Care tip of the Month - January

It is a good idea to weigh your animals regularly to keep an eye on their health. Weight loss can often be the first sign of your pet being ill, particularly with prey animals such as guinea pigs, rabbits or birds, as they will usually hide their illness until they are extremely sick and often this is too late. Weighing them regularly will enable you to notice any weight loss very early on, giving you a chance to treat the illness early and give your pet a better chance. This can be particularly advantageous if you have more than one animal sharing a cage because it can be even more difficult to notice loss of appetite when numerous animals are eating from the same bowl. Ideally you will want to weigh your pet once a week, but at the very least it should be once a month. You can quickly get your pet used to the process by doing it regularly and providing tasty rewards. Parrots in particular will learn to step onto the scales for a nut or their favourite treat.

Whatever your pet, weigh them at the same time of day each time to get a reading that you can compare each week or month. First thing in the morning before feeding is generally best as that should be when they are at their lowest weight and it is generally the easiest routine to keep to for most people as most of us get up at about the same time each day. If you have a nocturnal pet such as a chinchilla then you can weigh them in the evening when they wake up, before they have their food.

Your pet's weight will fluctuate slightly just like ours does but if there is a major weight loss or a regular weight loss then this could be sign that your pet is not very well, whether it is teeth problems stopping them eating or poor health, they will need a trip to the vets.

Of course, weighing your pets regularly will also help to prevent obesity, which can also make your pet very poorly. It can be very easy for animals to get gradually overweight without us noticing, particularly for rabbits and parrots. So, if you notice your pet's weight going up every time then it may be time to stop giving so many treats. Again, a trip to the vets will help you work out an ideal weight for your pet and a suitable diet to put them on.