Bedding in the small animal tanks should be clean and dry, showing no evidence of old food or solid waste. Although the cedar that is used for small animal bedding has a distinctive odor of its own, it should not have the pungent smell of urine, feces, or spoiled food.

Small animals and birds should be kept in enclosures large enough to provide them with some room to exercise their limbs. In addition, all small animal and bird enclosures should provide an “enriched environment” of interactive toys, such as exercise wheels, tunnels, swings, and mirrors to prevent boredom.

Birds should have a smooth and sleek appearance; their feathers should be clean and dry. Birds with a persistently “fluffed up” appearance may have mites or skin conditions. Birds with wet feathers at the base of their tails may also be ill. Some missing feathers are normal if the bird is molting.