Other Animals

These species have very different needs from one another, so check the advice for the exact species you keep.

• Rats and mice are highly social and should normally live in same-sex groups or pairs. Rats are intelligent and need daily interaction and space to climb.
• Syrian hamsters must live alone. Housing them together causes serious fighting and injuries. Dwarf hamsters need careful, species-specific advice.
• Gerbils are social, live in pairs or small groups, and need deep substrate to tunnel in rather than plastic tubes alone.
• Hamsters and gerbils are active at night; do not wake them repeatedly during the day.
• Provide a solid-based, suitably sized wheel for hamsters, and no ball toys.
• Check teeth, nails, breathing and weight regularly, and look for lumps in older rats.
• Clean regularly, but keep some familiar bedding so the animal is not distressed.

• Ferrets are playful, curious and strong. They need hours of supervised exercise daily.
• They are social and usually happiest kept in pairs or groups.
• They need a large, secure enclosure with sleeping tunnels, hammocks and litter areas.
• They are obligate meat eaters and need a suitable high-protein, high-fat diet.
• They escape easily and can squeeze through very small gaps — check housing carefully.
• They can suffer badly in heat, so shade and ventilation are essential.
• Ask your vet about vaccination against canine distemper, neutering or hormonal implants, and preventing common conditions in older ferrets.
• Ferrets can bite; supervise children closely and never leave them unsupervised together.
• If you use ferrets for working, follow the law on land access, and never leave a ferret underground or unaccounted for.

Fish welfare is mostly water quality. Most problems come from tanks that are too small, not properly matured, or poorly filtered.

• Set up and mature the filter before adding fish, and add fish gradually.
• Test the water regularly and keep a note of the results.
• Match the tank size, temperature and water type to the species, not the shop display.
• Do not keep goldfish in bowls or unfiltered containers.
• Do not mix species that will fight, outgrow the tank or need different water.
• Feed sparingly; uneaten food quickly spoils the water.
• Have a plan for power cuts, and never move all the water at once when cleaning.
• Ponds need shade, oxygenation, protection from freezing over completely, and safety measures if children visit.
• Never release fish, plants or aquatic invertebrates into ponds, rivers or the sea. It is harmful to native wildlife and against the law.
• Some vets treat fish, so ask before assuming nothing can be done.

Exotic pets — including amphibians, invertebrates, exotic birds, and small exotic mammals — often have precise environmental needs and few local vets who treat them.

• Research the exact species, its adult size and its full lifespan before taking it on.
• Find a vet with exotic-species experience before you need one urgently.
• Check whether the species needs a licence, and ask your council if you are unsure.
• Keep any paperwork proving the animal was legally bred or imported.
• Check the housing security: escaped exotics can be dangerous and hard to recover.
• Never release an exotic animal into the wild.
• If you are already struggling with an exotic pet, ask a specialist rescue or your vet for advice rather than passing it on privately.

1. Register with a practice that treats small or exotic species before you need one.
2. Telephone first and say clearly what species the animal is.
3. Travel in a small, secure, ventilated carrier with familiar bedding.
4. Keep the animal warm, dark and quiet on the journey.
5. Take a note of the diet, housing and any changes you have noticed.
6. For fish, take a fresh water sample and your recent test results if you have them.

Never give human medicines to any animal.

• Tell the practice before treatment starts and ask for an itemised estimate.
• Ask whether treatment can be staged, and about payment arrangements.
• Check PDSA eligibility, and confirm whether the service covers your species.
• Ask local rescues about low-cost clinics in your area.

• Ask food banks and rescues specifically about small-animal food and bedding.
• Ask about litter, substrate and safe bedding, not only food.
• Change dry food gradually to avoid stomach upsets.
• Fish keepers: prioritise filter media, dechlorinator and heating over decorations.

• Write a care sheet: food, water, cleaning, medication, filter or heater checks, vet details.
• Name a main carer and a backup, and show them the routine in advance.
• Tell hospital staff or a support worker that animals are at home.
• The Cinnamon Trust may be able to help older owners and people who are terminally ill, depending on local volunteers.

• Keep housing and tanks at a height you can safely reach and clean.
• Ask for help with heavy tasks such as water changes and full cleans.
• Write down who will take each animal and its equipment if you cannot continue.
• Keep species, age, routine and veterinary details written down in one place.

• Contact a rescue that takes your species, and ask about waiting lists.
• Keep group-living animals together and be honest about any health problems.
• Send housing and equipment with the animal if you can.
• Avoid free-to-good-home adverts, which attract unsuitable homes.
• Never release any pet animal, plant or fish into the wild.

• Escaped small mammals usually stay in the same room. Close doors, block gaps, and put food and the open cage on the floor overnight.
• Ferrets can travel further; tell neighbours quickly and check sheds and garages.
• If you find a tame small animal outdoors, contain it safely and contact a vet or rescue.
• Report abandoned animals, including animals dumped in boxes or tanks, to the RSPCA, Scottish SPCA or USPCA.

Report animals kept without food, water, space or veterinary care, or in filthy or unsafe conditions. Write down what you saw, when and where. Do not enter private property or confront anyone.

• England and Wales: RSPCA
• Scotland: Scottish SPCA
• Northern Ireland: USPCA and your local council

Short-lived animals are often a child’s first experience of death, and adults grieve them too. Support is free and open to anyone.

• Be honest and gentle with children, and let them mark the loss if they wish.
• Your vet can explain burial and cremation options.
• If several fish or animals died together, check housing, heating and water quality before replacing them, and ask your vet for advice.

• You must meet the animal’s welfare needs: suitable environment, suitable diet, the ability to behave normally, appropriate company or solitude, and protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease. Fish are included.
• Causing unnecessary suffering is a criminal offence throughout the UK.
• Selling or giving pets to children under 16 is restricted.
• Some species require a licence from your local council.
• Releasing non-native animals, fish or plants into the wild is an offence.

• RSPCA – rodents and small pets (opens in a new tab)
• RSPCA – fish welfare (opens in a new tab)
• RSPCA – ferrets and other pets (opens in a new tab)
• PDSA – small pet care (opens in a new tab)
• National Fancy Rat Society (opens in a new tab)
• Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (opens in a new tab)
• Woodgreen Pets Charity (opens in a new tab)
• British Veterinary Zoological Society (opens in a new tab)
• RCVS – find a registered veterinary practice (opens in a new tab)