SMALL ANIMALS

We are very well known for our small furries which include hamsters, gerbils, mice, rabbits and guinea pigs.

We breed our own mice and the vast majority of our rabbits and guinea pigs. This section is looked after by a team of friendly staff led by Sarah, who has a great interest in the rabbits and guineas, having exhibited them for over 40 years.

We normally stock Syrian and Dwarf hamsters, gerbils and fancy exhibition type mice in chocolate, tan and tri-coloureds.

Our rabbits are always very popular; in general we stock Netherland Dwarfs, Mini Lops, Dwarf Lops, Mini Rex and Dutch.

Quite often you will be able to see the babies with Mum whilst they are growing on.

With the guinea pigs we have lots of different breeds normally available, such as Teddies, Rex, Alpacas, Peruvians, Crested, Self, and occasionally Dalmatians and Roans.

Our small furries are bred and raised in the UK - you won't find any that have been imported from abroad.

From Small Animals

Latest Posts

Read the latest updates, care tips and helpful advice from our Small Animals section.

We Asked 100 Customers Their Biggest Pet Regret — The Answers Were Eye-Opening

Pet owner reflection Paradise Pets Swindon

From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold small animals and birds at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of conversations with customers, both before they bought their pet and sometimes, years later, after things had not gone quite as they expected. Last autumn he did something he … Read more

Your Guinea Pig Is Talking to You: 7 Sounds and What They Really Mean

guinea pig sounds what they mean

From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold guinea pigs at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with these animals. Guinea pigs are among the most vocal small animals he stocks, and the most consistently misunderstood. This guide covers the seven sounds you are most … Read more

Why Rabbits Hate Being Picked Up — And What to Do Instead

UK rabbit relaxed ground floor time owner bonding trust

From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold rabbits at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of helping UK families understand and care for these often-misunderstood animals. In that time, the single most common disappointment he hears from owners is that their rabbit “does not like being held.” … Read more

Gerbil or Hamster? The Honest Answer Depends on One Thing About You

pet shop small animals healthy housing welfare standards UK

From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold both gerbils and hamsters at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of helping UK families decide between these two small animals that look similar at first glance but actually live very different lives. This is his honest, practical guide on … Read more

The Rabbit Hutch Mistake Almost Every First-Time Owner Makes

From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold rabbits and small animals at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience watching UK families bring rabbits home and then come back, sometimes weeks later, sometimes years later, with the same difficult realisation. This is his honest, practical … Read more

The 60p Mistake That Shortens Most Pet Hamsters’ Lives

Dangerous UK fluffy hamster bedding warning small pet care

From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold hamsters and small animals at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with these animals. In that time, he has seen the same heartbreaking situation play out hundreds of times — a UK family loses their hamster much … Read more

First Week With a New Guinea Pig: The Hour-by-Hour Guide Nobody Gives You

new guinea pig settling in first week

From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold guinea pigs at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of watching what happens in the first days after a guinea pig goes to a new home. The first week is the most critical period in the animal’s settling process — … Read more

What Your Hamster’s Sleeping Position Says About How It’s Feeling

From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold hamsters at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with these animals. How a hamster sleeps is one of the most consistent indicators of how it is actually feeling. This is his guide to reading those signals accurately. … Read more

The Hidden Danger in Your Garden That Sends Rabbits to the Vet Every Summer

rabbit flystrike UK garden danger summer paradise pets

From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has been keeping, breeding, and selling rabbits at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of daily first-hand experience with these animals and the people who keep them. Every summer, without exception, he sees rabbits brought in or hears from owners whose rabbits have died from … Read more

How to Keep Rabbits and Guinea Pigs Safe in a UK Heatwave — A Pet Shop Owner’s Checklist

From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold rabbits and guinea pigs at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of watching UK summers become warmer and more unpredictable, and over 35 years of receiving distressed phone calls from owners who did not act early enough when the temperature … Read more