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Back To Small Pet
How to care for small pets in winter

How to care for small pets in winter

With their small body size and increased metabolic rates, small pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs are vulnerable to the cold and damp, despite their furry coats.

 

Follow the steps below to keep your small animals warm and healthy this winter.

Small pets who are kept outdoors rely on their human carers to make sure they don’t suffer because of the changing of the seasons. Guinea pigs can really struggle with the cold weather, anything below 15°C is too cold for them, and they should be brought inside your home. Rabbits can cope relatively well with colder temperatures, as long as their housing stays warm and comfortable and protects them from the elements. In the wild, they’d be snuggled away in an underground burrow, protected from the worst of the weather.

To prepare for the colder months ahead, follow these steps below to keep your small pets happy and healthy:

Protection from the elements

Keep them sheltered from the cold

As the weather is starting to cool down, keeping our small furry friends protected from the cold, wet weather is really important. During the winter months, move your pet’s enclosure to a more secure area, sheltered from the cold.

We recommend bringing your small pets indoors during the winter, especially guinea pigs if the temperature drops below 15°C. A temperature of between 10-20°C is ideal for domestic rabbits, so they can still happily live outdoors within this temperature range, as long as they are provided with adequate bedding and shelter.

Alternatively, consider placing your small pets’ enclosure in the garage at night and providing them with a heat pad inside or underneath their home. Just be sure that the garage is not being used for a car, as those exhaust fumes are very dangerous to small pets.

Garden sheds can be the perfect winter home for small pets because they can be well insulated, so your furry friends are nice and dry inside and have lots of room to move around. Exercise runs can still be attached to a shed and covered by a tarpaulin.

If they must be kept outside over the winter, make sure they are warm and dry, as cold wet weather can make our small pets very ill. Ensure their enclosure is protected from the wind, rain and elements and is elevated off the ground so water cannot seep in. Cover their housing with a thick blanket (vintage wool ones are good for this), and a tarp to block out rain and drafts is a great option but ensure there’s adequate ventilation.

 

Comfortable and warm bedding

Provide extra bedding

Rabbits and guinea pigs need extra bedding in winter, so filling their sleeping quarters with straw or hay is a great way to help insulate their home. You can even line the walls of their sleeping area with bargains box wool, carpet or padding to provide extra insulation. Remember, rabbits and guinea pigs are constant chewers, so everything in their environment, including floors and bedding, needs to be small pet-safe (i.e., non-toxic materials and unlikely to break into small pieces that could cause a perforation or obstruction).

Choose absorbent bedding material that wicks away moisture. Browse our range of small animal bedding to keep your small animals warm and insulated this winter.

Cleaning

Keeping their enclosure is clean and free from urine and faeces is vital, as heavily soaked bedding can lead to illness in small pets. Wet bedding can also lead to sores developing on their feet, so remember to check this daily.

 

Companionship

Guinea pigs and rabbits are very social creatures and need same-species companionship. Companions can snuggle each other to help stay warm too - but don’t rely on the idea that a cuddle-buddy alone to keep your small pets warm!

Winter exercise & enrichment

Small animals will usually exercise themselves at their own rate, however exercise outside their pen is important for guinea pigs and rabbits. While it can be more difficult with the shorter, cooler days in winter, ensure you make the time to exercise your small animals in your backyard or indoors to keep them happy and healthy.

Like all pets, rabbits and guinea pigs benefit from toys, mental stimulation and enrichment activities. Providing foraging opportunities in their enclosure, as well as boxes and pipes for chasing and hiding can offer hours of entertainment! Hanging baskets (the type sold in garden centres) make great hay racks that your bunnies will stretch and reach to get at. Make sure you keep their natural curiosity satisfied throughout the winter with a variety of small animal toys!

 

Diet

Small pets will usually have a larger appetite in winter months, as they naturally think food will become scarce. Especially if they’re outdoors, feeding your guinea pigs and rabbits more calories during the winter can help them to maintain their body heat and stay warm. Provide your pets with a little extra food in their bowl during the colder months but be careful not to overfeed them as being overweight will lead to other health complications.

80% of rabbit and guinea pig diet should consist of a high-quality dust free hay. Make sure you provide a premium pellet food daily, to help make sure they can maintain a good body weight over the winter. Pellet food will ensure they are getting a balanced diet without the risk of selective feeding. Don’t forget, guinea pigs need daily vitamin C which can be provided with fresh vegetables, herbs and guinea pig pellets fortified with vitamin C.  Some good sources of vitamin C include sweet red and yellow pepper, broccoli and parsley. (Keep in mind that peppers contain a lot of sugar and broccoli can be quite gassy, so remember to feed these in limited amounts, along with other leafy greens). Check out our guinea pig and rabbit feeding guides to learn more.

Arthritis

Just like us, small animals can experience arthritis, which makes movement difficult and sore, especially when the temperature drops. Rabbits and guinea pigs are very good at hiding their aches and pains, so it is important to be on the lookout. Getting annual check-ups at your local Animates Vetcare clinic is the best way to make sure your pet’s joints are monitored, so you can pick up arthritis as soon as it develops.

Brushing

Don’t forget to regularly brush your small animal throughout winter, particularly long-haired small pets like Angora bunnies or Peruvian guinea pigs. Using a good quality brush to remove unwanted fur is important in those that are prone to matting or knots in order to keep them clean and healthy.

 

We are here for you.
If you have any questions about how to keep your small pets happy and healthy during the winter, pop into your local Animates store and ask our friendly store staff for pet care advice & tips.

Small pets who are kept outdoors rely on their human carers to make sure they don’t suffer because of the changing of the seasons. Guinea pigs can really struggle with the cold weather, anything below 15°C is too cold for them, and they should be brought inside your home. Rabbits can cope relatively well with colder temperatures, as long as their housing stays warm and comfortable and protects them from the elements. In the wild, they’d be snuggled away in an underground burrow, protected from the worst of the weather.

To prepare for the colder months ahead, follow these steps below to keep your small pets happy and healthy:

 

Protection from the elements

As the weather is starting to cool down, keeping our small furry friends protected from the cold, wet weather is really important. During the winter months, move your pet’s enclosure to a more secure area, sheltered from the cold.

We recommend bringing your small pets indoors during the winter, especially guinea pigs if the temperature drops below 15°C. A temperature of between 10-20°C is ideal for domestic rabbits, so they can still happily live outdoors within this temperature range, as long as they are provided with adequate bedding and shelter.

Alternatively, consider placing your small pets’ enclosure in the garage at night and providing them with a heat pad inside or underneath their home. Just be sure that the garage is not being used for a car, as those exhaust fumes are very dangerous to small pets.

Garden sheds can be the perfect winter home for small pets because they can be well insulated, so your furry friends are nice and dry inside and have lots of room to move around. Exercise runs can still be attached to a shed and covered by a tarpaulin.

If they must be kept outside over the winter, make sure they are warm and dry, as cold wet weather can make our small pets very ill. Ensure their enclosure is protected from the wind, rain and elements and is elevated off the ground so water cannot seep in. Cover their housing with a thick blanket (vintage wool ones are good for this), and a tarp to block out rain and drafts is a great option but ensure there’s adequate ventilation.

 

Rabbits and guinea pigs need extra bedding in winter, so filling their sleeping quarters with straw or hay is a great way to help insulate their home. You can even line the walls of their sleepingarea with bargains box wool, carpet or padding to provide extra insulation. Remember, rabbits and guinea pigs are constant chewers, so everything in their environment, including floors and bedding, needs to be small pet-safe (i.e., non-toxic materials and unlikely to break into small pieces that could cause a perforation or obstruction).

Choose absorbent bedding material that wicks away moisture. Browse our range of small animal bedding to keep your small animals warm and insulated this winter.

Cleaning

Keeping their enclosure is clean and free from urine and faeces is vital, as heavily soaked bedding can lead to illness in small pets. Wet bedding can also lead to sores developing on their feet, so remember to check this daily.

Guinea pigs and rabbits are very social creatures and need same-species companionship. Companions can snuggle each other to help stay warm too - but don’t rely on the idea that a cuddle-buddy alone to keep your small pets warm!

 

Winter exercise & enrichment

Small animals will usually exercise themselves at their own rate, however exercise outside their pen is important for guinea pigs and rabbits. While it can be more difficult with the shorter, cooler days in winter, ensure you make the time to exercise your small animals in your backyard or indoors to keep them happy and healthy.

Like all pets, rabbits and guinea pigs benefit from toys, mental stimulation and enrichment activities. Providing foraging opportunities in their enclosure, as well as boxes and pipes for chasing and hiding can offer hours of entertainment! Hanging baskets (the type sold in garden centres) make great hay racks that your bunnies will stretch and reach to get at. Make sure you keep their natural curiosity satisfied throughout the winter with a variety of small animal toys!

Small pets will usually have a larger appetite in winter months, as they naturally think food will become scarce. Especially if they’re outdoors, feeding your guinea pigs and rabbits more calories during the winter can help them to maintain their body heat and stay warm. Provide your pets with a little extra food in their bowl during the colder months but be careful not to overfeed them as being overweight will lead to other health complications.

80% of rabbit and guinea pig diet should consist of a high-quality dust free hay. Make sure you provide a premium pellet food daily, to help make sure they can maintain a good body weight over the winter. Pellet food will ensure they are getting a balanced diet without the risk of selective feeding. Don’t forget, guinea pigs need daily vitamin C which can be provided with fresh vegetables, herbs and guinea pig pellets fortified with vitamin C.  Some good sources of vitamin C include sweet red and yellow pepper, broccoli and parsley. (Keep in mind that peppers contain a lot of sugar and broccoli can be quite gassy, so remember to feed these in limited amounts, along with other leafy greens). Check out our guinea pig and rabbit feeding guides to learn more.

 

Arthritis

Just like us, small animals can experience arthritis, which makes movement difficult and sore, especially when the temperature drops. Rabbits and guinea pigs are very good at hiding their aches and pains, so it is important to be on the lookout. Getting annual check-ups at your local Animates Vetcare clinic is the best way to make sure your pet’s joints are monitored, so you can pick up arthritis as soon as it develops.

 

Brushing

Don’t forget to regularly brush your small animal throughout winter, particularly long-haired small pets like Angora bunnies or Peruvian guinea pigs. Using a good quality brush to remove unwanted fur is important in those that are prone to matting or knots in order to keep them clean and healthy.

 

We are here for you.

If you have any questions about how to keep your small pets happy and healthy during the winter, pop into your local Animates store and ask our friendly store staff for pet care advice & tips.
 

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