UK small pets
Small Pet Health
Guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, gerbils and ferrets — diet, housing, dental care and when to see a vet in the UK.
Quick answer
PETHEALTH+ publishes 16 plain-English small pet health guides for UK owners covering diet, housing, dental care and seasonal care. Every guide opens with a direct answer and is reviewed against UK veterinary guidance from the PDSA, RSPCA and BVA — information only, not a substitute for seeing your vet.
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What are emergencies in small pets?
Not eating, difficulty breathing, bloating, bleeding, collapse, or wet tail in hamsters. Small pets deteriorate quickly — contact your vet the same day.
All 16 small pet guides
Small Pet Health
- Ferret Adrenal Disease — UK Vet Guide
- Ferret Care in the UK
- Gerbil Care in the UK
- Guinea Pig Bloat — UK Emergency Guide
- Guinea Pig Care in the UK
- Guinea Pig Heatstroke UK
- Guinea Pig Mites — UK Treatment Guide
- Guinea Pig Vitamin C — UK Scurvy Guide
- Guinea Pig Winter Care UK — Keeping Cavies Warm
- Hamster Care in the UK — Diet, Housing & Health
- Hamster Hibernation & Torpor — UK Guide
- Mouse Care in the UK — Housing, Diet & Health
- Rat Care in the UK — Diet, Housing & Health
- Rat Respiratory Infection — UK Vet Guide
- Wet Tail in Hamsters — UK Vet Advice
- Why Is My Guinea Pig Not Eating UK?
UK reference sources
We check our guides against publicly available advice from these organisations. Links are for further reading — they do not mean these bodies endorse PETHEALTH+.
Worried about your small pet?
Our free symptom checker gives plain-English triage guidance based on UK veterinary rules — it does not replace a vet.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do guinea pigs and hamsters need vet care?
- Yes. Small furries need annual checks and prompt treatment for dental problems, diarrhoea, breathing difficulty, or sudden lethargy. Guinea pigs need vitamin C daily — deficiency causes scurvy.
- Should small pets live alone?
- Guinea pigs are social and should be kept in compatible pairs (same sex or neutered). Syrian hamsters are solitary. Rats benefit from company. Follow RSPCA species-specific guidance.