Animal Talk – July 2019

| July 2019 55

health

VETTA LK

Warm hamster

How can I ensure that my

hamster is warm in winter?

H

amsters who become too cold may slip into a

hibernation-like state that can be hazardous

to their health. The best way to help them keep

warm is to provide them with a fairly small box for

sleeping and large amounts of nesting material.

They will stuff the sleeping box with this bedding

and can then remain toasty warm. Try to keep

the cage in an area of the house that does not

experience rapid temperature fluctuations.

Please be careful of the type of bedding used. The

fibres of cotton wool or fluff-type bedding may wrap

around a leg and cut off the blood supply which

can become severe enough that the leg needs to be

amputated. We recommend shredded paper towels

as a cheap, absorbent and safe bedding material.

A non-responsive hamster should always be slowly

warmed up to establish whether he is in fact dead

or whether he is in a deep state of hibernation.

Dr Dorianne Elliott, veterinarian

G

uinea pigs do not need tooth brushing. Their teeth, unlike ours, grow

continuously throughout their lives and are not prone to developing

cavities as ours are. Their high fibre diet also helps to keep the teeth clean.

It is, however, extremely important for both the health of your pet’s teeth and

his digestive tract that a high fibre diet is fed. This means that the majority

of the diet should be grass hay with a measured amount of high-quality

extruded pellets (not muesli) and some healthy greens. Guinea pigs can also

develop tooth problems if they do not get enough vitamin C in their diet,

which is why we recommend that proper guinea pig pellets are fed. Rabbit

pellets do not have enough vitamin C for guinea pigs to remain healthy.

Dr Dorianne Elliott, veterinarian

Brushing

guinea’s teeth

Should I brush my guinea pig’s

teeth, and if so, how often?

A cat’s first mouthful of

water is purely to clean

her mouth.