Rabbits
Diet and enclosure is the most important part about keeping a pet rabbit. Think about a rabbit in the wild and what they eat and then try to mirror that for your own pet. They need a lot of forage like timothy or grass hay, grass and leafy greens and minimal access to commercial pellets and highly concentrated foods. The grass and hay diet will help to keep their teeth and digestive system healthy.
Rabbits need to be desexed to reduce unwanted pregnancies and also because the females are at high risk of uterine cancer and the males can be very aggressive towards each other and people. It is also recommended to vaccinate for calicivirus in Australia but unfortunately there is no vaccination for myxomatosis.
Ferrets
Ferrets require a high protein and low carbohydrate diet. There are commercial ferret foods available but you can also feed a good quality kitten food. They have fast metabolisms so they need food available at all times. Human grade meat and raw bones can be fed occasionally as well to help keep their teeth clean.
Females need to be desexed early as once they come on heat they do not go off heat until they are mated or desexed. The high levels of estrogen in their system can cause anaemia (low red blood cells) which can be life threatening if left too long. Males can be desexed at any time but it will help to reduce their musk smell, aggression and unwanted pregnancies.
Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs have a dietary requirement similar to that of rabbits which require timothy or grass hay, fresh grass and dark leafy vegetables. One particular difference is that they cannot make their own vitamin C and need to obtain this through their diet. Capsicums, carrots and kiwi fruit are a few of the vegetables rich in vitamin C and should be fed daily.
Desexing can be done from 3-4 months for both males and females. Besides unwanted pregnancies females benefit as they are at risk of ovarian cysts and in males it can help to reduce “boar butt”a condition where sebum accumulates in the sacs near the anus and becomes impacted.