Collecting diagnostically adequate volumes of blood from small mammal patients is often challenging due to small peripheral veins that easily collapse and variability in jugular vein location across species. Consequently, the cranial vena cava is frequently used for venipuncture. A major disadvantage of cranial vena cava venipuncture is the inability to place digital pressure at the site following needle removal, impacting local hemostasis. In ferrets, the cranial vena cava is long, and access to the vessel, at the junction of the first rib and manubrium, is located far from the heart itself. In other exotic companion mammal species, however, the cardiac atria are located close to this same access point. This proximity of the heart to the vascular access point increases the risk of inadvertent cardiac puncture if an inappropriate needle angle is used. An alternative approach is the proximal jugular venipuncture technique, originally described in the four-toed hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris). This method utilizes an increased needle angle to avoid entrance into the thoracic cavity, removing the risk of cardiac damage and permitting application of pressure for hemostasis. The needle is inserted at 90° to the skin surface at the junction of the manubrium and the insertion of the clavicle or first rib, depending on species. The author has used the proximal jugular venipuncture technique to successfully collect adequate volumes of blood in a variety of small mammal species. This presentation discusses how to utilize this technique in exotic companion mammals to increase venipuncture success.