Hamsters

Syrian or golden hamsters live on average about 2-3 years. Adults are about 6 inches in length. They are solitary animals that should be kept one to a cage. A basic minimum cage size is 12 x 18 inches (and 12 inches tall), but since hamsters are quite active, the bigger the better (and those cute modular plastic hamster cages are often too small for hamsters). Syrian hamsters that are handled from a young age usually have an agreeable temperament, but if not handled much they can be defensive and can deliver a painful bite (they are also nocturnal and can be difficult to wake or act grumpy if woken during the day). Overall hamsters are widely available and make good pets, with the advantage that they can be kept single. Also, several species of dwarf hamster are becoming more widely available. These are smaller than Syrian hamsters and are often more social, at least with others of their species. Some have a reputation as biters, although that depends a bit on the species and how much they are handled.

Birds Can Be Destructive

One of a bird's most prominent features, its beak, grows continuously throughout the bird's life, and must be worn down to prevent overgrowth. In order to keep the beak maintained, as well as to exercise jaw muscles, birds need to chew. Because of this, bird owners must be diligent about supervising their pets so as to protect furniture and valuables from the beak's gnashing fury. If a bird is on your list of potential pets, be prepared to offer it a plethora of safe and fun toys to rip, shred, and destroy. This will help minimize the risk of your bird chewing on something that is not his, or worse, something dangerous or toxic.

Birds Require Consistent Socialization

Unlike domesticated animals such as cats and dogs, birds are essentially wild and need to be handled and socialized with every day to remain tame. If you are thinking of owning a bird, you should assess your daily schedule and routine to see if you have the time that your feathered friend will require. Birds do best with reliable routines that they can follow throughout the day. If your schedule makes such a structure impossible, then a bird may not be the best pet for you.

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Fleas
If your rabbit is scratching itself a lot, he most likely has fleas. Fleas are small flying insects that are dark brown in color. They aren't easy to find in all that rabbit fur, but you can see small black specs of flea poop that has been left behind. Fleas need to be treated ASAP as the fleas will lay larvae on rabbits, rugs, carpet and anything hair like. The best flea treatment for rabbits is Revolution. The dosage needs to be worked out based on the rabbit's body weight, and is then applied to the back of the rabbit's neck. This is so it is not groomed or licked off. Rabbits should be seperated after treatment to ensure they do not lick the flea treatment from each other's fur. Any rugs or material items eg. towels, that have been around the rabbit should be washed in hot water to kill the larvae eggs. The revolution treatment lasts for a month, but rabbits may need further treatment if more fleas have hatched from the eggs.

Eyes
Sometimes rabbits get sleep in their eyes. Just wipe this away for them. If there is excess gunk or a lot of tears, your bunny may have a problem. Take your rabbit to the vet. Interesting facts - rabbits have a third eyelid, and don't need to blink very often. This is how they can sleep with their eyes open.