A good pet for a 2 bedroom, third floor flat

[Teaandchristmascakeplease]

We already have a goldfish. However DD has been wanting a kitten for quite sometime. I keep telling her that with no easy access to a garden, it isn't fair on a cat to be indoors all the time. Not to mention having to have a litter tray clogging up the floor.

When I grew up we had a gerbil. However would a hamster be the best bet? Or something else? She's 4 and does love stroking and fussing over animals at friends houses. So I would really love to have your thoughts and ideas on what would be most suitable for her and our living arrangements.

I will probably wait until the Christmas and sales nonsense is over and then buy one with her.

[Jux]

Bearded dragon. They're lovely and they wave!

[LordOfTheFlies]

Spiders- furry and they can wave several hands at once.

(I'm being obtuse now)

[sprinkles77]

Another one for rats. Get as young as possible from a breeder ( contact the national fancy rat society). They are cuddly and trainable. Mine were free range in our flat while I was in. One particularly clingy male rat slept in my bed with me sometimes. They live about 3 years. You should find that they mostly poo in the cage but do tend to wee randomly. Females are less smelly but more wriggly than boys. Theoretically if you wanted 2 boys they could be neutered to prevent fighting and smells, but check with a vet first.

[Teaandchristmascakeplease]

I went into the local petshop today, they get all their rats, mice and hamsters from a professional breeder in Essex. He delivers fortnightly. They do not keep Gerbils in the store as apparently they just sit there, no one buys them. You have to order one in, if you want it. They had some 6 week old hamsters in today that were especially cute. They'd just been delivered, so they couldn't go home with anyone but you could "buy" it and come back for it another day. They did have some rats too, but I'm really not keen on the idea of a rat. Silly really.

Anyway I did an impulse purchase and bought the hamster she nominated. Anyway they only live for 2 years and perhaps next time I'll be braver and buy a mouse or rat

Now begins the steep learning curve, as I cannot remember anything about how I cared for my Gerbils when growing up. I think my mum used torn newspaper for bedding to save money I won't be doing that.

[LordOfTheFlies]

Aaaah, are you going to get Hamlet before Christmas? It would be lovely for your DD.(I know lots of people say 'no pets at Christmas' but you know you are going to be doing the cleaning out and maintenence, don't you. )

Read on the hamster threads to find out what bedding they'll need.

Our petshop (I didn't get GPs from there) adviced straw and sawdust, when all the advice on here is no sawdust/no straw/no shavings.

If you have a shredder, then plain shredded paper is good fun for rodents.I always think if I'd let the GPs eat it, then they can bed in it.
Toilet roll tubes are good for little rodents, GPs are too chubby.They have those little hay nests and tubes/tunnels in Pets at Home which look nice.Change the toys regularly to keep him interested.
Newspaper isn't recommended because of the dye.
I don't know about that cotton wooly stuff they sell, if it's recommended.

Enjoy your new arrival.

[NorkyPiesWithJingleBellsOn]

Enjoy! BTW the cotton woolly stuff they sell for nesting is not recommended - it's synthetic material and can get twisted round their legs and cut in.

[Teaandchristmascakeplease]

What am I meant to use in the cage?

Hamlet? Now that's a good name for it Yes it will be me cleaning it out, but as a divorcee I can fuss over it at night once they're asleep too

[LordOfTheFlies]

If you shred paper in a shredder its good for them to burrow in . I cut into pieces and shred (about 4" wide) for my GPs to add to their hay .
My mice used to shred up loo roll tubes to line their bed (we gave them little cardboard boxes).
I don't know what you put in their toilet area though. I don't use sawdust or wood shavings for my rodents. (Megazorb for outside, Catsan cat litter for indoors.Worth the cost, 2 male GP pee and are niffy !)

Cheap kitchen paper torn up?
I think anything non-synthetic - the risk is if they eat it or if it gets wrapped round them (which is why I use short pieces of paper)

[Teaandchristmascakeplease]

Well "Amber" is home and hiding. She went straight in her little house and hasn't ventured out again. Hope she settles and gets used to us in the days ahead. The children are leaving her be, as asked. She's in a quiet room.

I bought her the biggest cage I could with a big plastic tube thing and a second layer to climb on too, a little toy and a snack thingy hanging down as well as her normal food and bottle of water. Pampered pet

[brighthair]

I use carefresh for the bottom of the cage and cheap shredded loo/kitchen roll for his nest. He also has potty litter in his toilet corner

[TheElvesSawBatgirlKissingSanta]

I use carefresh as well and put a layer of shavings on top (our hammy likes to burrow!) I give him/her a mixture of nesting stuff i.e kitchen roll, shop bought shredded bedding and paper.

brighthair Do you use the potty litter in something or just put it strait in the cage as it is?

[TheElvesSawBatgirlKissingSanta]

*straight !

[brighthair]

well it is meant to be in a toilet, but new (awkward git) hammy won't use it. I figured best second was putting it in his wee corner!
He is meant to enjoy burrowing and be nocturnal. He mostly likes running his teeth along the bars when you ignore him, and waking up at 2pm so you pay him attention

[Teaandchristmascakeplease]

Ahhhh Great ideas.

She let me pick her up gently tonight and she wandered about on my hands and up my arm. I popped her back into the cage after 5 mins. She seems happy tonight, wandering about it, eating and moving the food to other places. Inbetween falling asleep in the tube and slipping down it, to wake up in surprise

[LordOfTheFlies]

Hopefully she'll do a little dancy ,stampy thing when she wants a pee. Most rodents do , and if you recognise it ,it'll save you getting piddled on (and the DCs) .

[Teaandchristmascakeplease]

Yes she does do exactly that just before. I've also noticed like rabbits she re-eats her poo

She spent most of today snoozing, much to DD's disgust as she just wanted to hold her. I did finally coax her out for a brief hold and she was ok. This was at about 6pm. Gave her a quick go in the exercise ball as well. Just trying to get her used to us.

However after tea my son age 2 (almost 3) put his finger in the cage and she nipped it real good. Cue blood and screams I think she thought it was food, as he'd just eaten spag bol and hadn't washed his hands after. What do you think?

[Ponders]

yes, I would guess she thought it was food - they have quite poor eyesight as I understand it, & smell is significant to them

I bet DS won't do that again (hard way to learn the lesson but effective!)

[LordOfTheFlies]

Rodents do tend to nip if they think there's food in the offing.
GP1 was really interested in my DDs face when she had eaten cucumber.I could smell it on her, so he definately would.
They do a little 'lick,lick gnaw' but only to DH and I. I'm not 100% on GP1 being near my face or neck, just in case.

And please make it a rule in your house . No fingers through the bars.
If the rodents hear the door opening it gives them warning. But stray fingers through bars is a bit of a shock to them. Especially as Amber is still a baby.

And the pooh eating. Yes, gross but essential. In the wild they would eat all day, then take shelter and digest their recycled food ie poohs.
GP1 likes to give a kiss after! Hmm thanks!

[Teaandchristmascakeplease]

Good idea Lordoftheflies. Thank you Ponders for your reassuring message last night as well.

[Ponders]

you're welcome

I've just found \link{http://www.hamsterhideout.com/anatomyhead.html\hamsterhideout} which looks fun - lots of helpful inf (it talks specifically about them nipping when they smell food on your hands) & has some games your DD could play!

[brighthair]

Offering closed fist is better - avoid foodie scented hand cream too
Took me a month to tame latest hamster so you are doing really well!

[Teaandchristmascakeplease]

Ahh today she has clocked the sound of the cage door opening and runs into her tube as I come in But that's ok. I wanted to give her a quiet evening tonight. Gave her some apple tonight which she loves!

[brighthair]

Eventually you will have the opposite - mine now leaps out the cage the minute the door opens and clambers on me

[Teaandcakeplease]

I've become wary of handling her since she nipped DS. It's illogical. She has learnt to use her wheel and now comes out of her cage when I open the door. But trying to coax her back in is becoming interesting with my new fear

[budgieshell]

A budgie.
Very easy to look after, Clean cage once or twice a week, feed and change water every day.
Food is cheap to buy and available at supermarkets.
Let out of cage when you want.
You can teach them to talk, do tricks and sit on your finger.
These are the type of pet you can spend a long time training or just look after them for a low maintance pet.
No smell.
The idea of a rodent in my home sends shivers down my spine.