Hamsters are commonly kept as pets and whilst syrian and chinese hamsters are kept alone, dwarf hamsters are still commonly kept in  same sex pairs or small groups. Even when this goes against findings of the natural history of dwarf hamsters. For instance, Russian dwarf hamsters have been found to not share the same burrow with a member of the same sex. But there has also now been research done by the Royal Veterinary College that supports the need for dwarf hamsters to be housed alone. Of the 248 Dwarf hamster keepers included in the study, 148 (59.6%) were reported as always being hou ..read more

You may have heard the term enrichment when it comes to your pets care, but what does it actually mean and how can we use this to improve the lives of our pet rabbit’s? In the book Canine Enrichment for the Real World enrichment is defined as learning what our animal’s needs are and then structuring an environment for them that allows them, as much as is feasible, to meet those needs. To meet these needs, we need to understand rabbits as a species. In the wild rabbits live in warrens with other rabbits and spend most of their day exploring their environment and grazing on grass. Other behavi ..read more

Around 1.8 million to 10,000 years ago, the European wild rabbit lived all over Europe. However, after the last ice age, which was 20,000 years ago, the European rabbit was left only on the Iberian Peninsula, in some areas of France and in northwest Africa. The species now exists all over the world, except in Asia and Antarctica, humans have mainly been responsible for the later spread of the species . Social groupings In the wild, European rabbits often live in large groups, that consist of a dominant male and multiple females and subordinate males. There are typically multiple subgroups with ..read more

Hormonal behaviours are still present in neutered rabbits as it does not rid them of their main hormone, testosterone for males and oestrogen for females. Not all sex hormones are produced by the ovaries and testes, so even when these are removed, the adrenal gland will continue to produce some sex hormones.   Hormonal behaviours are commonly seen in neutered rabbits, especially during the spring. Social, sexual and aggressive behaviours occur more frequently during the spring because of the hormonal drive, as spring is the peak breeding time for rabbits in the wild, so hormones are m ..read more

We are two Sisters In the Salford area providing a variety of Pet services for Dogs, Cats and Small animals. We have years of experience, we are DBS checked, have completed a Pet First Aid course and are fully insured.           We truly are animal lovers as we are both currently studying Wildlife Conservation and Zoo Biology at University and have animals of our own as well as ones that we foster for our local RSPCA rescue centre. The post Welcome appeared first on Paws Pet Care Salford ..read more

A harness and lead are go-to tools for many to allow their dogs time outside safely. Harnesses can be safely used to provide other species time outside to explore. However, harnesses can be very dangerous for rabbits for a variety of reasons. The first issue is it restricts the normal behaviour of the rabbit. If you own a rabbit, then you know a rabbit can move very fast, very quickly, zooming around and binkying when they feel happy or running and hiding when they are spooked. A harness with a lead attached does not allow a rabbit to do those movements, so it will not allow them to express ..read more

As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to ensure the health and well-being of your rabbit companion. One way of doing this is by considering spaying or neutering your pet rabbit. In this post, I will discuss the importance of getting your pet rabbit neutered. Health benefits: Health benefits for males include removing the risk of cancer developing in their testes and prostate gland and can help to reduce aggression in some cases. For females, spaying significantly reduces the risk of ovarian, uterine and mammary cancers. It also removes the risk of false pregnancies. Preventing unwanted b ..read more

Environmental enrichment is how an animal’s environment can be changed for its benefit. Environmental enrichment can increase opportunities for natural behaviour such as foraging or digging.   There are five main types of enrichment:  ●Social ●Cognitive ●Physical ●Sensory ●Nutritional   Social Mice are social creatures and need the company of other mice. Mice kept on their own can become lonely and stressed, potentially leading to over-grooming or self-mutilation. Frequent contact with humans can also be enriching. Types of groupings: ●Trio/group of female mice ●Neutered m ..read more

Did you know rabbits need vaccinations? Just like dogs, rabbits need vaccinations and yearly boosters to protect them against certain viruses and diseases. Rabbits need vaccinations to protect them from RHDV1, RHDV2, and myxomatosis. All of these are often fatal and can cause intense suffering, as RHDV can cause massive internal bleeding and myxomatosis can cause damage to multiple areas of the body. No effective treatments exist for either of these viruses or diseases, so vaccinations are essential.   RHDV1 and RHDV 2 can be spread through direct contact with an infected individual, as ..read more