Rabbits, guinea pigs and other small pets make wonderful companions, but they are often underestimated in terms of what they actually need to thrive. A hutch and a bag of pellets is not the full picture. Here is a practical starter guide covering hay, housing and chews for anyone bringing home a small pet or looking to improve their current setup.
Hay is the foundation
For rabbits and guinea pigs in particular, hay should make up the majority of their daily diet, not pellets or treats. Constant access to good quality grass hay supports healthy digestion and keeps teeth naturally worn down, since these species have teeth that grow continuously throughout their life. A product like Oxbow Harvest Stacks Western Timothy is a timothy hay based option formatted into easy to portion stacks, which makes topping up a hay rack or litter tray straightforward.
Pellets still have a place in the diet, but as a smaller, measured portion alongside unlimited hay rather than the main event. A complete food formulated for your species and life stage, such as Oxbow Essentials Adult Rabbit Food, is designed to be the everyday staple food sitting alongside that constant hay supply.
Housing that actually fits the animal
Small pet housing is very often undersized. Rabbits and guinea pigs need enough room to take several hops or strides in a row, stand up fully where relevant, and have separate areas for sleeping, toileting and activity. Bigger is almost always better here, and a multi-level or extended setup tends to get used far more than a small single-level cage.
Bedding is worth getting right too. A soft, absorbent paper based bedding such as Carefresh Natural Paper Bedding gives everyday comfort for hutches and cages and is simple to spot clean between full changes.
Chews and hideouts, doing two jobs at once
Small pets benefit from having somewhere to retreat and feel secure, and constant access to something appropriate to chew. Some products manage to do both at once. The Oxbow Timothy Club Hideout is built from timothy hay itself, so it works as a cosy den to rest and hide in while also giving your pet something to nibble on as part of natural foraging and chewing behaviour.
Having a hideout also matters for confidence. Small pets are prey animals by instinct, and a place to retreat to when they feel uncertain, whether that is a new noise in the house or simply wanting some downtime, helps reduce stress in the long run.
Not every small pet is the same
"Small pet" covers a wide range of species with genuinely different needs. Rabbits and guinea pigs are both grazers that need constant hay access and cannot go without food for long, but guinea pigs also need a reliable source of vitamin C in their diet since they cannot produce it themselves, which is one reason a species specific pellet matters rather than assuming one small pet food suits them all. Rats, mice and hamsters are omnivores with different housing needs again, generally wanting more vertical space and things to climb and explore compared to a ground dwelling rabbit or guinea pig. Before you bring any small pet home, it is worth reading up on that specific species rather than applying general small pet advice across the board.
A basic small pet checklist
- Unlimited good quality grass hay, refreshed daily.
- A measured portion of a complete pellet food suited to the species and life stage.
- Housing sized generously, with separate zones for resting, toileting and activity.
- Soft, absorbent bedding that is spot cleaned regularly and fully changed on a routine.
- At least one hideout or den space, plus ongoing access to safe chew items.
- Fresh water available at all times, checked and topped up daily.
Settling a new small pet in
New small pets often need a week or two of a quiet, low handling routine to settle into their environment before they build confidence. Let them come to you rather than forcing interaction early on, keep the same feeding and cleaning schedule each day, and watch their eating and toileting closely in the first few weeks, since changes there are often the first sign something needs attention. Many small pets do best introduced to handling gradually, starting with short sessions at floor level rather than being picked up straight away, which helps build trust without overwhelming a new arrival. Anything that concerns you about eating, weight or general condition is worth a vet check rather than waiting to see.
Final thoughts
Getting hay, housing and hideouts right covers most of what a rabbit, guinea pig or similar small pet needs to feel secure and stay healthy day to day. It is a simple formula, it just needs to be applied generously and consistently. Browse our small pet food collection and small pet treats collection to build out a setup that suits your pet.