Rabbit and hamster care: space, food and the heat

Rabbits and hamsters are often bought as presents for children and put in a small cage. In fact both need space and the right food, and rabbits in particular are very sensitive to heat.

Rabbits

Company and space

• Rabbits shouldn't live alone. A pair of neutered rabbits, such as a neutered male and female, is best.
• They need room to run, hop and stand up on their back legs, not a small cage all day. Daily time out in a safe space matters.
• Rabbits chew cables and wood, so make the area safe before letting them roam.

Food

• Hay is the base of the diet and should always be available: roughly a pile as big as the rabbit every day. Chewing hay also helps wear down their teeth.
• A handful of washed leafy greens daily, such as cabbage, parsley and mint. Introduce new ones gradually.
• A small amount of rabbit pellets. Avoid muesli-style mixes.
• Carrot and apple are small treats now and then, not main food.
• Clean water always; check that bottles aren't blocked.

The heat in Egypt

• Rabbits can suffer heat stress from about 30°C, and above 35°C they can get heatstroke.
• Always keep them in the shade, and indoors somewhere cool on very hot days.
• A frozen water bottle wrapped in a towel gives them something cool to lean on.
• Danger signs: drooling, fast breathing, weakness, and red, hot ears. If you see them, call your vet straight away.

Hamsters

• Syrian hamsters live alone. Put two together and they fight.
• They're active at night. Woken in the day, they may bite, which matters with young children.
• They need a large enclosure with deep paper bedding to burrow in, and a little house to sleep in. Avoid fluffy cotton-type bedding, which can get stuck in their cheek pouches.
• A solid wheel (no gaps in the running surface) of the right size, so they don't hurt their legs.
• Hamster food in measured amounts, and fresh water every day.
• They live a short time, usually 1.5 to 2.5 years, so prepare your children for that.
• Keep them out of direct sun; they overheat quickly.

Hygiene at home

Wash your hands after handling them or cleaning the cage, and don't hold them close to your face. If someone in the home is pregnant, it's better for someone else to clean the hamster's cage.