay for a one-bedroom flat and then start complaining that they won’t add a second bedroom onto it 2 years later.

There are even different policy clauses for different countries (as they all have slightly different animal control laws), so if you live in Australia; then get pet insurance Australia specific.

The ‘best’ insurance is the one that suits your needs and your budget - there is no ‘one-size fits all’ approach to pet insurance.

So speak to an expert about your policy requirements and they will get you covered for everything you need - or want.  

posted by admin on May 7

Why not create a fun game to teach your kids or friends about dog breeds?

In the same way that wildlife books help you identify random plants by following a simple flow chart - you could split up and identify common - or not so common - dog breeds.  Or cat breeds, rabbit breeds or horse breeds etc…..

Obviously, it is far easier to learn something new when it is simple and you get fast results - so using technical terms is out of the question as well as things that can only be found out through serious study!

This should be fun!

The Key:

Now you need to decide whether this is for the very beginner - or whether they have a certain amount of doggy knowledge as otherwise this could become quite tedious - or just make 2.

The basic one assumes that they know no breeds at all - and the other can be more specific to rare or unusual breeds - after all if they know what a dalmation looks like - they won’t be using your guide anyway!

Now to get started you need to group your dogs in appearance related groups rather than show groups - as people who see a dog in the street might not know whether it is a working breed or toy dog - so go for looks alone - and start with the simple and most obvious breeds to get them out the way.

For example you may want to filter out Dalmation and Komandors straight away as they are unique in their looks and can’t be mistaken for anything else.  You could also look to be filtering out whole colour groups, like the blues, tri-colours and black and tans - as these groups are easy to spot and can then be further reduced to split up your Dobermanns from your Manchester Terriers.

You could also go on coat type early on if you wanted - although this might be better for later stages - however, a Mexican hairless and a Chow are also very easy to spot!

Problem Areas?

Yes, I know a German Shepherd can be white, black, black and tan, sable, long-haired or normal-haired - but you leave these till you need them - rule out the Maltese, Patterdales, Rottweilers, Collies and Shelties first before proceeding to the more variable breeds.

Try out different ways on scrap paper first as there will be more than one way to get to the same answer - and certain breeds may be at the end of several threads depending on your style of filtering.

Here’s a simple one to give you the jist.  Lets take a Rottweiler, GSD, Maltese and a Sheltie.  Now more than one could be black and tan; more than one could be white and more than one could be long-haired - so how do you filter them out?

Well, here are 2 ways:

1) Has it got very short hair - Yes - Rottweiler (leaving GSD, Maltese and Sheltie)
No: Could you pick it up easily? - No - GSD (leaving Maltese and Sheltie)
Yes: Is it White? - Yes - Maltese - No: it’s a Sheltie

2) Is it really fluffy? - Yes - Maltese
No: Could you pick it up easily? Yes - Sheltie
No: Has it got long hair? - Yes - GSD
No: Rottie

I know that this is only a small group and assumes that all the dogs are present - but it gives you an idea of how to avoid lengthy questions or variable breed descriptions.

These keys can also be used for the very basic teaching or breeds even - like how to tell the difference between all the common pet rodents, pet reptiles or caged birds etc.

It doesn’t have to stop at German Shepherds!  

posted by admin on Apr 27

Would you know what to do if an animal in your care collapsed?  Or a member of staff was seriously injured?

We all hope that these things will never happen to us - but they may well do and it is best to be prepared.  If you run a business that leaves animals in your care and you employ staff, work with volunteers or come into contact with the public - you should really get yourself trained up in case of emergencies.

And it isn’t just for work that you should get qualified either - it is for your own friends, family and pets.  Imagine being able to save a life in exchange for 1 day a year taking a First Aid course.

Animals First:
If you are a dog walker, groomer, sitter, owner or work in an animal shelter - you should really know the basics for animal health and safety.  Yes - the trained or experienced staff aren’t that far away and can come to the rescue - but sometimes it is the first few minutes that are the most important - so need you to act fast.

Sometimes - seeing that something is going to happen in advance is even better!  But you can only do this if you know what you are looking out for.

So, find a local course with a veterinary or animal care college and sign up!  You won’t ever regret going on a course - only not going!  And imagine the way you will feel if an animal dies in your care - then the course fee won’t seem that much in exchange for an animals life.

People Too:
It isn’t just your animal customers that might benefit from your help - while out walking or driving or when visiting a clients home - you could find a human in need of emergency assistance.

If you have taken an Emergency First Aid course you will know how to assess the situation in an instant and make sure that that person gets the best first aid that you can offer - and the basic checks only take about 15 seconds.

Such a short amount of your time could actually have saved their life.

Don’t Be A Stranger:
Why do you have to take this for work anyway - you might not even meet any humans in your day to day working hours?  Well, think of your family and friends.  People you know can have accidents too you know - so take the course for them if anything.

You can never know too much about emergency first aid!

posted by admin on Mar 1

If you want to give your rabbit or guinea pig (or other small animal) a natural treat - head outside!

There are plenty of foods that may well be growing in nearby woodland or large wooded parks that will make a tasty treat to your little fluffy pets! Alongside their normal complete foods - there is no harm in offering a small amount of certain plants that may well already be growing close to your home or out on a walk - and if anything, they will actually do some good!

Don’t worry if you don’t have access to nearby woodland or glades etc, as you could easily grow many from seed yourself either in your garden or in pots. Also have a read through the other relevant Quick Guides to find wild plants and fallen nuts to find other safe natural foods for your rodents and rabbits!

However, also check the Dangerous Plants Quick Guide for things to avoid - and if in doubt about whether you should feed a certain plant, seed, berry or nut you have found - say NO and pick something else instead. There will be plenty of nice things to pick out there so don’t risk it!

Tasty Woodland Plants & Nuts:
Most bunnies and piggies get the freedom of munching on just grasses and lawns through the summer, so won’t get to taste a lot of these treats along the way.  However, there are many plants and trees that often don’t grow in gardens (or aren’t allowed to grow) so they are more likely to be found out on a coutryside walk or close to farmed land.

It is definately worth seeking these out for a bit of a change - and to leave plants and trees in your garden to attract and feed other mammals, insects and birds!

Fruit Trees - These common trees are totally safe for rodents and rabbits to nibble on and can be great for keeping those teeth in trim!  As long as they aren’t ornamental fruit trees or have been treated with unknown chemicals - you can throw a few twigs in with your pet and wash them gnaw away on the bark to get to the tasty insides!

Willow - This may also be found in gardens and often along river banks and is another safe treat for your pets.  They don’t need much of the branch to enjoy the taste - and of course you don’t want to damage the tree! 

Hawthorn Berries - Bright red berries start to form on these spiny bushes around late summer taking the place of the pretty may flowers!  Mind yourself when picking there as the plant tried to protect it’s berries with sharp spikes that can catch finger if you aren’t careful!  Don’t pick too many at a time as your pet may eat more than it should - and they are an important berry for many migrating or winter birds.

Acorns - Squirrels love them so why not offer your rodents a few?  They are tasty and nutritious nuts and fall from the tree when ripe to save you from picking them yourself.  Similarly in spring, you can also pick off a few new oak leaves for your rabbit - but only the really new leaves and only a few!

Hazel - We all know that hazel nuts are tasty - so why not give your gerbil or rat a few from the woods?  They can use their sharp teeth to gnaw their way in - and get a high protein tasty snack as a reward!  They can also chew on the branches of this tree as well - and as the hazel is usually coppiced, you may be able to find some small twigs left over after the landowners have harvested for themselves!

Beech Nuts - As with the Hazel, both the nuts and the tree itself can be eaten safely by your pets - however both the brances and the nuts are harder to come by!  Most beeches are mature and you can’t easily snap off a twig - and the nuts only fall at random times - and most years there won’t be a single nut on the tree! 

But remember - don’t give too much fresh food at a time. Too much will not only upset their tummy, but it will also stop them eating their complete foods with all the vitamins and minerals in!

They only have a small tummy too, so what ever they don’t eat that same day will die overnight and will be wasted - and that could have been eaten or used by wild animals instead - or picked by you at a later date.

posted by admin on Feb 22

If you want to give your rabbit or guinea pig (or other small animal) a natural treat - head outside!

There are plenty of foods that may well be growing in nearby grasslands or large parks that will make a tasty treat to your little fluffy pets! Alongside their normal complete foods - there is no harm in offering a small amount of certain plants that may well already be growing close to your home or out on a walk - and if anything, they will actually do some good!

Don’t worry if you don’t have access to open fields etc, as you could easily grow many from seed yourself either in your garden or in pots. Also have a read through the other relevant Quick Guides to find wild plants and fallen nuts to find other safe natural foods for your rodents and rabbits!

However, also check the Dangerous Plants Quick Guide for things to avoid - and if in doubt about whether you should feed a certain plant, seed, berry or nut you have found - say NO and pick something else instead. There will be plenty of nice things to pick out there so don’t risk it!

Tasty Grassland Plants:
Most bunnies and piggies get the freedom of munching grasses and lawns through the summer, so will get a lot of these treats along the way, but there are many plants that don’t often grow in gardens, they are more likely to be found in larger grassland areas or close to farmed land or woods. 

So, it is worth seeking these out for a bit of a change - and to leave plants in your garden to attract and feed other mammals, insects and birds!

Cow Parsley - This ridiculously messy plant is often found around field edges or all throughout longer grasses.  With its wide spanning but thin stems all tangled together and its profusion of white flowers from April - you will only need to pick 1 plant to keep your rabbit happy all afternoon - and just a few flowers for smaller pets!

Thistle - This might not look too appealing to you with all the spiky bits - but they are very tasty for vegetarians!  So just pick a few stems or flower heads in the summer - as they will be tricky to carry home in your pockets!  Also, these plants can be covered in a wispy material - which is likely to be bugs - so make sure you don’t pick those ones!

Colt’s Foot - These low yellow flowers are very popular for grazing on and can be found in short grass around February to April only.   However, there are a lot of taller yellow-flowered plants that will not be good for your pets - and may well be members of the Ragwort plant family and must be avoided!

Vetch - These delicate little plants are easy to spot in the grasses - although they can look like other such flowers.  They will be either purple, yellow or pink and usually have lots of their flowers all on the same stems and they also have a very distinctive style of leaves. 

Yarrow - These tall plants have a single stem with florets of white flowers on top - usually 4-6 florets per stem.  Their leaves are similar to fine ferns and remain tightly curled until they are mature.  They have similar flowers to the cow parsley above, but the stem is not branched at all and is only half the height a well. 

Hogweed - These plant are similar again to the cow parsley but on a ginormous scale!  These giant plants can grow to 2 metres tall and have over 40 florets of tiny white flowers on top.  They are usually in groups of about 6 seperate stems (plants) and of course you won’t need a whole one!  Just snap off a tasty flower top as you pass in the summer!

But remember - don’t give too much fresh food at a time. Too much will not only upset their tummy, but it will also stop them eating their complete foods with all the vitamins and minerals in!

They only have a small tummy too, so what ever they don’t eat that same day will die overnight and will be wasted - and that could have been eaten or used by wild animals instead - or picked by you at a later date.

posted by admin on Feb 15

If you want to give your rabbit or guinea pig (or other small animal) a natural treat - head outside!

There are plenty of foods that may well be growing on your garden that will make a tasty treat to your little fluffy pets!  Alongside their normal complete foods - there is no harm in offering a small amount of certain plants that may well already be growing in your back garden - and if anything, they will actually do some good!

Don’t worry if your garden isn’t overflowing with the following plants, as you could easily grow them from seed yourself.  Or read through the other relevant Quick Guides to find wild plants and fallen nuts to find other safe natural foods for your rodents and rabbits! 

However, also check the Dangerous Plants Quick Guide for things to avoid - and if in doubt about whether you should feed a certain plant, seed, berry or nut you have found - say NO and pick something else instead.  There will be plenty of nice things to pick out there so don’t risk it!

Tasty Garden Plants:
Most bunnies and piggies get the freedom of munching grasses and lawns through the summer, so will get a lot of these treats along the way, but there may be some that are on uneven ground or around the garden edges that they would love - but can’t reach!

Clovers - Commonly found on most lawns mixed in with the low grasses.  In May to October you can spot their flowers - usually white, pinky or all pink with 3-part leaves across patches of lawn.  The flower and leaves are super tasty!

Daisys - Easy to spot in the garden and flowering from May through the summer.  Common daisys are quite small and low to the ground, but the Oxeye daisy is huge and can grow up to 60cm tall on garden edges and in taller grasses.  Other daisy-looking plants (yellow centre with white leaves) may well be camomiles and are also very welcome!

Dandilion - Everyone’s favourite garden plant as they make the familiar ‘clocks’ when they disperse their seeds!  Many meticulate gardeners call this juicy flower a ‘weed’ but your rabbits and pigs - as well as hamsters and gerbils - will wolf this down given half the chance!  Both the leaves and flowers are edible - but don’t pick these from along the pavement as they may be contaminated.  Stick to those flowering in your garden over the warmer months!

Plantain - These low leaves are around all year in quite a thick group and can be picked all year too - however the tall flowers only pop up in the summer when you can notice them towering above the grass with a heavy head on top.  People usually pick them to tie in a knot and fire the ‘head’ off at a friend!  But feeding them to bunny is better use of nature!

Nettles - Obviously a tricky customer, and not found in very tidy gardens - these plants will not sting you when they are young and can be picked without gloves, but better to be safe than sore!  Your pets won’t feel the effects as much as we do - but other animals depend on flowering nettle plants (as with all other flowers) so don’t clear your garden in 1 sitting - just take a few springs at a time to allow the plant to recover!

Chickweed - These lovely white flowers spring up all over the bare patches in your flower beds and there will be plenty of them too!  However, there are a lot of similar plants, like stitchworts that won’t be as tasty - so make sure you pick the right ones.  Their leaves are large too and can fill a little pigs tummy nicely!

But remember - don’t give too much fresh food at a time.  Too much will not only upset their tummy, but it will also stop them eating their complete foods with all the vitamins and minerals in!

They only have a small tummy too, so what ever they don’t eat that same day will die overnight and will be wasted - and that could have been eaten or used by wild animals instead - or picked by you at a later date.

posted by admin on Feb 8

We all know that rabbits love dandilion leaves - but what about other plants?

There are many plants that your pet rabbit or guinea pig would just love you to bring home from a walk in the countryside - or for you to grow in the garden where their run is - but do you know which plants are actually toxic to your pet?

Yes, they grow in the wild and wild rabbits don’t get sick all the time - but they have had certain knowledge or experiences passed down to them through their parents. 

Your pet has no idea what is safe to eat - and they will give anything a try.

How you know this is true is the fact that a rabbit or guinea pig left to run free in your home would no doubt chew through your electricity cables - a very dangerous thing to do!  But they just don’t know the danger.

You have to do the thinking for them to make sure that they are safe - I mean even the common buttercup can upset their tiny tummies!

So before you let them loose on your lawn or givet hem a handful of plants as a treat - take a look at the following list of toxic plants:

Wild Plants:
Here are some wild growing plants that you may find in woodlands, footpaths and open coutryside.

Ivy: Very common throughout the year - but very toxic to nearly every living creature.
Holly: This winter fruiting evergreen will upset anyone’s tummy - unless you are a bird!
Ragwort: This plant is even an irritant if you hand pick it - so no eating…..
Yew: And most evergreen trees - highly toxic and can cause death in large doses!

Wild Flowers:
They might look pretty in the woods - but can cause you to itch or your pets to get sick.  Leave these plants where you find them!

Bluebells: Cover the woodland floor in Spring - but look and don’t touch!
Foxglove: Grow tall in the grasses - but can damage your pet’s heart muscles.
Poppies: Can cause many problems in a small pet - so leave in the fields please.
Daffodils: The flowers, leaves, or bulbs can kill a human in just hours……..

Garden Flowers:
You may be growing these in your own garden - so make sure you use a run for your pets or fence off the flower beds instead…..

Tulips:  A definate no-no for tiny tummies - and they look better in a vase anyway!
Rhodedendron:  Always a problem for pets - and will cause stomach problems too.
Lobelia: Highly toxic to small mammals and can cause your pet to salivate.
Dahlias: These pretty flowers could give you a trip to the vets if you aren’t careful!

Other Considerations:
It is also worth thinking about where you pick your plants from in the first place - as you have to think ahead.

For example, dandilion leaves picked from along the pavement would almost certainly be covered in layers of dog urine from all the dog walkers using the same route - and all the dogs scent-marking the same spot.

Leaves picked from the side of a busy road or car park could well have been exposed to all the exhaust fumes from passing traffic as well as the potential for having been sprayed with weedkiller by the council or car park owners.

Neither of which would do your bunny any good!

So, either stick to plants, treats and nibbles from a reputble pet store - or do a bit of forward thinking before you start feeding your pet unknown plants as treats.

It won’t be very much of a treat if it makes your pet poorly! 

posted by admin on Dec 31

Have you ever needed a vets appointment at a certain time - and there isn’t one!

It’s probably because there are some people in the world who think that if they don’t turn up to an appointment - it doesn’t matter; they won’t get charged for it.

Well, of course it matters!

Even though your kind vets have not set a charge for missed appointments - it doesn’t mean that they are free by any means.

Your Vet:
Not surprisingly - your vet still gets paid whether you attend your appointment or not - as do the receptionists and the many other nurses and staff at the practice.

You just don’t directly get to pay for that time you just wasted.  It comes off in little pieces all around the surgery - including the service you can be offered, the equipment you can use and of course the cost of medication and treatments in general.

The money you would pay for your appointment is only a small part of the surgery as a whole and if you don’t turn up without having called in advance - you set off a chain of events.

However, don’t just think that your actions have caused this alone - but you can guarantee that around 30 people a month don’t cancel their booked appointments - and this all adds up.

Start The Ball Rolling:
I am going to use arbitrary figures here that add up simply and they do not in anyway represent true costs and figures.

So your appointment may have cost £20, and with your vaccination or treatment for £20 on top of that.  However, if you don’t turn up - they can’t fill that appointment at the last minute - so they lose that £40.  And let’s say that those 30 people all do the same as you leaving the vets £1200 a month - that’s £14,400 a year - basically a whole member of staff.

So now imagine your vets needs to either get rid of a receptionist or trainee nurse to cover that loss.  This means that they may well take longer to answer your original phone call as there are less people on the desk, or they may have to reduce the number of operations they can do a week as they have less nurses to care for the animals afterwards.

Alternatively, they could try to get that money back by charging more for their appointments and treatments so that they can keep a full team. 

Neither of which would make them the vet of choice - yet you may have left them no choice.

The Results:
It might cost you 10 pence and 2 minutes of your time to ring ahead and warn them that you can’t attend - and so they could fill that ‘empty’ appointment and keep their money coming in, but without that call - you could be costing them a lot more.

I know it all sounds a bit of a huge fuss to just you as an individual - but it is never just you - it is always multiplied up to a grander scale.

And, think of those sick pets and owners who have difficulty getting their animals to the vets - the appointment you are not going to turn up to could have been perfect for them - but now they are going to have to wait until next week to see a vet when they needn’t have to.

Even calling to tell your vets on the morning of your appointment that you can’t make it could create an opportunity for another person to fill that gap and keep everything running smoothly.

If too many people just don’t bother - then maybe your vets won’t be so cheap, friendly, or as customer-focused when you next call for an appointment!

posted by admin on Oct 26

Should You Buy Products Online - Or Through Your Vets?

You mights be saving some money by buying your wormers and flea products online - but could a visit to your vet spot a health problem in your pet that you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise?

Sometimes doing something from home saves you a lot of time - as long as you don’t have to be in for the postman - but does it really save you anything in the long run?

Your Vet:
We all know that a trip to the vets can cost a fair bit of money - but they do more for you than you might think.

When you pet has it’s annual check up or a booster, the vet will also be looking for signs of other illness or aging that you might think is just ‘normal’ as you only have that 1 dog and you see it every day, so can’t always spot changes.

It is possible that you vet could spot something that needs a closer look, or can identify some problems that can be easily rectified to make you pet healthy again.

If you have pet insurance anyway - then a trip to the vets shouldn’t be a worry!  Yes, you have to pay the first so much for the consult - but any problems they find will no could be claimed on your policy - so shouldn’t be a worry - and means that you can make sure your pet gets the best treatment without worrying about the cost!

And this means that you can spot things early and get them treated, rather than catching them when it’s too late and having to try much more aggressive or expensive treatments at the last minute!

Why They Cost More:
And don’t forget that the vets have overheads!  I mean - how will they see you for a vaccination appointment if they don’t have a surgery building? 

How will they treat your pet in an emergency if they haven’t got staff on site overnight or the latest equipment?

Just in the same way you need to pay a bit more in a local store than supermarket prices to keep your local store open - you really need to buy your pet products from your vets if you want to keep that open too?

It’s almost like a membership fee.  You pay that little bit more for basics to make sure that your vets has enough money in the kitty to keep trading.

And just in the same way that only the strong survive on the high street - only the vets that make enough money will be able to stay open and treating your pets.

So, if you value your vet surgery and want it to stay just around the corner and taking care of your pets every needs - then isn’t it worth that little bit extra on a packet of Drontal or Frontline?  They need you and you need them!

I mean what good is a local pharmacy or a giant Tesco going to do for you when your dog becomes ill or needs an x-ray?

posted by admin on Sep 21

There are actually 5 different types of hamster available as pets, although they are called all sorts of things!

You can divide these 5 types into 2 main groups: 1) Syrian Hamsters and 2) Dwarf Hamsters although there are as many differences between most of the smaller varieties as there are between them and the Syrians!

So, here is a quick heads-up on the different types available and their main traits as a pet - and if you want more detailed information, please look at the indepth articles using the Categories list.

Syrian Hamsters:
Sometimes called Golden Hamsters, Siberian or Teddy Bear Hamsters - these large hamsters come in a variety of colours and hair types ranging from a smooth-haired white to a long-haired black and everything inbetween!

They can have red or brown/black eyes with each colour and hair length as well, making them very interesting pets to choose from in the store.

Generally, they are large enough to hold in your one hand circling their body: head poking out 1 side and bum hanging out the other, although might be smaller and more wrigley as youngsters.

These hamsters only ever live alone as adults (which is from about 12 weeks old) and should only be kept together in the pet store as single sex groups from about 6 weeks - otherwise your single lady hamster could become about 6 overnight!

Syrian hamsters can be kept in any rodent cage, glass tank or plastic tube-connected maze (!) however, they can chew through plastic - so make sure the joins, edges and openings are hamster-proof!

Russian Hamster (Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster):
These are the most popular of the smaller hamsters and come in a variety of colours based on differing amounts of grey, agouti, cinniman and white, can have normal, satin, rex or wavy coats and can have either red, ruby or black eyes.  So there is quite some variety.

However, as with all the ‘dwarf’ hamsters, they are not the best pets for young children to handle as they are fast, jumpy and are very shy by nature.

The Campbells are more compact than Syrians, and need to be held in a cupped hand as they have a tendency to leap in the air when picked up (unless very well handled when young). 

They can live together in same sex pairs, or maybe larger groups in a big enough cage, but are prone to some serious squabbling as adults.  If severe or continued fighting occurs they may need to be permanently separated.

Due to their tiny size, they need to be housed in a cage with especially close together bars - and an extra bar over the opening clip area - otherwise they are likely to escape without much effort!  Ideally you should house them in a glass or plastic tank - as they can’t always climb up the tubes in the regular hamster cages!

Russian Hamsters (Winter Whites):
These hamsters are almost identical in appearance and size as the Campbells Hamsters, but are infact a separate species.  The Winter Whites change colour in nature - just as do Arctic Hares and Foxes!  They are the agouti colouring in spring and summer and can moult completely white in winter to match the snow in their homeland.  It doesn’t always happen in warmer climates with artificial lights and temperatures - which unfortunately allows pet stores to mis-sell them!

In fact they are so often confused by pet stores and casual owners that they don’t even think they are different - and so you will find them labelled as simply ‘Russian Hamsters’ or ‘Dwarf Hamsters’ rather than 1 or the other type. 

Of course, this isn’t so important if you just want them as pets as they will live together whatever they are - but if you are breeding them then it gets more serious.  By getting the breeds confused, you could end up with hybrid individuals and potentially pass on dangerous gene combinations between the species, causing mutations and long term illnesses. 

Chinese Hamsters:
These small hamsters are easier to handle than the Russians as they have a tendency to cling to hands when picked up regularly and are quite ‘mouse-like’.  They are also very similar in shape to the Syrians (only much much smaller) whereas the Russians are more stocky with no clear neck and waist!

These come only in the grey or agouti and white with black eyes and the ‘wild’ dorsal stripe down their backs.  At the moment they haven’t been as popular as the Syrian or Russian Hamsters, and so have not been as well bred for colour varieties.

As with Russians, they can live together when adults in single sex pairs or small groups as long as the cage and food supplies are well catered for.  And they also need the special cage requirements too:  if you use a cage where you can put your fingers through the bars - you may not have a hamster in the cage the following morning!

Roborovski Hamsters:
These tiny little hamsters have got to be the smallest of the 4 types - and look so cute!

As with the Chinese, they come in different varieties of the same colours: grey, agouti and white, so you could have a very dark individual and also an almost completely white individual - always with dark eyes.

These animals are best suited to a tank environment as they are so tiny that escape from cage bars is almost certain - and they can’t climb up tubes or ladders as their legs are just too short!  They love burrowing and running fast from place to place, so a lower 1 level cage is the best option for them.