Spotting a sick small pet, the emergencies to act on fast, and why they need an exotic vet.
7 questions, answered honestly and judgment-free.
You can’t diagnose from afar, but you can triage. Small pets are prey animals that hide illness, so watch for the early signs: not eating, weight loss, a hunched posture, a dull or fluffed-up coat, laboured or noisy breathing, discharge from eyes or nose, or any sudden change in behaviour. Any of these means see an exotic vet promptly — daily monitoring of appetite and droppings is your best early warning.
Treat it as an emergency. In rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and degus, a gut that stops moving (GI stasis) can become fatal within hours. No droppings for more than about 12 hours, or a refusal to eat, means see a vet the same day — don’t wait and see. Keeping unlimited hay available is the main way to prevent it.
Yes — an “exotic” or small-animal vet experienced with rabbits, rodents, ferrets, hedgehogs and gliders, because their care and medicine differ from cats and dogs. Crucially, several common antibiotics are fatal to rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters, so never medicate without one. Find an exotic vet (and an emergency option) before you need one.
Some do. Rabbits need routine vaccination against RHDV (and, in many regions, myxomatosis) — often life-saving. Ferrets are vaccinated annually against rabies and canine distemper. Most rodents, hedgehogs and sugar gliders have no routine vaccines, so prevention relies on good husbandry and early vet care instead.
The big ones by species: dental disease and GI stasis in grazers (rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, degus); respiratory infection (Mycoplasma) and tumours in rats and mice; wet tail in hamsters; insulinoma and adrenal disease in ferrets; Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome in hedgehogs; metabolic bone disease in sugar gliders; and diabetes in degus. Most are caught earlier the more closely you watch daily habits.
These species rely on a delicate population of gut bacteria to digest food. Certain antibiotics (given by mouth) wipe out the good bacteria and let harmful ones take over, causing fatal diarrhoea. That’s why you must never give a small pet any medication — even a “safe” pet antibiotic — without an exotic vet’s guidance.
Yes, and for some it’s deadly. Chinchillas (built for cold mountains) overheat easily and need to be kept below about 18–20°C; guinea pigs risk heatstroke above 26°C; rabbits and degus are also heat-sensitive. Signs include panting, lying flat and stretched out, and dullness — suspected heatstroke is an emergency. Keep at-risk pets cool, shaded and never in a hot room or car.
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Short answers from the Hayfold team — kind, general guidance, not a diagnosis. When something looks wrong, watch your pet closely and see an exotic/small-animal vet for anything serious.
