Adoption Requirements
Please note: While we understand and respect that everyone has opinions with regards to various aspects of care and habitats of small animals, these guidelines must be followed when adopting from our rescue. These guidelines are based not only personal experiences, but dozens of hours of research and communication with various professionals.
Rabbits
If applying to adopt a rabbit, all existing rabbits in the home must have the RHD vaccine (proof will be required)
01
No Cages
Contrary to popular belief, rabbits are not caged animals. They require a minimum of 16 square feet of floor space at all times (larger rabbits will require more). This is most easily achieved by a 4'x4' x-pen (or puppy play pen). More space is always better, but these are our minimum requirements. We recommend that the pen be approx. 3-4 feet tall.
03
Water Bowl
Rabbits do best drinking from a bowl as opposed to a water bottle. The majority of our rabbits drink from bowls (unless otherwise stated).
02
Soft Flooring
Ensure soft flooring in your rabbit's enclosure to prevent direct contact with hard surfaces. Use foam pads or carpeting covered with blankets. If your space already has carpeting, protect it with a tarp covered by blankets. For out-of-enclosure time, provide blankets or carpet lengths for your rabbit to explore, as they dislike slippery flooring.
04
Food
Timothy based food pellets ONLY. No alfalfa hay (or kibble) should be fed to rabbits past 6 months of age. Rabbits require access to fresh hay 24/7.
Guinea Pigs
* Please refer to the sizing chart below with regards to guinea pig enclosures. 99% of store bought enclosures are NOT suitable for guinea pigs!
01
Cage Recommendations
The best type of cage for a guinea pig is a C&C cage. Midwest (or equivalent) cages are suitable for a pair of guinea pigs. Males generally require more space that females. Unless there are behavioral or medical issues, guinea pigs should never be housed alone.
03
Treats
NO seed based or yogurt treats (even if there is a guinea pig on the package). Guinea pigs can not properly digest dairy, and seeds can be harmful to their digestive systems.
02
Bedding
Wood shavings of ANY kind should NEVER be used for guinea pigs. Ideally, fleece bedding/liners are the bedding of choice, however paper fluff bedding such as Kaytee Soft & Cozy and Carefresh are also acceptable.
04
Food
Timothy based food pellets ONLY. No alfalfa hay (or kibble) should be fed to guinea pigs past 6 months of age. Guinea pigs require access to fresh hay 24/7.
Hamsters
* Syrian hamsters require a minimum cage size of approx. 450-500 square inches of uninterrupted floor space. A very inexpensive and easy way to achieve this is with a DIY "Bin Cage" (see picture below for an example):
01
No Glass Tanks
There is a debate as to whether or not glass tanks are suitable for hamster enclosures. We have spent countless hours researching and discussing this, and have decided that our policy is NOT to allow for glass/tank enclosures for hamsters adopted from our rescue. We feel that even with a mesh top, they do not provide adequate ventilation (for example, bin cages can have extra ventilation panels added to the sides, whereas glass cannot). While we appreciate that you may have a different viewpoint on this matter, this is a firm rule for adopting from our rescue.
03
Bedding
NO wood shavings of any kind (even Aspen). Paper fluff bedding (such as Kaytee Clean & Cozy or Carefresh) is far more suitable.
02
Hamster Wheels
Syrian hamsters should have a wheel of at least 8" (dwarfs should have a wheel that is a minimum of 6" in size). However, we strongly recommend wheels of 10-12" for Syrian hamsters. Wheels should have a solid bottom (no wire/mesh wheels), and the hamster should have access to it at all times.
04
Food
Hamsters require a mix of a lab block and high quality seed mixture for their diets. Treats should be limited.
Rats
* Rats love to climb, and should have lots of places to explore and rest, such as shelves & hammocks. See the picture below for an example of a set up for a pair of rats:
01
Bedding
Fleece is the ideal bedding for rats. Paper fluff bedding can be used, but never wood shavings.
01
Food
A good quality commercial rat food (such as Oxbow) as well as appropriate seeds, vegetables and fruit.