My DD being bullied. Going to get hamster. Advice please!

[Hamsterthoughts]

So... long story.

Dealing with the school and it will improve.
However I am desperate to do something to make her happier in the interim.

She has been desperate for a hamster for last two years. She’s deeply caring and very responsible, so I have no doubts about her caring for it (with my help)

I’m very house proud though. So that’s concerning!

My questions
What are they like as hamsters?
What’s upkeep like?
Are they affectionate?
Do they smell?!
Best place to keep them?
Best breed to get?

Thanks so much

I think Syrian hamsters are the easiest pet imo. I love mine, but I am a 28 year old woman.

I keep mine in my home office in a 100 cm by 54 cm cage. Upkeep is changing water, topping up food and cleaning out pee spots daily- takes 3 mins. cleaning cage every 1-2 weeks. It doesn't smell at all. My DH hates pets (he is the kind who can't eat in the same room as a dog or cat), but says he doesn't smell and has the footprint of a goldfish.

my hamster is quite lovely and i take him out to cuddle multiple times a day. I know guinea pigs are popular on Mumsnet but they are very high maintenance. They need a huge cage (140 cm by 77 cm), daily floortime (so you need a big playpen, my hamster has floortime too but it doesn't need to be everyday) and spotcleaning twice a day (2 bigger animals = much more poop). As the cages are so much bigger, disposable bedding is much more expensive as it needs to be changed weekly (unlike hamsters where you tend to leave the clean bedding and also its good to keep some of the old bedding). So most people opt for fleece which needs to go into the washing machine and my Dh would hate that.

Gerbils and rats seem lower maintenance but imho, hamsters are cuter!Yes it is nocturnal but my hamster does come out in the day to snack.

The girls are definitely the smelliest.
I don't think they are great for younger children as they spend the day asleep.
Ours would wake at 7pm when dd was getting ready for bed.
She was really disappointed as it didn't turn out to be the cute buddy she'd expected.

Oh and they only pee in 1 spot. i think of them as the 'cats' of the rodent world. Independent and clean. but unlike actual cats, don't romp around in the house and get cat hair everywhere.

My son is also desperate for a hamster. So I joined some hamster Facebook groups and am now very excited about our future pet too! From my time reading the groups, the main mistake new owners seem to make is buying a cage that is too small. They then end up with an unhappy hamster and have to buy a bigger new cage. The recommended size is 4000cm², but female hamsters often need more space than this to not feel stressed. Hamsters aren't naturally climbers, so it is the overall floor space that's important, different levels dont count.

They are also naturally burrowing animals. They need deep bedding, and this can fall out the sides of wire cages. As you mention you are houseproud you may prefer to get a glass tank/terrarium for your hammie. The same minimum space requirement applies.

I hope your daughter loves your new pet

This is all so helpful and I really appreciate it

Thank you all

Ok - so sounds like guinea pigs are best.

Do you absolutely need to get 2 even if 1 will get loads of love and attention?
I live in a flat, space a premium. Where best to keep and do I need to get a really big cage (unfortunately that would be a deal breaker)
Do they smell?
What is maintenance?
Best breed?

I used to put a jam jar in hamster's cages and they used it to wee in, then it can be rinsed out daily. All except for one little so and so that used it to store his food in.

I used to have a Russian dwarf which I got from Pets at home and from the second I got him he was so friendly and calm! Ask to handle them in the shop and find the most chilled! He would fall asleep on my chest being stroked!

I really wouldn't get Guinea pigs to keep in a flat!!
I had hamsters as a child, they normally got up about 7pm so I had time to play with them. They dont smell if you keep their cages clean and dont bite if you handle them correctly. They are lovely animals.
If you do want a larger animal for a flat, I'd go for rabbits, but both Guinea pigs and rabbits need a lot more care than a hamster, and will be a lot more expensive in the long run

All the hamsters I've had were quite bitey. I would recommend a pair of rats instead.

They're cleaner, don't smell and can be litter trained, you can bath them a couple of times a year and some even like to swim! I've never had a rat that has bitten and I've had 6 of them (2 were rescues).

I have had about 12 hamsters over the years, as a teen and then as a young adult living with DP (who was smitten with them too!).
They can be lovely and enjoy coming out and walking on your hands etc. They don't tend to stay still though and mostly see you as furniture.
Big cage with bars and a plastic base is best. Try to get one with a side door so they can learn to climb out onto your hand rather than swooping in and grabbing which makes them feel like prey and might get you bitten out of fear. They like to climb on the bars and will often swing on the ceiling of their cage like monkeys.
They tend to wake around 7pm and stay up until the next morning. They will use their wheel a lot and make a bit of noise but as a teen this didn't bother me.
If you get a baby it will be best. They are easiest to tame. They may be frightened at first. Baby ones squeak when frightened but adults only squeak in pain generally.
Best thing is to get a large box like a plastic under bed storage box or large cardboard box. Put the cage in it and lift the metal cage bit off. Let the hamster explore the box (remove cage base after it has left it to give more space). Let them sniff your hands.
Cardboard tube and let them go into it and out the other end onto your hand and then from there to the box bottom to get them used to you. As they get bolder try and let them walk from hand to hand and gradually get used to your hands closing a little, picking them up etc. They will grow to enjoy coming out to walk on your hands and explore.
They make good pets for older kids and teens IMO.

On reflection I do echo other PPs, rats are more fun! They can be trained and are very friendly and clean! They don't smell at all! (My 2 didn't) but you'd need two! I had 2 and they used to cuddle to sleep!

PS. If space is at a premium, hamsters are a good option.

I have had guinea pigs in a flat and they were great! I had a c&c cage (have a google) then they would come out for a cuddle and some sofa time. They quite happily chill on your chest or down your jumper, one of mine had a thing for climbing up my top and laying in-between my boobs! They're the loveliest little things

How about a pair of gerbils? You need a big tank to keep them in with loads of sawdust and tubes to burrow and gnaw. They dont smell as much as other rodents as don't wee as much. Often use a corner as a toilet so easy to clean out.

Very friendly and sociable. I have had many over the years and all have had really lovely temprements. I have also had giant gerbils - shaws jirds. Which used to come when called. They were gorgeous.

if not enough space, then rats.

Another vote for guinea pigs. I've had hamsters -bitey, and cats -loud miaowing at 4am...guinea pigs are affectionate, have never bitten me and squeak loudly when they see you coming. By far the best pets I've had!

I think Syrian hamsters are brilliant pets, provided you take the time to handle them when they are young so they become properly tame.

Females smell more than males because they go on heat every fourth night, which has a kind of pervasive musty aniseedy smell.

Hamsters in general smell more if you frantically try to keep their cage really clean as then they frantically scent mark and wee more to keep the territory feeling safe, and you end up in a vicious circle - obviously you do have to remove the wet patch/poo and any manky food in the hoard, but try to leave a few wet flakes where the wet corner was so a (hamster-level) amount of smell remains. Never take away all of the hoard at once or they will feel very stressed and anxious.
Hamsters have quite a complicated digestive system that produces several different types of poo pellet - they eat some and they store a different kind mixed with their hoard to mark it, those are dry/dont smell and it is OK to miss a few in a clear out as hamsters are designed to do that - it isn't like a human having poo near their food cupboard.

We have 2 dwarf hamsters as they look cute and dd couldn't be convinced to go for Syrian (bigger and usually easier to handle).

It isn't too much work but ours aren't affectionate, cute to look at and can be handled a little but definitely not cuddly. Syrian might be better, but really put cats were as easy and very affectionate.

@Hamsterthoughts I live in a flat, and keep a hamster.

Guinea pigs take up more space than you think- storage for hay (they need an unlimited supply of that) and a big cage. Plus if you live in a flat, you probably need to grow grass in pots so thats more space you need. Also fridge space for all the veg they eat (1 cup per day per guinea pig)

In comparison, hamsters eat 1 tablespoon of dry food per day and tiny bits of fresh veg so don't need as much storage space.

I did research for both hamsters and guinea pigs and I chose a hamster as it takes up less space and is lower maintenance. You absolutely need to get 2 guinea pigs (but its not double the costs, its just that if both are sick, that would be more expensive at the vet; and small animal boarding is more expensive for 2 guinea pigs as opposed to a hamster).

Guinea pigs make better pets. Sociable, affectionate, and non-bitey.

We have a hamster and he is lovely. Took a few weeks to get to know us but loves coming out for a cuddle and run around now. He's never bitten any of us (we did have a Russian before this one and he did nip for the 1st few days before he got to know us, but never after that) He doesn't smell. I think they're perfect pets for children (and we have a lot of pets) The only downside is they don't live long, I'm already feeling upset that he may not be with us much longer as he's 1 now.

Hamsters are lovely but get a bog standard big beige hamster, the Russians and other little ones are punk hamsters that will bite and headbutt you and would burn the house down if they could figure out how to use matches.
If they are gently handled from a very early age and given treats as a reward they will be very sweet and tame.
I loved my hammy, she was really adorable. I was very upset when she died at 2. I was an adult at the time. They rarely live longer than that.
They only smell if you don't clean them enough and bear in mind they sleep during the day and should not be woken.

I've had rats also and they really are adorable and do intelligent but the males smell pretty bad.

If you’re saying space is a premium then absolutely no to guinea pigs in your flat!

We had a hamster - her cage was massive (Barney from Zooplus) and for some people even that’s too big.

I don’t think rodents are a good option for your OP.

the Russians and other little ones are punk hamsters that will bite and headbutt you and would burn the house down if they could figure out how to use matches

The total truth