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Pets

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Original poster

Whats the difference between a hamster and a gerbil and which one is best for 5 yr old dd to have as a first pet?

19 replies

huffpuff · 12/11/2007 13:56

er.... thats it really!

OP posts:
sweetmonkey · 12/11/2007 13:57

gerbils have tails and are more mouse like.

to be honest i had gerbils growing up and really preferred them to hamsters.

they are alot quicker than hamsters but i found alot friendlier too

hth

seeker · 12/11/2007 13:59

Sorry to be a cold water pourer but I think that 5 is too young for these little animals. They move very fast (the animals I mean)and are very fragile and easily accidentally hurt which would be awful for everyone. They are also nocturnal, so not much fun during the day. Have you thought about a cat? Or possibly a rabbit?

Original poster
huffpuff · 12/11/2007 14:00

dh wont allow a cat!

Thought about rabbit but just thinking of keeping costs down!

Any other ideas?

OP posts:
seeker · 12/11/2007 14:00

Rats make brilliant pets - they are more intelligent and friendly than hamsters or gerbils and are bigger and stronger and can cope with little people better.

Original poster
huffpuff · 12/11/2007 14:01

so many people have told me that but the thought of having a rat in the house scares me!

OP posts:
bubblerock · 12/11/2007 14:04

Gerbils don't smell as much as hamsters but they are faster and not as cute. What about a Degu (big gerbil). Rats are best - but not if you are scared of them. Budgies are fun - they have little personalities and if handled lots can be vey tame plus they don't smell at all.

Hulababy · 12/11/2007 14:05

Gerbils are not nocturnal, unlike hamseters, which means they are awake during the day more.

We have two gerbils and 5yo DD loves to watch them. She isn't really able to handle them though - they can scratch or bite if scared, move very fast so esasy to escape from a child's hands and need holding reasonably gentle. Ours don't actually enjoy being handled. However 5yo DD des enjoy helping clear them out, putting in new things for them - they go through toilet roll inners daily! - and she also sorts their food and water out every other day.

You have to be very careful with what you buy to hosue a gerbil in. They will eat anything and everything. A plastic herbil style home is not suitable. You need a proper gerbilarium for them.

Gerbils are very easy pets to have on the whole. Very clean, they don't smell, they can be left for 2-3 days with no problems (just leave food and water), portable and easy for smeone to look after for you on longer holidays (can easily go a fortnight without being cleaned out for example) and they are fun to watch tunelling and playing with anything you put int he gerbilarium for them to play with.

Troutpout · 12/11/2007 14:10

Hamsters are better looking (imo!) but a bit thick.
Both are smelly.
I've had both..and both are friendly if handled daily from young.

I would recommend them both from about 8 (mature 8) but ideally 10 upwards tbh.
I think 5 is a bit young

How about a goldfish?
dd (nearly 5) loves hers.

malovitt · 12/11/2007 14:16

I had a hamster when I was small, it bit me and a piece of its tooth broke off and became embedded in my thumb. Very painful. Both hamsters and gerbils will stink your house out, no matter how clean you keep their cage.

Sammy3 · 14/11/2007 16:58

DS has 2 gerbils. He only cleans the tank about once per fortnight & you can barely smell them (& I've got a very sensitive nose). They're fascinating to watch & very intelligent. I wouldn't recommend that a 5 yo handles them though, because they are FAST. If you're happy to do the cleaning though, he should be fine to do the daily feeding & to give them cardboard - loo roll innards & egg boxes are their favourites.

My nieces had hamsters but they're not as fun for young children because they are nocturnal unlike gerbils.

This book is excellent.

Sammy3 · 14/11/2007 17:01

Forgot to say, gerbils shouldn't live on their own so you will need to buy at least 2.

Fennel · 15/11/2007 10:19

I've had rats, gerbils and hamsters and I think the hamsters are the best for a small child - as bubblerock says, they are slower than gerbils, they're cute and cuddly, easy to handle. Gerbils, IME, are less keen on being handled by children. Rats are good if you like them (I do) but big - need bigger cages - and definitely smellier.

dd1 (7) has had 2 hamsters and they've been very successful pets. she takes them out to play every day and they are tame and cuddly with her. she can catch them too, but gerbils go much faster.

Fennel · 15/11/2007 10:20

btw our hamsters haven't been that nocturnal, they come out to play morning and evening, and sleep while the dds are at school.

Emprexia · 19/11/2007 12:36

Gerbils are better for children as they don't tend to bite like hamsters.

Chopster · 19/11/2007 12:39

one is small and bitey and the other is bigger and bitey. Get a rat!
Gerbils are often livlier during the day and more fun to watch, but neither can really be handled by a 5yo.
If either escape, you will have one heck of a job catching them again.

Rats are lazy, docile, and BIG! You need a much bigger enclosure for them, but they are ideal for children. They are happy to curl up on a lap and be petted. I have never been bitten by a rat. Rats also don't mind being bathed and can be toilet jar trained, so are far cleaner to keep.

shoshaliteupthetree · 19/11/2007 12:46

Again get a Rat, we have two new baby girls, the latest in a long line, the mindees love them.

SmartArse · 19/11/2007 12:51

Guinea pigs? We got ours when DD2 was just 5 and she's now 10. They live outside so don't make the house smell, are quite tough so little ones can't hurt them too easily and are very friendly.

Although they live too long, IMO!

mustsleep · 19/11/2007 12:56

both are smelly

we had a hamster for ds when he was five it bit him the first time he held it and then he woudn;t pick it up again - quite happy to watch me clean it out though

would rather have a rabbit tbh we had loads when we were little much more friendly and they live longer so lo not as likely to be heart broken when it dies

wannaBe · 19/11/2007 13:02

all rodents smell. If you can't smell them is's most likely because you're used to it, but other people coming into your house will smell them instantly.

Have never kept gerbils, but ime hamsters can be friendly if they are handled regularly, and the syrian hamsters make the better pets. But if they do bite they will draw blood.

Goldfish are alright but you can only watch them, budgies are nice, they twitter nicely and can be handled and let out to fly and are just sweet and don't bite too hard. You will have to put the work in to tame them though but once this is done your 5 yo should be able to get budgie to get on his finger to get him out.

And rats are vermin.

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