AIBU to consider small pet for DD? Hamster? Gerbil? Guinea Pig? Help and Advice Needed!

[cingolimama]

Hello all you wonderful MN people. I need advice! My DD desperately wants a small pet - well, she really wants a dog, but we can't have one. DD (8) has had some practise taking care of a hamster of a friend at holidays, and has proved herself gentle and very responsible.

I'm not really keen on the idea of an animal in a cage, and really not keen in a smelly one. But on the other hand, it would be lovely for my daughter, so would put up with it.

Not sure which among gerbil, guinea pig, hamster etc. Rats are supposed to be nice pets, but they freak me out a bit (maybe I'd get over this?). Any experiences you'd like to share, I'd be very grateful to hear.

We've had hamsters and guinea pigs.
Hamsters are very easy and cheap to look after. They are nocturnal though so don't expect to see a great deal of them. They can be played with but they are quite nippy so keen to try to escape.
Guinea pigs are gorgeous little creatures. You need two or more. They are not very clever but that is part of their appeal. They are clever at knowing when food is available. Ours used to squeak madly when we opened the fridge or started chopping vegetables. They are not that cheap to keep as they need fresh veggies, guinea pig nuggets, hay and something to line their cage. we used to buy them seedy treats too. They are very gentle and are happy just to be held on a towel on your lap for ages. Ours were kept indoors but they had a wooden run for the garden in the summer. Our second one died a few months ago. I still miss them :(

I used to have hamsters and a budgie when I was about your DDs age.

My hamster was a real character and I could pick her up and she had a ball for running round the room in. The cages didn't smell of anything but sawdust as they were cleaned 1-2 times per week.

If you get a hamster then I'd recommend a Syrian hamster as they're bigger and easier to handle IME and can live alone. The dwarf hamsters prefer to be in pairs and my cousin ended up with several babies as she didn't realise she had a male and a female.

Don't know if anyone's mentioned it yet but if you do opt for guinea pigs, you'll need to get two. They're unhappy on their own. Apparently in Sweden (?) it's illegal to own just one guinea pig. (Thanks radio 2)

I had Syrian hamsters as a teen. Handled and trained properly, they won't bite and will be extremely tame. They must be kept in their own however.

I had one who lived much longer than most who would answer to his name and happily sit in my knee being stroked.

I'd avoid Russian/dwarf hamsters personally. They are very fast and very bitey ime.

Oh and if hamster, try to buy from a breeder or private owner if possible. Often independent pet shops sell hamsters that have come from those kind of places but best to always ask.

I would recommend guinea pig, imo they are the most friendly of the small pets. My one used to love being wrapped up in a tshirt and babied, and would follow me everywhere. They are gorgeous with fab personalities

I would recommend rats as well. We currently have 14. The girls smell a lot less than the boys and although they are less cuddly they are just as friendly and affectionate.

Guinea pigs are gorgeous and cuddly (we have had guinea pigs for several years now) - but they are more delicate than you think. And unfortunately many vets are not very knowledgeable about them. A lot of guineas are prone to a urinary problem, when their kidneys are not able to filter out normal calcium that you find in water (particularly if you live in a hard water area). Mine now have to have bottled drinking water, and there are certain vegetables I have to avoid giving them. They are also on medication for life. Out of the 7 mostly unrelated guinea pigs we have had over the last 15 years, 4 have had this problem, which can lead to kidney/bladder stones, often requiring surgery. You may not realise there is a problem until they start getting frequent urinary tract infections. Also their urine may have a 'chalky' residue. Looking back, I think my own childhood guinea pigs may have had this problem. My parents and I had no idea at the time why they died 'mysteriously', but I remember chalky residue in their urine.

There are many other health problems they can suffer with: so if you do decide to get some of these lovely little creatures, please monitor them carefully and get yourself well informed before you start (I wish I had done!) - so you are able to give them the best care you can. It is great that your daughter is gentle with animals and of course you want to encourage this, but as she is only 8 I think you need to have the ultimate responsibility. Sorry, not trying to patronise you here, but I wish I could go back in time to when we started with gps for my DD, and tell my past self this! Might have saved a lot of heartache, because you do get very attached.

www.cutiecavies.proboards.com/thread/2702/keep-simple-vedra-cambridge-trust

We have a pet mouse,you can have two or more together but we just got the one because it was the last one of the litter.Really we wouldve had two but you are meant to get them from same litter.
Hamsters are nice but I remember as a kid being a bit disappointed that they were asleep all day.The mouse should be asleep all day but if he smells you cooking hes out harassing you at his cage door wanting some for himself.He is very sociable and always comes out of his house to see us.We like that he is clever and he can be taught things aswell and enjoy watching him trying to work out how to open little boxes etc that we put in his cage with treats in.His cage doesnt smell really tbh.Mice are pretty interestibg really,he doesnt really try to escape and if he did try and escape and got out on to his table he wouldnt get fat because they wont jump frim heights because theyre scared of heights....

I have four rabbits and I wouldn't recommend them as pets for small children, whilst they are lovely some hate being picked up and handled (looking at you Stripe). They can also give a nasty nip when they bite. Gerbils or Hamsters might be better. Or guinea pigs as they're not so small.

Another vote for Guinea Pigs, you need to consider that you will need two of most small animals so that they don't get lonely (less so female Rabbits as they are very territorial but if you only have 1, be prepared to spent most of your waking hours entertaining them, if I don't mine chews walls, she's such a treasure!).

You need to put a lot of work in with rabbits before they are happy being handled and even then they can pack a punch if they get scared. I personally would get two male versions of any small animal as they are less inclined to fight (if neutered) than female pets. Remember to get them neutered. It stops fighting, unwanted additional pets should one escape and go searching for a good time and can prevent a whole host of diseases (particularly in females).

A cat is a lot easier than any animal that has to be cleaned out in a cage!

I've had every small furry apart from rats and my favourite was our rabbit I swear he thought he was a dog but he was a bugger for chewing wires

Guinea pigs were the best when kids were small but you do need to get 2 as they like company! But they are so easy to keep I kept mines out spring summer and autumn but brought them inside in the winter and they make noises and you learn to know what they mean (google)

And hamsters are little shits ours managed to escape and eat DS curtains!

if i had to choose again it would be guinea pigs , we had 2 boys they got on great , if you handle them from day 1 ,everyday they make lovely pets,they did wreck the grass in the summer , a define no to stinking hamsters .

Cats are dead easy and don't need that much day to day looking after

To duplicate the experience of owning a hamster, staple your thumb.

I've heard that gerbils are delightful but because they need company you should get them in threes.

Of the same sex because otherwise they breed like, well, gerbils.

We have had rats. All very well saying they are sociable - we had two sisters:

Sister A bit sister B resulting in mahoosive abscess on sister A. Take sister B to vet who says 'I have never operated on anything so small but I'll give it a go' £100 bill later and sister B now known as Scarface is returned to us.

A few weeks later sister B (aka Scarface) gets her revenge on sister A. Cue mahoosive abscess. Vet says 'I know how to deal with this' another £100 bill later and sister A is now also hideously scarred.

They lived on and then in their dotage developed massive tumour type things.

These were not the most attractive of our pets!

Rats or guinea pigs are a better size for kids to handle and both make lovely pets. Dumbo eared rats are very cute

Rats. They're amazing pets, we have kept them for years.

My girls are bloody bonkers but makes tend to be dopier and cuddlier. They are so much fun. Definitely need to be in pairs or groups, not alone.

Regardless of the small animal you choose I would beg of you not to buy from a pet shop and perpetuate rodent farms, which are just horrific. Please look into a reputable/ethical breeder or rescue animals.

If opting for rats you can find a breeder via the NFRS website.

Another vote for guinea pigs here. You'd need more than one though as they are sociable creatures. Also short haired best as the coats on the long haired ones need a lot of attention. They are very entertaining!

Or as folks above have said, a cat is even better. No cages to clean out!

Syrian hamster. Dd2 has one and is 8. She is lovely!

OK. I've owned rats since I was about 16 (argh! 39 years).

1 rule: It is a pet not a threat, If it bites and draws blood it gets vetted out of the world. It is a nasty character trait that can rarely be overcome. I have given up taking in scaredy rats that bite as they can't change. They cope for a while but will bite again when they get stressed, woken up, deprived of a treat etc.

BUT very few rats do bite - loads of them nibble you, have a chew on your nails, but few bite.

If you want a singleton, go for a male. But you must be able to give it 4 - 8 hours of quality time a day. They are lazier, cuddlier (eventually) and get bigger. But you DH has to be a confident man as a boy rats 'maltesers' are unfeasably large and the human male can feel quite unimportant by comparison .

Get 2 girls, they are more wriggly, more trainable and more sociable without being the living pillow male rats can become.

Don't be tempted by the rat/ferret walking harness. It may be amusing trying to get it on your rat but eventually your rat gets bored and will let you succeed. Then, when you do the walkies bit, they'll play along until you relax and then just walk backwards out of it and disappear .

Do try to get them from a breeder. DO NOT rescue any. Try to avoid Pets R Us, or similar. Having said hat my last 6 matties have been from Pets R Us and they have all been lovely. I got them all from homes that hadn't thought about it properly.

All rats come with tails, and teeth. The tails are just too much for some people. Rats teeth slope backwards, so if your rat tastes you, and they all do, you can't pull your finger away as your rat won't be able to open it mouth, you have to trust. Easy to do as a biter chomps down and lets go, a taster nibbles hangnails and cuts your nails for you - also known as Barber Rats, they will happily graze the hair off your forearms.

I'll stop now. Can you tell I love them ?

I've had mice and they are fun sociable creatures and love having their cage rearranged but for personality get a couple of rats.

Rats (the ones I've known) like to have their bellies scratched and are quite intelligent.

Cats are quite independent.

I fostered cats for years, you provide the home, feed them and clean the litter tray, the charity provide food, litter, vets services.

The only down side is that a child could get very attached and then the cat goes off to their forever home.

Get a cat.

My kitten has been no trouble at all, very loving but also likes her own space.

Nomama, rats should not be kept alone regardless of gender. They are social animals. Human contact is not a substitute for a companion of their species.

I also disagree that you can't rehabilitate a bitey, nervous or cage-territorial rat. I've done so several times with skitty rescues. My heart rat, Lola, was a rehomed 'love' rat the young child couldn't handle as she would draw blood. Six weeks with me and she was a soppy angel who liked to sleep in my cleavage. She never bit again, she died in my arms aged three. They're clever creatures, of course they can reform their behaviour, just like a cat or dog can , to suggest putting them down for nipping is quite shocking to me. It is not, however, an endeavour I'd recommend for a nervous or novice rat owner.