Excellence in exotics: enriching the lives of small exotic pet mammals.

All too often, clients ignore the concepts of environmental enrichment, socialization, and exercise for their small exotic pet mammals. Sometimes, these pets, such as guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, gerbils, and rats, live most of their lives in cages or tanks with little regard given to their mental and physical stimulation. With poor husbandry and inappropriate diets, animals become obese, lazy, and less likely to interact and provide pleasure as pets. It is also well known that constant confinement can lead to stress, as well as certain otherwise avoidable behavioral and health problems. This article briefly discusses various aspects of environmental enrichment, including methods to help ensure appropriate exercise for small pet mammals. However, this is a complex topic, and it is difficult to cover all aspects in a single article. Veterinarians treating pets that live in cages or tanks should not only be familiar with the species’ native habitats, lifestyles, and social interactions but also know how to educate clients to ensure that these unique pets receive the best care. It is a misconception to think that these animals are maintenance-free because they do not need to be walked. Although the ancestors of today’s pocket pets were wild animals, those living in clients’ homes are captive-bred and entirely dependent on their human caretakers for food, care, exercise, and company.