Read About Small Pet Grooming Tips

Small pet grooming tips will keep your little friend in a clean and disease-free condition. While small pets like guinea pigs, mice, rats, rabbits, and hamsters are known to be self-grooming, there are still cleaning chores left to pet owners.

First, you have to know that skin of small pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs, and rodents are quite fragile. For this, you will never go wrong if you go by small pet grooming tips that indicate the use of a gentle brush, preferably one that is specifically designed for small pets. Bristle brushes are often among the top small pet grooming tips because they don't break small pet's skin like metal slickers do. Ideally, it is a good idea to brush your furry friend at least once a week, and even more frequently when he is shedding. To remove fallen hair after a good brushing session, you can apply a damp cloth over the skin.

Believe it or not, small pet grooming tips do not include the necessity for bathing. This is because they can keep their coat shiny and healthy by self-grooming, and bathing can actually be stressful to them. Unnecessary bathing can even disrupt their natural scent glands and smelling instincts that largely influence their breeding, communication, and territorial behaviors. If in any case your small pet's coat appears dull, or if he suddenly stops grooming himself, be wary because this is a sign of illness. Consult your veterinarian immediately.

Fleas, ticks, and ear mites cause major skin and fur problems in small pets. Scratching is one of the most obvious signs your small pet has fleas and ticks. Fleas live on the pet's skin surface and feed on body fluids, leaving reddish brown specks and wounds in serious infestations. You can easily catch fleas by simple inspection, but the real problem lies in permanently getting rid of them. Small pet grooming tips against fleas and ticks include never using medications that are prescribed for other animals. Flea powders, flea dips or anti flea and tick shampoos will not sit well with your little pet. You will have to use flea products continuously, usually at least once a month, to make sure that all fleas and their eggs have been killed. Flea combs also make great tools for skin care of your small pet and can be used in combination to your flea control program.

Proper dental care also ranks high in the list of small pet grooming tips. To do this, feed your pet with nutritious food, preferably with a commercial diet, mixed with various grains, hay, and vegetables. By doing this, you will not only provide great dental care for your small pet, you will also have a healthy, well-nourished pet. A good diet also keeps open-rooted teeth from growing. Having open-rooted teeth means these small pets have incisor teeth (four front teeth, top and bottom) that can continuously grow - if not taken cared of properly. Chew items will also help a lot in preventing this condition. Being the natural chewer that he is, he'd be more than happy to munch on chew blocks, sticks, or chemical-free branches.

These are just some of the more common small pet grooming tips to start with. As you become more experienced in taking care of small pets, you can start creating your own list of small pet grooming tips.