An independent guide for people who love small pets
Europe alone has about 24.7 million[1] pet small mammals, and their owners often find aftercare advice written only for cats and dogs. We set out to change that, honestly.
- Independent: we don't run crematoria
- Every figure linked to its source
- Free to ask, no obligation to book
Who we are
A guide and request service, not a crematorium
This site is an independent guide to aftercare for rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, chinchillas, hedgehogs and similar small companions. We explain the choices, publish the prices and research we can find, and pass your request to providers who serve your area. We don't own a crematorium, a cemetery, a vehicle or a clinic, and we won't pretend to.
When you send us your pet's details, our team reads them and replies by email with the options available near you, and prices where providers publish or share them. You're free to contact a provider directly, ask us more questions or do nothing at all. Using the guide costs you nothing.
We're part of a small network of specialist aftercare guides. Hamsters, rats, mice and gerbils have a sister site of their own, because a 100 g hamster raises different practical questions from a 2 kg rabbit. If you're not sure which one fits your pet, write to us and we'll point you the right way.
Why this guide exists
Why rabbits, guinea pigs and ferrets need their own advice
Small mammals are not rare pets. Among US households with small animals, the American Pet Products Association reports that 37%[2] have a rabbit, with guinea pigs close behind. Yet most aftercare pages talk about lifting a heavy dog or choosing between four urn sizes, none of which helps when a guinea pig has died overnight and a seven-year-old is asking questions.
Their owners face specific things: a bonded partner who may stop eating, a garden grave that is realistic in a way it isn't for a Great Dane, a disease like RHDV2 that affects what you do with the body, and very small amounts of ash. Our services page and the guide to bonded-pair survivor care come from those questions rather than a dog template.
~290,000[3]
Step by step
What happens after you send us a request
- You tell us the basics. Species, rough weight, your town or postcode, and whether you want ashes back. Anything else is optional.
- We look at who serves your area. That can include independent crematoria, vet-linked services and, where relevant, pet cemeteries.
- We reply by email. You'll get the options we found, what each includes and prices where we have them, plus the questions worth asking.
- You decide. Book directly with a provider, ask us to clarify something, or take your time. Nobody should rush you.
We can't promise a particular provider has space on a particular day, and we don't quote on their behalf. What we can do is save you from ringing round while you're upset. In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority found that 89%[4] of owners who bought a cremation never compared providers, often because it felt like too much at the time.
Where our facts come from
How we research prices, lifespans and rules
Figures on this site come from published sources: veterinary record studies, government agencies, national surveys and providers' own price lists. The UK lifespan figures for rabbits and guinea pigs, for instance, come from VetCompass studies of real vet records, such as the study of pet rabbit deaths in England and a matching study of UK guinea pigs. Every figure carries a footnote so you can check it, and our research page lists the sources in one place.
Some numbers are our own calculations, such as the 74 g[5] of ash we'd expect from a median-weight pet rabbit. Those are labelled "our estimate", show which facts they were built from, and are there to help you plan, not to replace a provider's quote.
Editorial standards
How we write about something this painful
We write for people who are grieving or expecting to. That means plain words, practical steps and no pressure to spend more than you want to. A garden burial or a communal cremation is a loving goodbye, and we'll tell you so. In the UK, only 47%[6] of cremation buyers remembered being told about a range of options including home burial, and we think every owner should hear them all.
Our tools show their working, and our reader polls are clearly presented as live opinion rather than research. Pages are reviewed and dated, and when a source changes we update the figure. If something here is wrong or out of date, please tell us through the contact page.
When your small pet died, did your vet explain the aftercare options?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
When your small pet died, did your vet explain the aftercare options?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Which small companion are you thinking about today?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Did you (or would you) compare more than one provider?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Questions people ask
Do you perform cremations yourselves?
No. We're an independent guide and request service. We explain the options, publish the research and prices we can find, and email you details of providers who serve your area. The cremation itself is carried out by the provider you choose, and you book with them directly.
Does it cost anything to use this guide?
No. Reading the guide, using the tools and sending us a request are all free, and there's no obligation to book anything. You only pay the provider you choose, and only if you go ahead. We always list communal cremation and home burial alongside the pricier options, so you can see the full range.
Why is there a separate site for hamsters and rats?
Because the practical questions differ. A hamster may weigh a hundred grams and return almost no visible ash, while a rabbit or ferret returns a few tablespoons and fits normal small-pet price tiers. Splitting the guides keeps the advice specific instead of vague for everyone.
Can I suggest a correction or a source?
Please do. If a price, rule or figure looks wrong for your area, or you know of a better study, send it through the contact form. We check it against the original source, update the page if needed and change the review date so readers know it's current.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] Europe has about 24.7 million pet small mammals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters. FEDIAF European Pet Food, Facts & Figures 2025 (2023 data), 2023.
- [2] 37% of US small-animal-owning households have a rabbit, 23% a guinea pig and 18% a hamster. American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 National Pet Owners Survey release, 2025.
- [3] Roughly 290,000 pet rabbits and guinea pigs may die in the UK each year (~116,000 rabbits, ~174,000 guinea pigs). Our estimate: UK rabbits (500k)/4.3 yrs + UK guinea pigs (700k)/4.03 yrs. How we calculate.
- [4] 89% of UK owners who bought a pet cremation did not compare different providers; 9% did. UK Competition and Markets Authority - Veterinary services for household pets, Provisional decision report Part A (Oct 2025), 2025.
- [5] A median-weight adult pet rabbit (2.1 kg) would be expected to return about 74 g (2.6 oz) of cremated remains. Our estimate: 2,100 g x 3.5%. How we calculate.
- [6] Fewer than half (47%) of UK cremation buyers recalled being told about a range of options, including communal cremation or home burial. UK Competition and Markets Authority - Veterinary services for household pets, Provisional decision report Part A (Oct 2025), 2025.
Ask us about your small pet's aftercare
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.