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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

102 replies

cingolimama · 04/03/2014 12:58

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.

OP posts:
WelshMaenad · 04/03/2014 18:18

'Lone'

littledrummergirl · 04/03/2014 18:37

Syrian hamsters are lovely. They like to live alone so you only need 1. When you get them home put the box they are inside into the cage. Leave them alone for 2 days other than replacing food and changing water.
For the next 5 days do not try to pick them up. Offer food from your hand and let them smell you, hamster treats are great for this if you dont overfeed.
After 7 days you will need to clean the cage, this is a good time to handle the hamster but have something large(we use a plastic wastepaper bin with sawdust) to put them in easily as they move fast.
After a few weeks they will usually trust you to handle them and will allow you to pick them up. Dds will step on her hand when she puts it in the cage.
After having a number over the past 7 years( they dont live long) I have only been bitten 3 times, always the first time of handling.

Ds1has guinea pigs which live in his bedroom and have a run in the garden for the summer. He is mad about them and is often found with them on his lap or lay down with them on his chest. They are calm, cuddly and cute. They like company though so more than one.

littledrummergirl · 04/03/2014 18:38

Syrian hamsters are lovely. They like to live alone so you only need 1. When you get them home put the box they are inside into the cage. Leave them alone for 2 days other than replacing food and changing water.
For the next 5 days do not try to pick them up. Offer food from your hand and let them smell you, hamster treats are great for this if you dont overfeed.
After 7 days you will need to clean the cage, this is a good time to handle the hamster but have something large(we use a plastic wastepaper bin with sawdust) to put them in easily as they move fast.
After a few weeks they will usually trust you to handle them and will allow you to pick them up. Dds will step on her hand when she puts it in the cage.
After having a number over the past 7 years( they dont live long) I have only been bitten 3 times, always the first time of handling.

Ds1has guinea pigs which live in his bedroom and have a run in the garden for the summer. He is mad about them and is often found with them on his lap or lay down with them on his chest. They are calm, cuddly and cute. They like company though so more than one.

HuskyBlueEyes · 04/03/2014 18:52

I was actually going to suggest a rat!
They make fantastic little pets, and are a larger rodent to make for easier handling... Get a pair if your daughter can't give him/her pretty much constant attention, as they're a very sociable animal.
My rat used to be waiting at the cage everyday when I was home from school waiting for his chocolate drop, then I gave him a cuddle and he sat on my shoulder all evening.
Sadly the dog got to him one day, I still get sad given how sweet he was.
Get a boy if your daughter wants a lazy fella to sit on her shoulder all evening, but bare in mine they smell stronger... A female smells less, but are more active.

They need toys, and treats and a hidey hole and a big cage, to keep their minds active and keep them looked after. Great little pets.

MrsBennetsEldest · 04/03/2014 19:01

You can't go wrong with an earthworm. No cage. No smell. No mess. No food bill. No vet bill. Happy to be left alone for hours( and hours and hours). No biting. No noise.

Just dig one up, play for a bit then bury it again. Perfect pet IMO.

Retropear · 04/03/2014 19:10

Hamsters are boring,ditto guinea pigs which live outdoors which becomes a pita.

Gerbils are fab but do buy as masseeeeeve a tank as you can afford.I hate seeing rodents trapped in tiny cages.

clippityclop · 04/03/2014 19:11

You can keep guinea pigs in a bedroom? How much space do they need to have ? We have a cat so don't suppose it would work to have both without tempting disaster.

ConfusedPixie · 04/03/2014 19:13

Rats! Definitely rats! DP and I have four and they are astounding, we only got our girls on Sunday so I can't really say much about their temperament but our two boys are fantastic. It took about 3 weeks for them to get properly used to us and it's 6 weeks after we got them they'll now get out of the cage when asked unless they're being sods, jump onto our shoulder when asked and we're teaching them tricks. They're beautiful too. One is very much a shoulder rat whilst the other is a hetic thing.

The only downside to rats is that they have poor respiratory systems so can get ill relatively easily, but as long as you do your research beforehand and know what to look for you'll be fine. They do smell a little but I think that's as much environment as anything, we changed their substrate last week which improved things massively (to carefresh) and have started switching their hammocks around whenever they start getting a slight smell which has also helped a lot. They aren't that smelly though!

ConfusedPixie · 04/03/2014 19:13

You also have to get advise on housing for rats, and keep toys/hammocks in their cages. They need surprisingly big cages too (but with small bar spacing).

TheKnightsThatSayNee · 04/03/2014 19:14

Rats!!!
I've had most small animals and they are by far my favourite. So much personality and they are the best pets I've ever owned but you need to let them out about an hour a day and you have to have two. Girls are the best IMO. What ever you decide the biggest thing is don't but them from pets at home. Find a local breeder. A quick search on preloved and you will find all of the animals mentioned.
Mice from a breeder are bigger and more docile especially if you get a fancy mouse. They are my second favorite.

thepurplepenguin · 04/03/2014 19:16

We have guinea pigs and a hamster. The guinea pigs have all the character of a damp rag. The hamster on the other hand is tame, curious, sweet, funny to watch and has never bitten anyone. I have had 3 Syrian hamsters and they have all been a complete delight and totally unique. Russian dwarf hamsters are evil bitey feckers though.

thepurplepenguin · 04/03/2014 19:19

I disagree with some of the hamster taming advice on here btw. I have always left them for 24hours and then handled them every day straight after that, just for 10 minutes or so at a time, and they have become tame remarkably quickly. Just my experience though.

harriet247 · 04/03/2014 19:22

I love guinea pigs! You do need two but they are adorable and not very bitey.
I only have one experience of rats (a friend kept them) and tbh they were prettttty stinky

mummytime · 04/03/2014 19:33

We had two gerbils. No smell. You need more than one of they die much faster because they are unhappy.
Do not buy them plastic toys because they have much stronger chewing than Hamsters. They can chew a plastic shelf and make it sharp enough to cut themselves.

Blueskiesandcherrypies · 04/03/2014 19:36

My ds (9) has a Syrian hamster. He lives in a cage in DS's room, ds is up there right now cleaning out the cage, giving hamster a cuddle and giving hamster a run in his ball. I am afraid to say I have much more affection for DS's cute and cuddly little hamster than I do for our two cats who mess up the kitchen with their food, bring dead birds home, puke in the house and bring dd out in hives :)

nostress · 04/03/2014 19:37

Rat!!! I've had all the little rodents and nothing compares to a rat! They are so intelligent and you can teach it to do things. So friendly. Gerbils (had 8 as a child) are just too small and quick).

Original poster
cingolimama · 04/03/2014 19:38

Sorry was offline for a bit. Thank you all so very much for your advice and experience. Very much appreciated!

I should have mentioned, I'm allergic to cats, so that's a no. I think I'm shortlisting guinea pigs, and god-help-me rats (eeks! if someone had told me I'd be considering this five years ago, I'd think they'd lost their mind). As several people have suggested, I will of course go to a reputable breeder and get a LOT of advice prior to making final decision.

OP posts:
nostress · 04/03/2014 19:38

Oh yes and girl rats dont smell! Unless you need to clean the cage out..

expatinscotland · 04/03/2014 19:44

I feel the same about our hammy, too, Blue. Once our two cats died we are sticking to Syrian hammies.

Coumarin · 04/03/2014 19:49

Rats can get pretty big so bear that in mind. I haven't owned any but a friend had a couple years ago and I handled them. Surprisingly heavy and tough feeling. Not the skinny, light body you expect. I remember them being very tame and quite cuddly.

ShowMeYourTARDIS · 04/03/2014 19:57

Girl rats are smaller than boy rats. I did have one girl rat that got absolutely massive, though! She was quite sweet and lazy.

Do you know anyone with rats? Perhaps you could get to know them first. They're really very cute.

I've never owned a guinea pig, but they're very lovely animals.

SometimesLonely · 04/03/2014 20:08

Lots of people have suggested rats and I have to say that, yes, they are good to handle and easy to keep. Since my childhood interest though, I learned that rats and mice are weeing perpetually and Weil's disease can be contracted if their urine is able to infect a scratch or picked spot or new graze etc. It can be fatal. Sorry to put a damper on the idea of rats.

My two had a tortoiseshell guinea pig each when they were 7 and 8 and loved them.

ShowMeYourTARDIS · 04/03/2014 20:35

Weil's disease is very, very rare. It's even rarer to contract it from a pet rat. To give some perspective, 50-60 people contract Leptospirosis each year in the UK, mostly not from fancy rats. 30-60 people are stuck by lightning each year.

You're more likely to be struck by lightning than get Weil's disease from your rat.

nostress · 04/03/2014 21:47

Most people (50+) get it from contact with dirty water where rats have been. Paddling in a pond, canoeing in a river etc. The HPA has a leaflet on it but its just common sense really.

You can get salmonella from dogs... Or pretty much any animal that has contact with the ground!

nostress · 04/03/2014 21:49

Hpa has a leaflet on pet rats!