This care sheet concerns the general care of animals of the order Rodentia, a category encompassing a wide variety of animals including mice, rats, gerbils, chinchillas, chipmunks, guinea pigs (cavies), hamsters, jerboas, jirds, prairie dogs, and squirrels, just to name a few. Before you make the decision to keep a certain type of animal, you should research it thoroughly. You may also wish to consult a veterinarian or another person who has owned this animal before in order to further educate yourself. In this manner, you can be fairly sure that you will be able to care for the animal correctly and that you can enjoy your pet.

For the purposes of brevity, all animals covered in this care sheet will be henceforth referred to as rodents. Although the care of many rodents is quite similar, different types of rodents are likely to have different care requirements. In addition to this document, you should consult your animal's specific care information on the CentralPets.com website.

Part Two - Housing