Rabbit vaccinations: myxomatosis, haemorrhagic disease and boosters
Myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD1, RHD2): what to vaccinate your rabbit against, from what age and how often, even if they live indoors.
Read the guidePet care essentials for rabbits, small pets, birds and hens
what vets recommend, in plain English
When should a rabbit be vaccinated? How much vitamin C does a guinea pig need? Each guide answers one precise question with the benchmarks of vets and UK animal charities, quoted at the end of the page — and helps the whole household keep up with the routine.
Rabbits
Rabbit fleas, mites and flystrike: the right habits
Fleas, ear mites, summer flystrike and E. cuniculi: how to protect your rabbit from parasites, and the products you must never use on them.
Read the guideRabbit teeth: they never stop growing, so hay is essential
Rabbit teeth grow throughout life: why hay wears them down, the signs of a dental problem, the checks to do and when to see your vet.
Read the guideWhat do rabbits eat? Hay first, everything else after
Unlimited hay, greens, a few weighed pellets and fresh water: what rabbits eat, in what proportions, and how to change their food safely.
Read the guideRabbit ideal weight: check it with your hands, track it on the scales
Is your rabbit too fat or too thin? The PDSA body condition chart, how to check and weigh them, and how to help them lose weight safely.
Read the guideGiving your rabbit medicine: the right technique, without the stress
Syringe, tablet, towel: how to give your rabbit medicine calmly, the medicines that are dangerous for them, and why gut stasis is an emergency.
Read the guideYour rabbit’s health record: what to note, which visits to plan
Vaccines, teeth, weight, neutering, treatments: what your rabbit’s health record should contain, the vet visits to plan, and microchipping.
Read the guideLeaving your rabbit with a sitter: with their companion, and clear instructions
Pet sitter, friend or boarding: having your rabbit looked after without splitting a bonded pair, the daily checks and the instructions to leave.
Read the guideRabbit neutering, spaying and castration: benefits, age, aftercare
Uterine cancer, litters, behaviour, living in pairs: why neuter your rabbit, at what age for males and females, and how to care for them afterwards.
Read the guideGuinea pigs
Guinea pig vitamin C: a need that comes round every day
Guinea pigs can’t make their own vitamin C: why they need it every day, the signs of scurvy, and the foods that provide it.
Read the guideWhat do guinea pigs eat? Hay first, and vegetables every day
What do guinea pigs eat? Unlimited hay, fresh vegetables, a few pellets and clean water: vet guidance, and the foods to avoid.
Read the guideGuinea pig teeth: they grow for life, and hay wears them down
Guinea pig teeth grow all their lives: the role of hay and vitamin C, signs of dental trouble, and why you should never trim them yourself.
Read the guideGuinea pig parasites: spot the signs, leave treatment to your vet
Mites, lice, ringworm: recognise skin problems in guinea pigs, never use another pet’s parasite treatment, and prevent flystrike.
Read the guideGuinea pig weight: a weekly weigh-in is your best early warning
Why weigh your guinea pig every week, how to do it, and why weight loss is often the first sign of illness. Guidance from the RSPCA.
Read the guideGuinea pig nails: regular trims, and an eye on their feet
Clipping your guinea pig’s nails: how often, how to avoid the quick, and why checking their feet helps prevent bumblefoot.
Read the guideGiving your guinea pig medicine: the right technique, and the real risks
Syringes, missed doses, antibiotics: how to give your guinea pig medicine, why some medicines are dangerous for them, and what to watch.
Read the guideYour guinea pig’s health record: simple checks, every week
Weigh-ins, teeth, nails, vet visits, treatments: what your guinea pig’s health record should include, with no vaccinations but regular checks.
Read the guideHoliday care for guinea pigs: never alone, ideally at home
Home sitter or boarding: how to have your guinea pigs looked after without splitting them up, how many visits to plan and what to leave.
Read the guideFerrets
Ferret vaccinations: what to protect against, when to start, which boosters
Distemper, rabies, travel: which vaccinations your ferret needs, when to start, how often to give boosters, and the precautions specific to ferrets.
Read the guideFerret parasite control: fleas, ear mites, ticks and heartworm
Fleas, ear mites, ticks, heartworm: the parasites ferrets get, how to spot them, and why every pet in the household needs treating at the same time.
Read the guideWhat do ferrets eat? A true carnivore that eats little and often
A strict carnivore with a very fast gut, the ferret eats little and often. What to feed, which foods to avoid, and why sugar is a bad idea for ferrets.
Read the guideFerret ideal weight: benchmarks, seasons and a set of scales
How much should a ferret weigh, male or female? Why ferrets gain weight before winter and lose it in spring, how to weigh yours, and when to worry.
Read the guideFerret neutering: a health decision, especially for females
Why an unmated female ferret can die from a prolonged season, castration or implant for males, and the link with adrenal gland disease.
Read the guideFerret microchipping: why it matters, how it works, and travel abroad
Microchipping isn’t compulsory for ferrets in the UK, but it is strongly advised and needed for travel. How it works, updating your details, and EU travel.
Read the guideGiving a ferret medicine: the right technique, without getting bitten
Syringe, drops, spot-on: how to give your ferret medicine without stress, the towel technique, and the human medicines you must never give a ferret.
Read the guideYour ferret’s health record: what to write down, which papers to keep
Microchip, vaccines, implant, parasite treatments, weight: what your ferret’s health record should contain, and the official papers worth keeping.
Read the guideLeaving your ferret with a sitter: a safe home and clear instructions
Friend, pet sitter or boarding: how to arrange care for your ferret, ferret-proof the home, avoid heat, and the instructions to leave in writing.
Read the guideHamsters
What do hamsters eat? An omnivore that sorts and hoards its food
Pellets or seed mix, vegetables, protein, foods to avoid and cheek-pouch hoards: how to feed your hamster well, whether dwarf or Syrian.
Read the guideHamster teeth: incisors that never stop growing
Hamster incisors grow throughout life: what to give them to gnaw, overgrown teeth, blocked cheek pouches and the warning signs to look out for.
Read the guideRats
What do rats eat? Measured meals for a greedy eater that gains weight fast
Rat pellets, vegetables, treats, foods to avoid and obesity: how to feed your pet rat so it stays fit and at a healthy weight.
Read the guideRespiratory disease in rats: mycoplasma, bedding and warning signs
Sneezing, red tears, noisy breathing: mycoplasmosis and respiratory disease in rats, the role of bedding, and the signs of an emergency.
Read the guideBudgies
What do budgies eat? Moving beyond an all-seed diet
Fatty seed mixes, pellets, vegetables and toxic foods such as avocado: how to feed a budgie well, according to vets.
Read the guideIs my budgie ill? Spotting the signs it tries to hide
Fluffed-up feathers, abnormal droppings, tail bobbing, a bird on the cage floor: how to recognise a sick budgie that hides its symptoms, and when it’s urgent.
Read the guideBudgie weight: a few grams that matter
How much a budgie weighs, how to weigh it to the nearest gram, and why weight loss is often the first sign of illness.
Read the guideCanaries
What do canaries eat? A seed eater that needs more
Seed mixes, pellets, greens, egg food, cuttlebone and toxic foods: how to feed a canary well, according to avian vets.
Read the guideIs my canary ill? Spotting the signs before it’s too late
A canary that sits fluffed up, stops singing, stays on the cage floor or has abnormal droppings: how to recognise illness and know when it’s urgent.
Read the guideThe canary moult: normal, but demanding
The canary’s yearly moult: when it happens, how long it lasts, what your bird needs during it and the signs of an abnormal moult.
Read the guideTortoises
Tortoise hibernation: how to prepare, monitor and wake your tortoise safely
Autumn vet check, fasting, a steady 5 °C, regular weighing and waking up: how to hibernate a Hermann’s, spur-thighed or Horsfield tortoise safely.
Read the guideWhat do tortoises eat? Wild plants, calcium and sunshine
Wild plants, calcium, UVB and water: how to feed a Hermann’s, spur-thighed or Horsfield tortoise, and why to avoid fruit and high-protein foods.
Read the guideTortoise paperwork in Great Britain: Article 10 certificates, microchips and buying safely
Annex A tortoises, Article 10 certificates, the June 2026 change for captive-bred Hermann’s, spur-thighed and marginated tortoises, microchips, buying tips.
Read the guideChickens
Worming chickens: spot the worms, test, and treat when it is needed
Roundworms, caecal worms, gapeworm, tapeworms: spotting worms in your hens, getting a faecal egg count, resting the run and treating with your vet.
Read the guideRed mite in chickens: a parasite of the coop, not just the hen
Red mite hides in the coop and feeds on your hens at night. How to spot it, clean the coop properly, and tell it apart from lice and other mites.
Read the guideRegistering your chickens and protecting them from bird flu: what the rules say
Every flock in Great Britain must be registered, even three hens. How to register with APHA, what bird flu zones and housing measures mean, where to check.
Read the guideMyArk for iPhone
Every pet’s care on one shared calendar
Vaccinations, worming, weigh-ins, nail clipping: MyArk keeps the dates for everyone in the household — free, with no account.