small mammals

Q: My hamster, Nibbles, doesn't ever seem to want to go on her wheel. I never hear it squeaking at night and I'm constantly watching her during the day, and she hates it. When I try to coax her on, she hops right off – my mice were always on their wheel, what's wrong with this hamster of mine?

A: My first tip would be to test out some new wheels. If you own the plastic or wire version with rungs (or this grid pattern), it could be turning off your hamster – these can be painful for small pets because tiny feet can get stuck between the rungs or in the gaps so some animals will hesitate to hop on. I'd recommend testing out a solid plastic type (such as this one) to see if you have any more success.

If you're not into buying a new wheel, though, create a quick fix by removing the existing wheel and weaving a sheet of paper in and out of the rungs or securely attaching it around the outside, making the surface flat and creating a solid wheel instead.

Lastly, some pets prefer different forms of exercise, just like people – you couldn't catch me on a treadmill! If you feel your furry friend isn't getting enough exercise, try giving her more space to roam or even a Run-About Ball instead.

Now I know ferrets love crawling through tight places and burrowing in hollow spaces so I'm not surprised that a Ferret Fun Tube is a popular concept for these furry critters.

Last week I asked all you savvy shoppers and Internet researchers out there to come PetMarking with me and help me locate hideaways to makeover the homes of hamsters, ferrets, and other wee furries. With all the cute gear out there for our doggies and kitties, sometimes it's tough to give a little love to our smallest fuzzy friends! We did a super sweet job with this mission, bookmarking some super sweet stuff. Maybe I'm a sucker for shoes, but I can't help to adore the Grassy Boot that gruaig_rua found at That Pet Place.

Check out all the results from our mission in a widget when you read more

No, you haven't stumbled upon CasaSugar here – I want you to consider a makeover for the home of a small furry friend! Whether a gerbil, guinea pig, rabbit, or rat, small pets need fun, functional places to hide and sleep. Most also like to chew and scratch on these items so they can easily look rather too lived in. I already spotted this adorable hideaway petmarked by amh678 so let's use it as our inspiration!

All you savvy shoppers and internet researchers out there, can you locate the best hideaways and beds for small mammals? Come PetMarking with me, by bookmarking your finds on Teamsugar. Don't forget to tag your finds as "Hideaways". I'll do a recap next week of our finds.

Geeksugar has written a helpful explanation of how to bookmark... or, in our case, PetMark! Happy hunting!

Don't know where to start? To check out some stores with great gear for little furry guys and girls, read more

Treat small pets this holiday season with a variety of special gifts meant just for them! From the 100 percent edible alfalfa and honey huts to a 12-sq.-ft. playpen with mat and cover to allow pets to roam safely outside of their cage (or even outside of your house), these gifts are great for small-mammal owners whose lil' creatures already have a little of everything else. To see my top present picks, read more