Keeping Things Clean -
    Cleanliness is obviously an important thing!  How clean are things required to be?  Well, partially it depends on you; "neat-freaks" are always going to keep things cleaner than people like me, for instance!  Rodents are all-around clean little critters (contrary to popular believe), just so long as you keep up your part of the job; keeping their environment clean.

• First, water should be changed everyday; water bottles *can* be left much longer (a help if you're going to be gone for a weekend vacation, for instance), but should not be; to make sure you don't break your habit, try only filling the water bottle halfway or so!  Water bottles should be thoroughly scrubbed with soap and water about once a week; you can buy water bottle brushes, to get to the inside of the bottle, at most pet shops.
• While you're scrubbing the water bottle, also do the food dish.  This tends not to get as dirty (depending on the individual critters) and is also not quite as prone to becoming a breeding ground for bacteria which usually prefer damp areas, so you don't have to do it everyday; once a week is enough.
• The cage should also be cleaned once a week, although this is a rough estimate; obviously, more animals in a smaller cage will require having their cage cleaned more often as there will be more mess in a smaller space.  Also, some rodents are messier than others; gerbils are the least messy, and will not require cage cleanings so often.

• Eyes, ears, nose: Any discharge from these is bad.  Eyes should be bright, not dull, nose and ears should be dry.  The ears should be pink (except in gerbils which have furry ears), clean, and free of any debris.
• Coat: Should be smooth, not patchy.  Aging animals will sometimes have less lustrous coats, but most animals' coats should have a slight gloss, except of coarse in varieties like Rex.  Young animals will also be "fuzzier" than adults.  Patchy coats and/or excessive scratching can be signs of parasites like fleas or mites.  The skin itself should be pink, and not dry or peeling.
• Droppings: Okay, so maybe you don't want to go searching through the cage looking for droppings so you can check them out!  But do "keep an eye" on them sometimes, so to speak; they should be firm and dark brown.  If the animal ate something brightly colored, the droppings may be a bit colored (my mice ate green parrot pellets and pooped green poop on more than one occasion!), but if you can't find a cause, colored droppings can be a sign of something wrong.  Any blood in the droppings is also a severe sign of something wrong.  Scared animals may poop large, wet, and smelly droppings; this should stop once the animal calms down.
• Habits: Lethargy, which can present itself as unusual tameness or as excessive sleepiness or lack of interest in surroundings is a definate sign behavioral sign of something wrong.  In fact, almost any sudden change of habits or interests can sometimes be signs of something wrong.

• For a list of rodent vets that have been recommended by rodent people, see RMCA's Rodent Vets Page.

Emergencies & First-Aid -

    And then of course, there's always that scary situation in which you don't have a vet immediately available, but your pet needs help immediately.  In general, use your best judgement (and try to stay calm!).  Here's a few of the more likely emergencies:
 

• Any emergencies - First off, your pet is presumably in pain.  Talk softly to it, move slowly, and be aware that this is one of the circumstances that even "non-biting" rodents like rats and mice, may well bite.  As I said, use your best judgement and common sense, and stay as calm as possible.  Also if possible, if in doubt, call the vet and ask for help.
• Bleeding - Depends partially on how and why the animal is bleeding.
• A wound on the body - Caused by fights etc.  If the wound is still actively bleeding, apply pressure to it with a cloth until the bleeding ceases.  Bedding and other debris can be *carefully* cleaned out of the wound with tweezers.  If the wound is very bad or the bleeding won't stop, take the animal to the vet as soon as possible.  If the wound is smaller, wait until the bleeding stops, and keep an eye on the animal for at least an hour afterwords to be sure that it doesn't start up again.  You can clean it with a hydrogen peroxide solution, and continue to keep an eye on it to be sure it doesn't get infected, opened up again, or dirty.
• Cat bites and scratches - Are a special situation.  Cats carry certain bacteria in their saliva, and this is found not only in their mouth but also on their nails (as they clean these with their tongues, of course).  Ever wondered why even slight cat scratches get infected leave scars?  That's why.  Cat bites and scratches should be seen by a vet, even if they're not horribly serious.
• Bleeding from the nails - Sometimes, an animal's nail may catch on something, or you may be clipping the nails (if they're too long or sharp) and accidentally clip too far and cut the "quick" (the vein within the nail).  In either case, the bleeding needs to be stopped.  "Quik-Stop" and similar products are available from pet shops; these can be packed on the nail to stop bleeding.  Be very careful, however, not to get any in the eyes or mouth.  If nothing like this is available, baking flour can be used; while safer in that it doesn't cause problems if it gets in the mouth or eyes, it is also a bit less effective.
• Broken bones - Caused by any number of things (one of my previous rats, Chuck, was actually thrown into a wall... almost miraculously, *all* that was wrong was a broken leg!).  Any bleeding combined with the fracture should of course be stopped (see bleeding, above), but be especially careful to be gentle and not cause any more damage to the bone and surrounding muscle.  Otherwise, keep the animal as still as possible, most especially keep the broken limb as still as possible, and get the animal to a vet.
• Egg-binding - Oops, I guess this doesn't apply here... I think I'm too used to birds! :-)
• Heatstroke - Often caused when a cage is left unintentionally in the sun.  Hot animals will seek shade (even by burrowing under the bedding if nothing else is available), and won't cuddle up near each other (which most rodents would do normally).  Once seriously affected by the heat they will feel hot to the touch; rodents can't pant or sweat, and deal with heat by licking themselves excessively, so they may have excessive saliva.  Even worse is when the animal starts to get weak; the eyes will appear dull; and they will probably lay passively spread out.  Things to do:
• Get them out of the heat, obviously; in an air conditioned room or in front of a fan.
• Spray them with cold water, down to the skin.
• If they're strong enough, allow them to drink; but not more than a few drops at a time.
• There is the danger of shock following heatstroke.  Unless the animal cools down quickly and gets obviously better, it should be taken to the vet.  Afterwords, be very careful about keeping them in the sun!  Rodents, especially rats and mice, are sensitive to the heat.
• Hypothermia - A cold animal will shiver, huddle up near available warmth (including other animals), and feel cool to the touch; that last is the most apparent in very young animals.  Get the animal into a warm room; however, *do not* add too much extra warmth, such as a heating pad; the "outside" layers will warm up faster than the internal organs, and these will not be able to cope with the added demands; the animal could die.  Rather, supply a more passive source of heat; preferably, hold the animal close to your body, under your shirt, until it warms up.  If the animal is very cold or doesn't begin to warm up, take it to the vet.