Hayfolda warm home for small-pet folk · hayfold.comNew-Keeper Checklist
1. Before you get one — research
- Chosen a species that matches my space, time and budget
- Checked its adult size, lifespan and true lifetime cost
- Read the full care guide for my exact species
- Know whether it must live with its own kind (most do)
- Know when it’s awake — many small pets are nocturnal
2. Housing & equipment
- A cage/enclosure far bigger than the pet-shop “starter” size
- The right bedding/substrate for the species (not cedar/pine)
- Hides — at least one per animal, plus a spare
- Water (bottle and/or bowl) and the correct food dishes
- Exercise & enrichment: wheel, chews, dig box or run as needed
- A safe spot: out of draughts, direct sun and extreme heat/cold
3. Set up FIRST
- Cage fully built, stocked and stable before the animal arrives
- Room temperature sits in the safe range for the species
- Enough hides and space so a pair/group won’t fight over resources
- A vet found in advance who treats small mammals / exotics
4. Choosing the animal
- Getting a compatible pair/group where the species needs company
- Animal looks healthy — bright eyes, clean nose & rear, good weight
- Coat clean, breathing quietly, moving normally (no wobble/head-tilt)
- A settling-in and (if adding to a group) introduction plan ready
5. First weeks home
- Let it settle a few days with quiet, low-key handling
- Logging feeding, cleaning, weekly weight and behaviour
- Offering the right diet — hay/greens or protein as the species needs
- Know the red-flag signs and where the exotic vet is before you need it