whats the best type of rodent to keep as a pet?
On July - 26 - 2010
and why? pleaase no answers saying a chinchilla, rabbit, or a ferret. cause my parents will not go for them. lol.
best answer for person decribing why the animal is best.
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Jen A Says:
It all really depends on what kind of animal you want. There are many good options.
If you want an animal that is a social animal (meaning you get more than one of it), then you may want dwarf hamsters, mice, rats, gerbils, or degus.
Dwarf hamsters are small, and can live in same sex groups (mainly female though) as long as they are from the same litter (to avoid having to do introductions). They are small and because of this there are many cute accessories that you can get for them. Their cage doesnt have to be too large but you need to buy a special cage for them since they can slip through normal sized bars. There are many different kinds and colors such as cambells, russian whites, and many more. It is possible to litter train them but it takes a lot of time. They sometimes bite and its possible to get ones with not a great personality, although most can be tamed quite easily. They are noctornal so they are awake at night.
Mice are like dwarf hamsters in a way, they come in many colors although the main colors you see are white or spotted. They can live together in small groups of the same sex, and its best when you buy them from the same litter. They chew a bit more than hamsters so you need to check their cage regularly to make sure they dont chew themselves out. People often house them in aquariums because of this, and like dwarfs they need special cages because of the bars. They dont tend to bite much from experience. They tend to do best when housed with another mouse.
Rats are quite larger than mice but have a great personality. They never bite, are quite social, love to cuddle and come out and play. Also, they often tend to wake up for periods during the day to play as well as in the middle of the night. They need a large cage (at least 2×2x2 for each rat). You will also need to get them a pure metal cage as to make sure they dont chew their way out. They can be litter trained after some effort and dont smell. They will need pleanty of chewing material to keep their teeth down. Its often better to feed them non-store bought rat food, ie suebees mix from the rat fan club.
Gerbils are great animals, they wake up at all points in the day and can be housed together. They have long tails which causes them to need special wheels. They are usually housed in aquariums because they can chew their way out of plastic cages very quickly. Its often best to get a same sex couple from the same litter. They love to dig and chew, so they require digging pits usually. Also, they require dust baths to clean themselves (although this is not required too often). They dont bite too often, but some can be nippy, they are quite active as well and often when holding them they try and run. They can jump and are quite smart so they require a sequre lid on any cage/tank.
Degus are great creatures and described as the poor mans chinchilla. They do best in same sex pairs but require a lot of space to run and jump. They dont usually like being picked up and held a lot but often there is the odd one that enjoys it. You need to get their nails trimmed regularly because they grow very long. They are classed as an exotic pet, and because of this there are not too many products on the market for them. They often use most of the same things as chinchillas (such as the cage, platforms, chews etc.) and they require special diets. Their food is usually a mix of chinchilla food and guineapig food. They are hard to sex so often you get a male/female pair. Also, they get diabetes quite easily so you cannot feed them much fruit or suggary foods.
And lastly, if you want just one pet, I would suggest a syrian hamster. They are great animals and very popular as a first pet. They can be housed in ‘cute’ cages such as habitrail or crittertrail, they also tend to chew so they require chew sticks. They also are noctornal so if you cant stay up till at least 10pm they are not the greatest pet. They often bite but can be tamed quite easily.
I wish you luck on finding your pet! (I have had all mentioned, and love them all, its all personal preference.)
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
sispumbaa Says:
Ferrets aren’t rodents anyways.
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Argenis G Says:
hamsters since they are easy to care for. their nice and furry and their little faces will make you very happy. they can be tamed and be tolerant of being handled and they will be fun to watch if you decide to buy them tubes. hamsters are great
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Sweet_One Says:
Gerbil they don’t smell as much as ferrets and their smaller and easier to take care of!
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
bluenjet Says:
A Rat, they are super intelligent and can be taught tricks. Plus, they come in different colours (not just sewer brown) with long hair, short hair, super soft hair etc. etc. I had a pet rat called Tiger, he was brill, he used to slide down the stair rail and drink tea. He used to think I was his mom and would pine while I was out. He was basically just like a dog but smaller.
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
lovethehammies Says:
I personally like hamsters, but that is just me.
I like them because they don’t have a freakish long tail like rats or mice and they all have different personalities. I like them because they are soft and cuddley yet playful and jumpy. I think hamsters make a great pet if you know how to treat them. I like hamsters because they learn who "you" are and they know your touch and your voice. They are fun to be with unlike a fish. You can play with them outside or buy them stuff or refurnish their house or whatever. They are very people-friendly (that usually depends though, because they all have different personalities). They are pretty low maintnence, they don’t require baths or walks (they do require exersize though). They are overall just great pets.
If this is an issue about finding a pet that your parents will let you have then here are some ideas:
Tell them that you are ready for the responsibilities.
Tell them that you will pay for half.
Tell them what you are willing to give up.
Good luck with getting a pet, the rewards will be great!
From Macaroni and Me
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
TJ Says:
Yes, defianeltely a rat…they don’t stink if you use Carefresh bedding, don’t bite ever, are intellegent, friendly and very like to get out for social time.
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Sylvia W Says:
Well…. I guess I would say a hamster. they don’t spell unless you don’t clean their cage. their small and lovable. and their easy to tame( I think). Check it up on books.
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
super_pet_freak Says:
a hamster. because they are little but still very freindly and furry and there a nice companion and dont bite after theyre tamed witch doesnt really take long to do. like i said they are GREAT companions. if you do decide to get one, i would suggest getting a female from petsmart becasuse they only sell females so you cant get a pregnant one. or if you cant get to a petsmart, get a male from any petsmart. just make sure it looks healthy, and its eyes are bright. when you first get a hamster, theres a few things youll need:
-hamster (see above on how to choose)
- food(id recommend one with dried fruit chips, seeds, nuts, and mini pellets)
- treats (yogurt drops.they love those)
-cage (id recommend habitrail safari)
-bedding (try to get carefresh ultra or carefresh colors, if thats not available, then any bedding made from paper fibers like carefresh will do. wood shavings should be a last resort as they are uncomfortable and dont comtrol odor or mabsorb wetness very well and if you do get woodchips, aspen ONLY)
-food dish (habitrail safari doesnt come with one)
-wooden chews
-toys (if you can, but miost hamsters are content with paper towels to shred up and paper toilet paper tubes)
-run-about ball.9these are a must if you dont want your hammy to be bored ore depressed.
a couple pointers:
- its back should not touch the centre of the wheel
-feed it as much as it wants, most of their fun is in playing ‘hide and go seek’ with their food
-feed it 1-2 yogurt drop treats in the evening everyday
-clean its cage every 5 days minimum, if it smells, do it more often
- brush its fur daily with a soft bristled toothbrush
anyway, hope i helped!! good luck. if you need ANY help, feel free to e-mail me!
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Virginia L Says:
Heck yes, deffinitely a rat…i have 3, they are awesome pets and sooooo sweet. Hamsters can be mean so can gerbils…plus baby rats are the cutest! Oh and when rats yawn, i just want to eat em up!
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Tim W Says:
The best rodent for pets are Hamsters, you dont realy need a huge cage for them like you do rats
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
emily Says:
it depend on whether you want big or small.
if you want bigger then guinea pig
if you want small then deffinitly get a rat they are so sweet they dont bite and they dont smell as bad as some other rodents. also you can feed rats anything you eat your self. they are super easy to take care of.
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Gerbil lover! Says:
You already asked this question, but I guess I will answer it again…………………
Gerbils! I have two! Gerbils are great. They are dinural, so are awake night and day. They get very excited about any new thing you put into the tank for them and will immediately explore it. You can make cardboard buildings/tunnels for them and they will love crawling into, through, over, and on them. Then they will gnaw it all up. You can house two for a $25 10 gallon set up. Gerbils are cheap too, I’ve never seen a pet gerbil for more than 6 bucks. They are by far the cleanest of all the small pets, so bedding is not a big expense. They live in clans and groom, nest, play together. You can house up to seven boys in one tank (five gallons of space per gerbil). They are easy to breed and both mother and father are great parents. Gerbils come in about 40 colors and varieties. They are not a big commitment as the life span is about 3 1/2 years. Gerbils are really the best rodent to have in my opinion!
Here are some good sites!- http://www.abcgerbils.com/ and http://www.agsgerbils.org/index.php……..
Good luck on everything, I hope you get to experience the joy of owning a pet gerbil!=)
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Lauren W Says:
Hamsters are easily the best rodents, they don’t smell much and are really tame, caring, cute and do the funniest things!
There is so much choice of hamsters, Syrian, Dwarf, Brown, White, Fluffy, Fuzzy all sorts of types! The food is cheap and there is a great selection of toys and treats for them. They are not very noisy animals and only make a squeaky noise when they are scared. They have really sweet pink noses and when they see you their faces light up, sometimes they stand up on their hind legs and do this adorable little sniffy thing.
You only need a basic cage for hamsters and they take up hardly any room. They are beautiful little rodents, I heart their stumpy tails! Hope I could Convince you!
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Catie G Says:
i love my guinea pig. he doesnt bite and he loves to be cuddled. he also doesnt smell and he doesnt take up to much space. he is the most active in the evening which is perfect for me because im at school during the day and when i get home i have to do my home work. by the time i finish he will be wide awake. guinea pigs arnt nocturnal so he is up during the day but he takes occasional naps. i love hims so much and i really think he is the best rodent.
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
genny Says:
a hamster wanna know why cause they are easy to take care of you ask youre self why and the anwer is beacuase u dont have to bathe them the little fella takes care of that himself and u need to change the cage 2 a week
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Thia Says:
I would have to say a rat. They are better than any other rodent out there. I have litter trained my rat so i let him run around the house. They are smart very smart and can be taught to come to their name. They are loyal and love you as much as you love them. I would recommend that you get one from a breeder and not a pet store better quality pet.
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
groovygreys Says:
Lots of people have said a rat, and I have to agree with them - other than on one thing - and that is….you should never just have one rat. Rats need company, and contrary to popular myth can be kept in pairs or groups (as long as they’re same sex ie. all girls or all boys - never mix the two).
Rats are much easier to tame, very outgoing, loving, more like a little dog than a rodent. You can even train them (so I’m told, I’ve never tried it myself). Less likely to bite than a hamster, not as quick/slippery to handle as a gerbil/mouse, and much more personality.
But please, if you do decide to get a couple - firstly make sure you can offer them the care they need (large cage, no wood shavings, plenty of toys and hammocks - and at least one hour out of the cage to free range safely every day), and adopt from a rescue or from a reputable breeder rather than get from a pet shop. Pet shop animals are mass produced with no regard for health or temperament, so you will end up with a bitey nervous rat who may not live as long as he/she should.
So remember - same sex pairs or groups (no lone rats), big cage, plenty of toys, the right diet, lots of handling and out time, and no pet shops! And then you’re on to a winner
Some links for useful info:
Finding rats:
http://www.afrma.org/thequest.htm
http://www.afrma.org/breederlist.htm
Rats as pets and general care info:
http://ratz.co.uk/petrat.html
http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/index.php
Cage calculator - to show whether your planned cage is big enough for rats, and if so - how many:
http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/information/habitat/cagecalculator/
I can really recommend the Fancy Rats site, it’s been an excellent source of advice for me over the years
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
chipper_harry Says:
I have had two guinea pigs and I couldn’t have asked for better friends. The best thing about guinea pigs is that they are loving friends. They live long enough to bless you with a wonderful personality, but if for some reason you get one and find that you don’t like him/her, the are fairly easy to pass off. All guineas require is food, water, a medium sized cage with supplies and love. They are priced at about $30. They are really the only affectionate rodents that have a personality, but aren’t as big or stinky as ferrets and rabbits! Good luck with your pet search! Guinea pigs are the way to go!
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm