Small Mammal Insurance
Small pets like rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, or chinchillas are super popular as first pets, especially for kids, because of their small size and sweet nature. But while they don’t cost much to buy, their tiny size can make vet care trickier and more expensive than people expect.
Taking care of your small pet isn’t just about giving them the right food and environment. You also need to be ready for any health issues that might pop up. Even little problems can require specialised (and costly) care. Pet insurance can cover those surprise vet bills so your pet can get the care they need to stay happy and healthy.
Read the list of small mammals we can cover.
How much does small mammal insurance cost?
The cost of small mammal insurance really depends on the type of pet you’ve got.
Take a cross-bread guinea pig, for example. If you paid around £30 for one, insuring it would cost about £16.87 a month for £2,000 of vet fee cover each year. (Prices accurate as of July 2025)
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Why choose ExoticDirect?
– Specialist exotic pet insurance providers since 1996
– We can pay your vet directly
– We’re a friendly UK based team
What age can I insure my small mammal
This varies dependant on pet type. For the most part, we insure small mammals from 8 weeks and upwards but for more information on your specific pet type, read our policy documents.
Can you insure small mammals who have recently been unwell?
If your small pet has been to the vet for an illness or injury in the last 3 months, we won’t be able to insure them just yet.
But once they’ve been treatment-free for 3 months and are healthy, you’ll be able to get them insured. Just make sure they’re fit and well when you take out the policy.
Keep in mind, pre-existing conditions won’t be covered for the first 12 months. After that, we can consider covering them depending on the policy terms and conditions.
What small mammal pet insurance do you offer?
Other small mammals we can cover include:
– Hamsters
– Gerbils
– Chinchillas
– Rats and mice
– Ferrets
– Chipmunks
– Degus
– Goats
– Pigs
– Llamas and alpacas
– Skunks
– Meerkats
– Lemurs
– Marmosets
– Tamarins
Caring for your small mammal
Small mammal care depends on what type of small mammal you own and even then, there’s different nuances dependant on the breed.
Syrian hamsters are solitary and should be housed individually whereas other hamster breeds such as Roborovskis are best housed in pairs.
Other considerations you’ll need to consider will be diet and ensuring your small mammal gets variety using the right type of food. Our guinea pig diet guide is designed to help guinea pig owners. Alongside this, housing set up will be another key consideration with pets such as guinea pigs having a variety of bedding options available such as fleece, paper bedding or wood shavings.
Furthermore, some small mammals require additional exercise options outside of their cage. Ensuring you have a safe and secure space where your small mammal can get further exercise ideally at least once per day outside of their hutch or cage is incredibly important.
Small mammal care however involves far more than this. Caring for their health is incredibly important too. Conditions to watch out for include GI statis (the slowing of passage of food through the GI tract) which can affect a large number of small mammals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas.
Signs of illness in small mammals is varied from a sluggish appearance, abnormal breathing, diarrhea and liquid coming from the eyes or nose. Any sign of illness should not be ignored and you should consult a vet as soon as you can to ensure your small mammal gets the care they require.