Small Mammals

For Services Offered and Prices, Please Navigate to the Services Offered and Fees Page.

Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Rats, Mice, Hamsters, Etc.

For most small mammals, e.g., rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, hamsters, etc., basic care visit service is appropriate. My hybrid visit/sit service may be appropriate in some cases.

I’ve had all of these small mammals as pets at one time or another during my childhood.

I strongly believe that every child should grow up with pets. I believe that it makes them more empathetic, sympathetic, socially functional, respectful, responsible and successful. Every animal lover I’ve ever met has been a quality person, liked by virtually everyone.

I especially like guinea pigs and have owned several. But I have a very special love for rats. Between about the ages of 7-14, I always had rats, usually more than one at a time. Rats are HUGELY underrated and disrespected. They are intelligent, highly adaptable, versatile, tough little survivors. I guarantee you that, after humans have destroyed themselves and much of the world, rats will still be around.

Rats are very affectionate, playful and clever pets. Like any of these mammals, rats can bite. However, a domestic rat, raised with love from a young age, is less likely to bite than any other pet mammal. In all the years I kept rats — scores of them over almost a decade — I was only bitten twice, and those were under unusual circumstances, such as the rat becoming overexcited by a particularly delicious treat during handfeeding. In my opinion, a rat is the perfect first pet for a child. I haven’t had a rat since junior high school, so I’d welcome the chance to do a hybrid visit/sit for yours.

Ferrets

I have extensive experience with ferrets. I talk a little bit about my female albino ferret, Blondie, on the Services Offered and Fees page. She was one of the best pets I ever had. She was a bundle of pure joy wrapped in a fur coat. She brought happiness to me during a difficult time, when it was tough for any persons, art, music, food or medication to help. I got her as a little kit, just weaned from her mother. She became an integral member of my family. I called her, my dog and my cat the three musketeers. They defended me, emotionally, from the sometimes-difficult trials of life. Blondie had only one emotion – euphoria. And it was infectious.

It’s really too bad that the stubborn California Department of Fish and Wildlife can’t bring themselves to acknowledge their misguided policy on ferrets and take action to correct this inappropriate situation. But, hey, we have to move ahead and live our lives in a world that’s not always fair.

Fortunately, the pet industry will sell you all the ferret products you need. There are many excellent veterinarians of good conscience around, who will provide health services for your ferret. And I will provide care services for you. So, for all you ferret owners out there, if you need services while you’re away, please feel free to call on me. I’ll provide good care for your pet and protect your privacy.

In most cases, my hybrid visit/sit service is appropriate for ferrets.

As with cats and dogs, I require that ferrets be appropriately vaccinated. You’ll have to show me the vaccination certificate, but you won’t have to leave a copy with me, as is the case for dogs and cats. Ferrets require vaccinations for rabies and canine distemper.

Exotic Small Mammals

Many of the exotic small mammals that people often keep as pets are prohibited or restricted in California. Usually, there are good reasons for this. Unlike the case with ferrets, which are neither wild nor exotic, and pose no threat of any kind to the state, I agree with and support most of California’s restrictions on these other animals. See my discussion of this issue on the Wild and Exotic Pets page.

I can provide services for some of these small mammals, such as chinchillas. For others, such as gerbils, I cannot.

If you own a small exotic mammal pet and are seeking care services, but are unsure whether or not I can help you, feel free to contact me and I will tell you if I can. The conversation will be confidential.

Wild Small Mammals

Here again, there are some for which I can provide services and some for which I cannot. Typically, in the case of California native wild animals, people do not intentionally set out to have one. It just happens through certain unusual circumstances. For many animals, under such circumstances, I can provide services. Contact me for further information; the conversation will be confidential. And see my discussion on the Wild and Exotic Pets page.