Rodent checklist
Small does not mean simple. Most rodent species are social, most sold cages are too small, and most are nocturnal, which matters if the cage is going in a child's bedroom.
Minimum ages and company
Hamster 6 weeks, and Syrian hamsters must live alone. Gerbil 5 weeks, in same-sex pairs or groups. Mouse 6 weeks, females in groups. Rat 6 weeks, always in pairs or more. Guinea pig 8 weeks, never alone. Chinchilla 12 weeks, in pairs. Degu 6 weeks, in groups.
Getting the company question wrong is the single most common welfare failure with small pets, in both directions.
Before you go
- Buy the cage first and make it bigger than the pet-shop default.
- Check whether the species is nocturnal. Hamsters, chinchillas and degus are; a cage in a bedroom will keep a child awake.
- Guinea pigs need vitamin C daily. Chinchillas need a dust bath and must not get damp.
On the day
- Bright eyes, clean nose, clean rear, coat in good condition with no bald patches.
- Breathing quietly. Any clicking or wheezing, especially in rats, means a respiratory infection.
- Teeth aligned and not overgrown.
- Active and curious when the cage is opened. Sitting hunched in a corner is not shyness.
- Ask the seller to sex them in front of you, and check yourself. Mis-sexing is very common.
Walk away if
- The animals are kept in mixed-sex groups past weaning age.
- The cage is dirty or badly overcrowded.
- A hamster is being sold as part of a pair.
- You are told a guinea pig is fine on its own.
Seen something that worries you? Report it. We act on reports within 12 working hours, and we would rather hear from you early than not at all.