Exotic pets including rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, and birds are prey species that hide pain, making welfare assessment challenging and pain often going unrecognized until severe.
Exotic companion animals are at higher welfare risk from unrecognized pain because their natural prey-species stoicism means suffering is easily overlooked. Owners and even veterinarians unfamiliar with species-specific pain indicators may miss significant suffering. Advances in species-specific grimace scales and behavioral pain indicators have improved exotic animal pain assessment substantially. However, access to exotic animal specialists varies widely, and many exotic pet owners lack the knowledge to recognize when their animals are in pain. Education is the primary lever for improving welfare in this population.