🌦️ Seasonal Care Guide for Rabbits, Guinea Pigs & Small Pets

Small animals are sensitive to weather changes, daylight shifts, and seasonal parasites. As their pet parent, it pays to be vigilant and also prepared.

There are a number of issues that are specific to the time of year, helping you support them season by season.

🌱 SPRING CARE

✅ 1. Coat Change & Grooming

• Rabbits and guinea pigs shed heavily in spring. This is probably the biggest moult in the year, and it's essential your little ones are helped through this moult to prevent issue.
• Brush frequently to prevent:
  • Hair ingestion → digestive stasis risk (especially in rabbits)
  • Matting in long-haired breeds (Peruvians, Angoras, Lionheads)
• Use a soft brush, de-shedding tool or hand grooming gloves as your little ones will allow. Use tasty (healthy!) treats to reward, and groom in short sessions to limit stress. Rounded scissors, nail clippers and double sided combs are also handy to have within reach while you have a 'captive audience'!
• Ensure access to plenty of clean, tasty hay and fresh water - the two best ingredients to help maintain a healthy tummy!

✅ 2. Increasing Activity

• Pets often become more energetic as temperatures improve.
• Refresh outdoor runs, check for any gaps/rot before using.
• Ensure outside time is always supervised, unless the area is fully predator-proof (including the roof) and flooring will prevent digging in (and digging out!)

✅ 3. Parasite Prevention

• Spring marks the start of fly activity and risks of disease and the awful fly strike.
• Begin:
  • Deep clean all their living areas for a fresh start
  • Regular enclosure checks for damp/dirty bedding; remove soiled bedding at least daily
  • Routine bum checks of rabbits (flystrike risk)
  • Mite checks, especially after winter housing changes. Frequent scratching, bald patches, excess dandruff, shaking ears
  • Flea checks - look for dark debris in fur which could be flea poo
  • use fly screens on open doors/windows where appropriate to reduce fly access
• Consider using a fly strike protector - especially if your little one is elderly, overweight, suffering from illness or disability and may have a tendency for a dirty bottom. A fly strike protector will help either prevent fly eggs from hatching or kill maggots once they have hatched (depending on the products used).
• Parasitic products marketed as 'repellent' will not actively kill or prevent infestation, and only reduce the likelihood of infestation by a small amount. Ensure the products you use for parasite control are both designed specifically for rabbits and other small animals and effective against parasites.
• The Hay Experts Registered Animal Medicines Advisor is on hand to help with any bug related issues your little ones may have.

✅ 4. Diet & Foraging

• Introduce new spring grass and greens slowly (including dandelion, fresh herbs, and fresh veg). Spring produce is significantly richer in nutrients than at other times of the year, so can cause digestive upset if not introduced slowly.
• Ensure any outdoor grazing is:
  • Pesticide-free
  • Gradual (to avoid digestive upset)
  • Away from other grazing animals or where wildlife may have access to, for disease control
  • Free from toxic spring flowers (typically bulb-based, such as snowdrops, daffodils etc)
• If you're concerned about the suitability of your grassed area for your little ones to consume, grass grazing trays are cheap and easy to create - all you need are some shallow trays, soil, grass seeds, sun and a bit of watering. Make several and you can swap them out as the grass gets munched!

☀️ SUMMER CARE

✅ 1. Heat Management

Small pets cannot cope with high heat (especially guinea pigs and rabbits).

Keep temps ideally below 21–24°C for rabbits
Below 26°C for guinea pigs

During warmer weather you must provide:

• Shade 100% of the day
• Cool areas, which could be:
  • ceramic tiles
  • Frozen water bottles wrapped in towels
  • Pet safe Ice Pods
• Good ventilation (never direct drafts)

Overheating is a medical emergency; heat-stoke can kill. If you suspect your little one may be suffering from heatstroke, seek medical advice from a veterinarian as an emergency.

✅ 2. Hydration

• Add extra water bottles/bowls. Most small animals find drinking from a bowl is more natural, and usually can achieve better hydration as a result. If your little ones only use a bottle, consider offering a safe, suitable bowl as well and see what they prefer to use.
• Wet leafy greens lightly before offering.
• Change water at least daily to ensure there is always a fresh supply.

✅ 3. Flystrike Vigilance (Rabbits)

At least daily checks of:

• Tail area
• Fur matting
• Any wounds or soiling
• Deep-clean housing more frequently in hot weather.

Flies can lay eggs extremely quickly and, if conditions are right, they can hatch within a number of hours. If your little one has eggs, or maggots on them, remove all you can see with tweezers or a comb and seek veterinarian help as an emergency. Do not try and wash them off as this may make it more difficult to find and remove them all. Once hatched, maggots can do a huge amount of damage to your little ones; this is extremely painful and can lead to death if not fully treated by a veterinarian as quickly as possible. Pain relief and other medical support such as sedation, IV fluids, medication, along with GI and nutritional support may also be required.

✅ 4. Outdoor Runs

• Provide cool shelters inside the run.
• Avoid encouraging activity in the midday heat—best times are early morning and evening.

🍂 AUTUMN CARE

✅ 1. Temperature Drop Prep

• Begin insulating outdoor hutches.
• Add extra bedding (hay).
• Check for drafts and weatherproofing.
• Identify a dry and safe area for rehousing should weather become extreme - consider flooding, high winds, snow and bitter temperatures. Ideal locations include outhouses that can be heated, garage etc or a room in the house that is safe and can be temperature controlled independently to avoid a sudden change in your little ones environmental temperature from very cold to very warm.

✅ 2. Seasonal Shedding

• Another heavy moult—daily brushing helps prevent blockages.
• Moults may stop and start several times depending on the overall weather
• Ensure access to plenty of clean, tasty hay and fresh water - the two best ingredients to help maintain a healthy tummy!

✅ 3. Dietary Adjustments

• Provide more good quality hay to support digestive wellbeing. We advise feeding two or three varieties to maintain interest and ensure supply until the next years' hay harvest.
• Provide bedding hay and straw to support thermoregulation - ensure it is topped up daily to give enough to burrow in, and any soiled areas removed.
• Ensure higher-fibre forage mixes (herbs, leaves) are in good supply to maintain a high fibre diet and encourage activity for health and environmental enrichment.

✅ 4. Immune Support

• Stress from temperature swings affects immunity - keep their area within a narrow and suitable temperature range.
• Keep routines stable.
• Avoid sudden housing changes unless absolutely necessary for weather related issues.

✅ 5. Lighting Changes

Shorter days = potential behavioural shift.

• Some rabbits may be less active.
• Maintain exercise time with indoor run spaces if possible and maintain interaction for their emotional wellbeing and to ensure any issues can be identified and addressed quickly

❄️ WINTER CARE

✅ 1. Warm, Dry, Draft-Free Housing

Outdoor pets need:

• Waterproof covers
• Windbreaks
• Deep bedding (hay, straw > wood shavings, cleaned daily)
• Raised hutches off cold ground
• Water supply that does not freeze

Never fully seal ventilation.
Condensation will lead to respiratory issues, build up of mould, parasites and other issues.

✅ 2. Keep Water from Freezing

• Use bottle covers
• Swap bottles frequently
• Provide bowls in addition (freeze more slowly)
• Provide some low-level safe heating source in very cold weather - this can be as simple as a pet-safe microwave heat pad, or background heater if there is an electricity supply - ensure all cables are out of reach!

✅ 3. Increased Calorie Needs

• Outdoor rabbits & guinea pigs burn more energy keeping warm.
• Offer:
  • Extra hay
  • Slightly increased pellets (don’t overdo it)
  • Winter-safe forages
  • Don't feed junk!
• Monitor weight and body condition to ensure weight is maintained.

✅ 4. Indoor Pets

• Avoid housing near:
  • Radiators
  • Fires
  • Very dry air - can trigger respiratory issues.

✅ 5. Exercise Matters

Outdoor runs may be too wet/cold. Provide an indoor playpen for movement. Some rabbits may want to explore snow, others may not. If they do, keep access time short and ensure they are dried off and have access to a warm area afterwards.

🐹 SPECIES‑SPECIFIC NOTES

🐰 Rabbits

• Highly heat-sensitive → special summer care
• High flystrike risk (spring–summer)
• Require more space all year round for proper digestive health

🐹 Guinea Pigs

• Even more sensitive to cold than rabbits
• Should not be kept outdoors in harsh UK winters
• Prone to heatstroke → lots of summer cooling essential

🐭 Hamsters, Gerbils, Mice & Rats

• Avoid temperature extremes year‑round
• Ensure bedding appropriate for seasonal nesting
• Ventilation is vital (especially in summer)

🦔 Hedgehogs (African Pygmy, not wild)

• Must be kept warm (22–27°C)
• Never allowed to hibernate

📌 Quick Seasonal Checklist