When getting familiar with your new pet, it's important to remember small critters are prey animals and prefer to avoid anything that looks like a predator. A general rule of thumb is to establish trust by avoiding loud sounds and sudden movements. Learning to read their body language can also help you understand what the animal is feeling.
Rabbits
- Crouching and freezing
- Pinning their ears back and down
- Thumping their back legs
- Overly jumpy or restless
- Being excessively watchful with bulging eyes
- Being aggressive to other rabbits and people
- Relaxed body
- Being energetic and curious
- Playing
- Soliciting attention, such as licking, initiating cuddling or asking for pets
- Getting the zoomies and doing a binky
Tips for handling: It's incredibly important to always support a rabbit's back legs so they don't break their back. Pick up your rabbit by scooping one hand beneath the chest and the other supporting the hind legs and hips. Bring the rabbit against your body and hold the rear end to make them feel secure.
Never pick up a rabbit by their ears or scruff. Most rabbits prefer having all four feet on the ground and will be more comfortable being petted on your lap or on the floor.
Guinea pigs
- Hiding and evasive behavior
- Sitting hunched and reluctant to move
- Being aggressive
- Changing their feeding or toileting habits
- Chewing on cage bars
- Showing affection, such as licking
- Making purring, chutting, squeaks, or whistle noises
- Being playful and energetic
- Popcorning
Tips for handling: Be gentle and calm when approaching and handling guinea pigs so they don’t spook. Always support their belly and rear end with two hands when picking up. Hold them against your chest so they feel secure.
Hamsters
- Aggressiveness, such as biting
- Excessive digging and restlessness
- Vocalizing
- Over-grooming
- Chewing on cage bars
- Fluffing their bedding and sleeping in their nest
- Playing and being active, such as burrowing, exploring, wheel running, and chewing (note: Hamsters are nocturnal, so they sleep during the day and are active at night)
- Showing interest in interacting
- Making soft purring or chirping noises
- Eating and drinking consistently
Tips for handling: Many hamsters prefer not being handled and may nip when held. To get your hamster used to being handled, start by hand feeding them small treats. When they seem comfortable with taking treats, gently scoop one palm underneath to support Many hamsters prefer not being handled and may nip when held.
To get your hamster used to being handled, start by hand feeding them small treats. When they seem comfortable with taking treats, gently scoop one palm underneath to support their whole body and place your other palm on top of the hamster, securely holding them in both hands without squeezing them.
Gerbils
- Hiding and lethargy or hyperactivity and restlessness
- Changing their feeding or toileting habits
- Frequent drumming (foot stomping)
- Aggressiveness, such as biting
- Over-grooming
- Red tears (chromodacryorrhea)
- Vibrating, purring, chirping, or yipping
- Digging and burrowing
- Running on a wheel, jumping, and playing (note: Gerbils are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day and at night)
- Gnawing and shredding
Tips for handling: To get your gerbil used to being handled, start by hand feeding your gerbil small treats. When they seem comfortable with taking treats, gently scoop them up using two hands, securely holding it without squeezing.
Never grab, hold, or pull on your gerbil’s tail! Picking up your gerbil by the tail can result in fur loss or cause the skin on the tail to “slip off.” If this occurs, their tail usually must be amputated.
Mice
- Ears pointed down and back
- Over-grooming
- Hyperactivity and restlessness
- Tail wagging
- Ears pointed upward
- Playing and being active, like burrowing, exploring, and wheel running
- Teeth grinding and grooming
Tips for handling: To get your mouse used to being handled, start by hand feeding your mouse small treats. When they seem comfortable with taking treats, pick them up by scooping them into your hand.
Keep one palm under their body and cup your other palm over them to stop them from jumping. Never grab a mouse by the middle or end of the tail.
Rats
- Aggressiveness, such as biting
- Ears pulled back flat
- Lethargy or hiding
- Red tears (chromodacryorrhea)
- Changes to feeding or toileting habits
- Over-grooming
- Ears pointed forward, or hanging loosely
- Chattering
- Playing and being curious
- Showing affection, such as cuddling and licking
- Bruxing
Tips for handling: Start by hand feeding them small treats. When they are comfortable accepting treats, pick them up with one hand supporting the bottom and the other over the back. Once hand-tamed, many rats will become comfortable enough to sit on your lap or shoulder.
Degus
- Fur-pulling or fur chewing
- Distress vocalizations
- Trying to escape their enclosure
- Aggression, such as biting or tail wagging
- Playing, running, and being active (note: Degus are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day and night)
- Chewing and burrowing
- Happy vocalizations
Tips for handling: Start by hand feeding the degu small treats. When they seem comfortable taking treats, scoop them up with both hands, being sure to support their bottom and keeping one palm above them to stop them from jumping. Once at ease they may learn to climb in your hand when you reach into the cage.
Never try to catch a degu by grabbing its tail. As a natural defense against predators, the tail sheds easily but doesn’t grow back.
Chinchillas
- Barking or whistling
- Hiding
- Fur-pulling or fur chewing
- Changes to their feeding and toileting habits
- Not moving
- Repetitive motions, such as racing back and forth across the cage
- Winking
- Popcorning and wall surfing
- Showing affection, such as nibbling (a type of grooming)
- Teeth grinding
- Squeaking, quiet grunts, and cooing
Tips for handling: Place one hand under or around the chest area and then lift and support their hind legs with your other hand. Hold them close to your body so they feel secure and keep them upright to protect their delicate spine.
Ferrets
- Aggression, such as biting or hissing
- Hiding or trying to escape
- Squealing
- Tail puffing or arching the back and baring teeth
- Pacing
- Changes in feeding or toileting habits
- Whirling, bouncing, and vibrating
- Playing and being curious
- Showing affection, such as cuddling, licking, and nuzzling
- Dooking , a chuckling-like sound
Tips for handling: To hold a ferret, grasp it around the shoulders under the front legs with your thumb under its jaw while simultaneously supporting its hind legs with your other hand.
Hedgehogs
- Frantic attempts to escape or rolling into a ball and extending their quills
- Head twitching or shaking
- Aggression, such as biting
- Changes to feeding and toileting, including green stool
- Over-grooming
- Lethargy or hyperactivity
- Purring
- Relaxed quills
- Allowing gentle pets and cuddles
- Exploring, playing, and curiosity (note: Hedgehogs are nocturnal, so they sleep during the day and are active at night)
Tips for handling: Move slowly and quietly so you don’t surprise it. Cup your hands underneath the belly where the fur is and then proceed to pick the hedgehog up, supporting its body in the palm of your hand.
Gloves aren’t necessary as their quills aren’t that sharp and rarely cause any problems. The hedgehog may initially curl into a ball, but after time may uncurl and start moving around.
Are you bringing home a new critter friend?
Learn more about your critter's behavior and how to care for them by visiting our Pet Behavior Library.
