Customer Q&As

Q A&Customer solutions

Give your mice an active lifestyle! Mice care

How can I help my pet mice settle at home?

Woodgreen say: They absolutely love to climb and explore their surroundings, foraging for food and digging in bedding materials. They need a much more interesting home than a small cage with a house and wheel.

Creating the right environment for your mice

The cage you choose will need space for you to add lots of activities for them to climb and explore. Your mice will also need a fl oor space they can do lots of running around on and bedding that they can dig and forage in.

The ideal cage design for a single or small group of mice

When choosing a cage, remember these minimum sizes: ● Depth: 50cm ● Width: 80cm ● Height: 35cm ● Bar spacing: 6mm is the safest size

Keep your mice happy and occupied

Mice are extremely energetic and agile. They enjoy running across ropes and can manage heights and angles quite well with the aid of their tail. Make sure you provide them with toys and activities to keep them fi t, healthy, and happy. It doesn’t need to be expensive. Homemade items, children’s toys, and even a kitchen roll tube will be much appreciated by your little pet. Your mice will enjoy:

● Plastic or card tunnels and tubes. Some tunnels allow you to build big mazes with them and even a loop-the-loop! ● Card boxes, such as shoe and cereal boxes. ● Children’s toys, such as mini dollhouses and early learning toys, can offer great hiding places and nesting opportunities. ● Wheels — your mouse’s cage doesn’t need one constantly so don’t feel guilty mixing it up. Have it in some weeks, and remove it for a while during others ● Ropes and ladders. These can be purchased or homemade. Even some dog tugger ropes are ideal! ● Plastic houses and hides. ● Hammocks — these can be homemade or purchased ● Apple or willow tree branches and twigs for climbing on.

Choosing the right mouse bedding

The wrong bedding for your mice can have a very negative effect on their health. Wood shavings or sawdust can be extremely harmful to your mouse’s skin and airway, and can give you an allergic reaction too!

Below are bedding materials that are safe for your mouse to snuggle in:

● Small-cut, shredded paper. Easy to use, and best of all, it’s free! Use shredded paper to line the fl oor. ● Finacard. A shredded card material, good for the base of the cage. ● Cardboard squares around 1 cm square, ideal for the base of the cage ● White, soft tissue paper bedding is suitable for mouse bedding. Please avoid the cotton wool type, as this can be dangerous to your mice.

How to clean out your mice

Keeping your mouse cage clean is key to preventing serious health conditions, such as respiratory problems.

Mice, in particular males, can be very messy and will generally not choose a main toilet area. To help keep the odour at bay, use a small dustpan and brush or damp cloth to remove excessive build-ups of wee and poo daily.

Carry out a full clean of the entire enclosure once a week, ensuring you also clean all toys and activities with pet-friendly disinfectant. Take the opportunity to add a few new toys in the cage for interest, like a new apple branch or box for your mice to explore.

WoodgreenPets Charity helps pets and people at every step of the way. As well as being a safe haven for vulnerable pets in need of urgent care and a loving new home, Woodgreen provides expert advice and hands-on support to petowners in need of a guiding hand. With almost 100 years’ experience in rehabilitating and rehoming pets, the charity is committed to making sure that pets have the best lives possible. This vital work is only possible thanks to the generosity of supporters. Find out how you can make a difference to pets in need at woodgreen.org.uk

Dog health Hind leg lameness

I have a Scottish Terrier-cross. He’s very fi t and happy and enjoys two walks a day. However, I have noticed that when he is on his walks he sometimes ‘skips’ and carries his left hind leg as if he is avoiding putting any weight on it. He doesn’t seem to be in any pain though,

Certain small breeds, such as the or much bothered by it. Should I get him checked over Yorkshire Terrier, may be more by my vet? prone to a luxating patella. Vicky says: This sounds like a luxating patella. Your vet can assess the severity of the problem and whether surgery would be advisable for your dog.

When a dog’s kneecap moves out of its normal location, it is known as a luxating patella (luxating meaning ‘out of place’ or ‘dislocated’). The owner of an affected dog may notice a skip in their dog’s step or see their dog run on three legs. Then, suddenly, he will be back on all four legs as if nothing has happened. The condition is graded from 1 to 4, depending on its severity. Sometimes a luxating patella can be treated with physical therapy and medication. However, surgery may be necessary if your dog’s condition is severe and causes him signifi cant pain.

Cat behaviour Feline separation anxiety

Do cats get separation anxiety? During lockdown, I began working from home and spent lots more time with my cat. I’ve since returned to the offi ce a couple of days a week and it seems to have affected my cat. She seems more anxious when I am not around and shows more destructive behaviours — not major damage, but she never, ever does any damage usually. Could it be me heading back to work? She seems fi ne when I am around.

Clare says: I must admit I used to be sceptical about the existence of separation anxiety in cats. That was until I came back from holiday several years ago to fi nd that my Siamese cat Jimmy had pulled a big patch of his fur out! Research has since demonstrated the existence of feline anxiety and has helped increase our understanding of it. However, it’s also important for us not to be too quick to label a cat as suffering from ‘separation anxiety’ when his behaviour could equally be attributed to another cause.

If your cat is naturally clingy, follows you from room to room, and generally insists on being with you at all times, it is possible that he might perform behaviours consistent with separation anxiety when you’re not at home. These include soiling, especially on items associated with your scent; urine spraying; over-grooming, and destructive behaviour.

On the other hand, going back to work after an extended period at home might just

Scared of big dogs

Our small Cockerpoo is nearly four years old. She has always been very friendly towards people, but a little more wary around other dogs. Recently, however, she has started to show aggression towards bigger dogs, even though they do not appear to be threatening in any way. This is not like her and we cannot think of any specifi c incident that might have triggered the behaviour. What should we do?

Dog behaviour

Tamsin says: Firstly, if your dog is showing aggression, I would suggest trying to avoid her seeing or being in close proximity to bigger dogs for the time being, and instead reward her for relaxed behaviour from a distance. For some reason she is fi nding being near to bigger dogs scary, and likely responding through aggressive behaviour to defend herself and get them to move away.

There are many things that can infl uence your dog’s behaviour to change suddenly — it could be something like a bad experience with other or larger dogs, which has frightened her, or it might be that she has learned that the more subtle signs (you mentioned she was always a little wary) have escalated over time. Sudden behaviour change can also be impacted by internal factors, such as pain or your dog’s health.

I’d suggest taking your dog to see your vet to rule out any underlying health or pain issue, which may be contributing to her behaviour. If she gets the all clear and you are still unable to fi gure out what’s triggering her response, it would be useful to get in touch with an accredited clinical animal behaviourist to determine what she may be responding to in order to help her feel more relaxed around large dogs in future.

Tamsin Durston is a canine behaviour offi cer in Dogs Trust’s canine behaviour and research team.

Little dogs will sometimes use aggression to get larger dogs to move away.

Cat-friendly garden Cat care

I’ve just moved into a I’ j t d i t new house and with summer coming, I want to make my garden cat friendly. What sort of things would you recommend I include?

A few additions can make your garden a paradise for your cat

Clare says: Moving into a new home can present a wonderful opportunity for making a new garden interesting, exciting, and safe for your cat. So, here are some ideas for creating the perfect cat-friendly outdoor space.

For me, the fi rst priority should be to look at what you can do to ensure your cat feels safe outside, and one way to do this is to provide him with camoufl age. A big expanse of bare lawn might suit some people, but for cats it means they can be easily seen by cats lurking nearby. Breaking the space up with pot plants, shrubs, raised fl ower beds, and garden ornaments will give your cat something to hide behind as he moves from place to place.

A high perch will also increase your cat’s sense of security and offer him a vantage point from which to survey his territory. A garden table or chair, an easily accessible shed roof, or even an outdoor cat activity centre are all good examples. Any vertical surfaces, such as wooden fence panels or timber offcuts, will make for lovely scratching posts and give your cat another way to deposit his scent around his territory.

Giving your cat a dedicated outdoor toilet will not only help avoid rifts with the neighbours but, if dug in a sheltered location and fi lled with compost and sandpitquality sand, it should provide your cat with a comfortable outdoor toileting experience. Discourage other cats that may be using your garden as a thoroughfare by blocking up any holes in fences and hedges.

Having shady areas will keep your cat more comfortable in warm weather. Natural shade created by bushes and trees is ideal as it allows air to circulate freely, providing a welcome breeze. Be aware of how the sun moves throughout the day to ensure your cat always has a shady spot to sit in.

Likewise, it’s a good idea to make sure your cat has a rainproof shelter should the weather take a turn for the worse. Cats like to chew on grass, possibly as an aid to expel furballs. So, if your garden is more patio than grass, why not give your cat an a la carte salad bar by growing cat grass and catmint from seed. And if you’re looking for ideas for cat friendly plants, I’d advise researching reputable sites, such as www.yourcat.co.uk.

Chlorine-fl avoured water, such as that which cats have indoors, doesn’t necessarily make for an enjoyable drinking experience, but a stone or ceramic container that’s allowed to fi ll with tasty rainwater is more likely to hit the spot. I hope you have lots of fun creating a garden that your cat loves being in!

Clare Hemington DipCAPBT is an accredited feline behaviourist. She has a cat behaviour referrals practice and runs her Honeysuckle Cat Toys business with the help of her Siamese, Billy. You can fi nd out more from her website: www.honeysucklecattoys.co.uk

represent a change in his routine, and without you as chief entertainment offi cer he is now bored and looking for ways to fi ll his time.

Giving him opportunities to be challenged and stimulated in your absence, such as those listed below, should help to reduce his destructive behaviour while keeping him distracted, entertained, and anxiety-free.

A tall multi-level cat tree by a window will offer him a safe vantage point from where he can view the outdoor action. And strategically placed scratching posts and mats should help prevent damage to furniture. Just before you leave, place tasty treats around the home for him to ‘forage’ for. For an extra challenge, you can place them in cardboard tubes, egg boxes, paper bags, or cereal boxes. Likewise, feeding time can be made more fun by leaving his dry food in interactive Leave your cat with lots feeders. Leave him two or three different toys each day of varying sizes, textures, and scents, and if you can of enrichment when you’re out the house. fi nd time for an interactive play session with him before you leave, all the better! A heated pet pad or radiator hammock can help your cat feel calm and relaxed in your absence. Some owners leave the radio on in the background to help muffl e any outside noises that might make your cat feel anxious, or you could try one of the videos made specifi cally for cats to watch.

Diffusers containing feline pheromone or essential oils may help to reduce anxiety. Cats are very sensitive to how their owners are feeling and if you’re upset about leaving, the chances are this will project onto your cat. So, try to avoid making a fuss of him when you leave and make your departure more laid-back. The same goes for your arrival back home, a brief, casual greeting is usually best. I hope this gives you some reassurance and ideas to help mitigate the destructiveness.

Clare Hemington DipCAPBT is an accredited feline behaviourist. She has a cat behaviour referrals practice and runs her Honeysuckle Cat Toys business with the help of her Siamese, Billy. You can fi nd out more from her website: www.honeysucklecattoys.co.uk

Quick-fi re dog questions

What is the prognosis if a dog ruptures a cruciate ligament?

The cruciate ligament stabilises the stifl e (knee) joint. It can rupture under extreme strain, but most cases in dogs are degenerative, fi nally snapping after a slow deterioration. Larger, active dogs usually require surgery to stabilise the joint, while some small dogs will recover with rest and rehab, but all cases are likely to suffer from arthritis later on. Most dogs recover well after surgery, particularly if they get good post-op rehab, but if there was degenerative disease, the other leg is often affected and may rupture within 18 months. Weight control, physio, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, and laser treatment can help with recovery and may protect the other joint.

What is swimmer’s tail?

This condition tends to mainly affect active, working dogs with long, strong, muscular tails, particularly those who enjoy spending a lot of time in water. The dog’s tail will typically hang limp or stick out straight for an inch or two from the base, before hanging limp. The dog may have diffi culty sitting and may show obvious signs of pain such as panting or whining. Other symptoms may include diffi culty in defecating, loss of appetite, and swelling at the base of the tail. Generally, the condition should clear up of its own accord and can be managed at home, but you should check with your vet fi rst to ensure the symptoms don’t indicate anything more serious.

Can dogs be afraid of the dark? My normally calm Lab pants constantly at night and climbs all over me.

Anxiety at night could be the result of an association formed by the dog due to previous negative experiences — fi reworks perhaps or a traumatic event your dog experienced when alone at night. The help of a suitably qualifi ed behaviourist may be required to get to the bottom of this and identify the reasons behind this change in behaviour. Try leaving a night light on or look at ways in which you can adapt your dog’s sleeping arrangements to increase her feeling of safety at night.

How important is it to exercise your dog’s brain?

Very — particularly for clever dogs and herding breeds. As dog trainer Graeme Sims explained: “a stroll around the block is comparable to saying to Einstein: ‘Did you know one and one is two?’ and then wondering why the dog is frustrated!”

Is there any way to keep a white coat white?

Discoloration of a dog’s coat can occur for many reasons: dietary, skin problems, urine stains, and genetics to name a few. If your dog is relatively young and healthy, look at diet and shampoos. A raw or low-protein diet is excellent to maintain a healthy skin and coat. Try contacting your breeder for advice, who may be able to recommend one of the many whitening shampoos available.