The best pet in the world or a ten year old?

[Italiangreyhound]

Our darling cat has died and my dd (10) is devastated. However she is already keen for a new pet! Between crying she is asking about a new pet. We had a hamster and he was great but I would quite like to widen her horizons. I am not keen on outdoors pets and a dog is out of the question (dh doesn't want one!).

Can anyone rate the relative joys of say hamster/chinchilla/rabbit (I am guessing in a cage not loose in house but an indoor one who would roam a bit when we are home), a tortoise and a budgie or two, please?

Thanks so much.

[FernieB]

Discount rabbits - you would need two as they really should have bunny company. Two buns roaming the house might drive you a bit mad as they love a good chew and aren't fussy about whether they chew their own toys or the furniture/carpet. They are also not great at being picked up although do like to be stroked, so children can get a bit fed up of them.

People on here will suggest guinea pigs - they are quite vocal and interactive, love being picked up and cuddled and chat away. You do need quite a large cage for them - most pet shop cages aren't really big enough. They will also need to get out every day for some exercise. This can be in a run outside during the summer - they are great law mowers- or in an indoor run.

Why not another cat though? Your DD clearly loved her cat and there are lots in rescues, desperate for good homes.

[cogitosum]

I think rats are the best small pets. You need two though. They do need lots of time but give more back than other rodents IME.

[Notrevealingmyidentity]

Budgies are wonderful pets. But they need masses of attention - far more than a hamster and usually several hours out of cage time a day. Which equates to a lot of bird shit on your sofa.

Depends if you get one or two how much attention is required.

[MicrochipsAndMemories]

I'd definitely choose the best pet in the world over a 10 year old. Strange question though

[Velvetbee]

Rats are fab. Can be trained to come when you call, chase string etc.

[cattypussclaw]

Chickens (not in a cage, in the back garden). They're fab little creatures with a bonus of eggs

[DearGirl]

Agree with microchips

[turdfairynomore]

Rats! We got two at Christmas and they've been great! Adorable little faces!

[LulaMayBrown]

Really love our Guinea pigs. They are very sweet and very easy to take care of. My DD loves fussing over them.

They live in our kitchen in a large open tray thing (so need space - that's a downside). I spend my life swearing at them in an affectionate way when they squeak at me for treats.

I am allergic to animal fur but they don't seem to bother me too much as they are 'confined' to a space. Equally, if I could choose, I'd have a couple of cats as they give more back to you.

Also, I know a few Guinea pigs and rabbits who quickly became ignored when they lived outside, so I'm happy we have the space for ours to live indoors (even if it means they are wedged up against the kitchen table!)

[SomewhereIBelong]

Guinea pigs are great pets, but be aware that though your DD is 10 now, and into pets - will she still be the same at 16? at 18? Ours lived 7 and 8 years.

[RattieofCatan]

Rats. You need big cages for them, tall cages are best as they love to climb. You need at least two but I'd recommend three inimum. You should always get from a breeder, preferably an NFRS one but fmaily-friendly rats is more important than status with the NFRS.

Rats live for 2-3 years usually, some may live older and you occasionally hear of miracle rat who reached 5/6/7/8 but most won't make it past their 3rd birthday!

I have 6 rats and am very happy to talk rats

[LulaMayBrown]

RattleofCatan - do you also love playing Catan? (us too!)

Question about rats (hijack). Can you 'toilet train' them so they don't wee all over you? Would they poo/pee in a certain area of the house? Also, do they genuinely like being cuddled? I think my DDs GPs just tolerate being cuddled. I really like the idea of having rats one day so would appreciate knowing.
Can they wander around the house and come when they are called? I've heard they're intelligent, just be interested to know if this is something you'd expect.

[RattieofCatan]

I do indeed

You can toilet train rats to a certain extent. They will usually go in one area of their cage so you can put a litter tray there and generally they'll poo in it. Pee can happen anywhere and everywhere of my boys rarely pees on me (if he does he empties his bladder on my trousers) but always, without fail, pisses on DP! Mostly though they all at least attempt to climb off of us to pee/poo when they're out of the cages, sometimes they 'ask' to go back to their cage to do their business.

My big boys dislike cuddles. They tolerate being held but are more comfortable sitting on a shoulder or lap. Boys are supposedly more cuddly generally though. My little boy is always out for cuddles but he is lethargic so it's not difficult for him. My girls are 50/50 when it comes to cuddles or playtime. They'll usually run around a bit and we put them in our jumpers and they'll calm down and settle into the jumper for a snooze.

Some rats do come when called, some don't, depends on the rat and their personality and if you've trained them :) A friend has a rescue rat who is completely free ranged. He's out most of the time, explores the house and will come running when called. Mine don't. My girls know when they're being called and just ignore me tbh. They're little sods

They are really intelligent though, that is true. There are some awesome videos on youtube, nanabordercollie (I think) has some brilliant rat videos. We don't train ours, I feel guilty for it as we had our boys standing and spinning when we got them, but with six and with one as a lone rat we don't have the time to do it :(

[CandyAppleFudge]

Another vote for rats we've got 7 boys

[sanfairyanne]

i was puzzling over your thread title for ages - duh
yeah, i'd probably choose the best pet in the world too!

but a 10 year old might like a hamster

[Italiangreyhound]

Thanks FernieB, LulaMayBrown and SomewhereIBelong we looked at rabbits and guinea pigs today. I am not keen on caged animals and I feel they will need a lot of care. But gosh those baby lionheads were cute! I also agree, that they are better indoors, don't want any animals ignored and my kids are pretty much homebodies!

Why not another cat though? Your DD clearly loved her cat and there are lots in rescues, desperate for good homes. Yes, I do hope she will want another. But I am afriad he/she will get run over as our lvely ginger tom did yesterday!

Thanks cogitosum, Velvetbee, turdfairynomore, RattieofCatan and CandyAppleFudge - I am afraid I couldn't have rats. Just a personal thing! I know they are very intelligent.

Notrevealingmyidentity I am interested in budgies but not the bird poop! Can I ask why 'one or two how much attention is required' ??

MicrochipsAndMemories and DearGirl - YES a missing 'f' I am afraid. I would choose my ten year old (or 4 year old) over pretty much anything else!

cattypussclaw 'Chickens (not in a cage, in the back garden).' We have a fox who prowls around our road, we are pretty rural so I think not, but I like that idea.

DesperatelySeekingSanity Kitten might have it, I think!

sanfairyanne she may like a hamster, we had a brilliant one who lived for 2 years, I am tempted by a hamster if the cat does not materialise.

Thanks one and all.

[Italiangreyhound]

Hope I did not miss anyone off!

[millimat]

DR got two guinea pigs for her tenth birthday and adores them. We are out all day so our pet choice was limited, but the guinea pigs are perfect for her. She can manage the cage and hutch pretty much on her own. We decided against hamsters as they seem to sleep when the children want to play, and rabbits don't like the cuddling.
Both GPs are currently having cuddles now whilst watching tv ??

[nochocolateforlentteacake]

Discount rabbits
I thought that was 'a thing' at first.

What about a tarantula or stick insect? They don't poo much, don't need like lots of room, you dont have to bathe them or take them for a walk. They don't come when you call though and don't like a cuddle.

[lemonyone]

Italian - don't know if this makes a difference but our Guins are not 'caged' as such. They run around in the bottom half of a tray in our living room. They are too stupid to get out . It means they are easily got at by my DD. I don't know why, but psychologically I feel better that they aren't in a cage, but just have little houses to go into.

Having said that, I think that the idea that they will live for years possibly should put you off.
I don't find them at all hard to look after - my DD just chucks in hay, water and food everyday and we clean them out quite often but it's no worse than doing the litter tray.

I would love a kitten though...

[sanfairyanne]

haha. mine also have an open cage/tray but scamper all round the living room/kitchen. they are obviously elite athletes to scale the dizzy heights of the tray

[Italiangreyhound]

Thanks so much.

nochocolateforlentteacake you said "They don't come when you call though and don't like a cuddle.* I think you have answered your own question.

[Italiangreyhound]

lemonyone thanks, I do want a kitten, just need dd to come round. I do wonder about rabbit fostering as if it does not work out someone else may want to care for them. I just feel worried dd will not want to keep them. We saw a friend with guinea pigs today and she was frankly quite bored by them! We are seeing another friend with rabbits soon. Today we looked at budgies and hamsters!!

[Italiangreyhound]

sanfairyanne I certainly think them not being in a cage is a good idea but not sure how practical it is. My son is only 4. Just imagine him stepping on one!