Does dwarf hamsters attract mice/rats?

[peggy0062]

I want to get a couple of dwarf hamsters but my husbands says that they attract unwanted rodents (mice/rats). I've recently had a wild rat in the house the whole thing has shaken me a lot (still jump at the sight of some something moving unexpectedly). I think dwarf hamsters are ok as I had one before but, at the moment, any animal with a long tail is a no no - flashback from the wild rat . The other alternative is to get a couple of gold fish but I really would like a small pet that I can handle or cuddle.
Any advice?

[Timpson]

I don't think so - unless my girl rat has been fluttering her eyelashes out the window at the wild type . Even a mouse in the kitchen unexpectedly can make you jump a mile so i know where you are coming from re the rat (had a mouse leap out the tumble dryer at me once - needed a stiff G&T to recover).

I'm pretty sure a hamster wouldn't attract a rat as long as the food is stored away - but that is true of human food too.

As an aside - would you consider a Syrian hamster instead? - a nicer size to cuddle and less inclined in general to dangle off your fingers at every opportunity Or a guinea pig can be kept indoors and are very sociable.

[cookielove]

I had a dwarf Russian (biscuit) and she never attracted any wild rodents into the house, and we currently have a dwarf Chinese (twitch) at the nursery and the doors are usually open all day and nothing other than children have entered the nursery, she does attract children though

[peggy0062]

I pet sat a Syrian before and found it rather noisy at night time. Plus the syrian had a very strong smell, not urine, just hamster smell. Would have been ok to get a guinea pig but the size is too similar to a rat!

[piellabakewell]

We have four Chinese dwarf hamsters...they do have tails but not long ones! We have a pair of girls and two separate boys. They are lovely, very easy to handle and no rats or mice found here, either.

[Beamur]

I had Russian ones which were great (many years ago)
Kids had Syrian ones (noisy, nervous, nocturnal, never again)
My Mum had Chinese/Roborowskis? (Very small and very pungent).
Keep food stored away, but I've never had mice or rats and we usually have some kind of rodent pet in the house, usually gerbils though.

[CRIKRI]

It was long ago I had Winter White Russian Dwarf Hamsters and before that I had gerbils. I never noticed them "attracting" any uninvited rodents into the house! Good advice from others about keeping food and bedding in a closed container. The only evidence of mice I had before was getting into some food I had stored just in its plastic bag in the shed. I had to throw the lot out of course but from then on, ensured food was kept sealed and preferably indoors.