Hamster, gerbils or mice? Help me choose

[RubyRoses]

Please don't worry this is NOT a Christmas gift, but we have been researching for a while now and will not be getting any pet until the time is right.
We have had several Guinea pigs but do not want to get more (have given away all my equipment- there was loads!) and would like either a hamster , gerbils or even mice? It is for my daughter who is a very responsible 11yr old but I will also look after it. She would like something she can spend time interacting with and handling. Unfortunately we do not have the space for rats as I know they would be ideal! Any pros/cons for hamsters, gerbils, mice would be much appreciated to help me decide. Thank you

Mice are best for not biting,then hamsters,gerbils are little biting heathens in my experience.if you have mice though,you have to have 3 minimum as they pine to death on their own,so if one dies you still have 2.I've had all e in the past and the only one I'd never have again is gerbil.

I used to work in a large pet store and previously had lots of pets as a teenager and gerbil was my favourite. Hamsters are a known to bites when I worked in the pet shop no member of staff would hold them without gloves. Gerbils in my experience more friendly however very quick to escape. I kept mine in a old fish tank and they like to dig and explore. Another (controversial) option is rats. Also friendly, I'd never had one bite me, also very clever although can be a little smelly!

Hamster. Our daughter had a Syrian, lovely little thing, really enjoyed interaction.

Syrian hamsters are good for a child of that age to interact with and form a bond with in my experience. They are largest of the three you mention and don’t move too fast.

Victoria Raechel not sure of the spelling, on YouTube has great videos which my DD got into, she learned loads and it really helped her to feel a sense of pride knowing what she was doing and looking after her hamster really well.

The RSPCA and Bluecross have hamsters which need re homing sometimes.

I breed mice so I am obviously biased, but I've kept them for decades and enjoy them. They rarely bite and can be tamed quite easily with time and patience. Lots of treats and calm, gentle handling and it is possible to get them used to you to enjoy coming out. They're the smallest of the three species (except perhaps dwarf hamsters) and come in many different varieties - even longhair and curly coats (the coats don't last too long though and do even out as they get older). If you get them, I agree get three females, males have a very strong scent and should be kept alone (unless neutered, then kept with females). They enjoy wheels (flying saucer types are good and silent), and mine get all of my scrap cardboard. Toilet roll tube? Little tunnels for mice, they love and appreciate everything. They're very cheap to keep and easily pleased.

I've had a few hamsters and been bitten by all of them. Never had gerbils so can't comment.

I think one of the main differences I have noticed is whereas a hamster might instinctively accept food from your hand when offered mice are more shy and take time to build up trust. A patient 11 year old could certainly have some very tame mice with some perseverance.

I've had all 3 as pets.

Hamsters are generally good pets as they tend to be quite docile/tame if handled from a young age (some of the dwarf varieties can be less friendly). They do seem to be less intelligent and trainable than mice/rats are but can certainly be handled and interacted with. Typically live ~2-2.5 years.

The main benefit (or downside I suppose, depending on your perspective) of gerbils is that they tend to live much longer. Mine lived 5-7 years each. I found them much more energetic/quick than hamsters which made them harder to handle. They can still get used to people and tolerate being handled but I found they were generally jumpier/more nervous. They need a special type of cage that has a deep tank at the bottom so that they can burrow into bedding/sawdust, but once they have made a burrow they often like to stay down there/run down into it if you try to pick them up. Maybe I just had especially nervous gerbils but I never really felt like they enjoyed human company.

Mice are lovely animals. Clever and easily trained, and can bond with their owners well. The main downside however is their lifespan - typically 1-1.5 years and because they are so easy to bond with it can be hard to accept how quickly they are gone. It really depends how you feel your daughter would cope with this side of things. I found that the short lifespan almost ruined owning mice for me, as within a few months of getting a mouse and falling in love with them I would start to dread their impending death as I knew it would come so soon.

Hope your daughter is happy whatever you choose :)

Had all 3. Hamster was escape artist. They do like to sleep in the day. Also it bit a lot, but I loved holding it as a child.

Gerbil was fast! Also bit a lot. You can have great fun with a gerbil if you will spend the time, but you need to put the effort in.

Had 6 small mice, they were great. Played with them a lot. Easy pet to keep.

Mice are tiny, and they wee continually. Hamsters are also tiny, and can only be kept alone (one per cage). They are nocturnal, so active at night. Gerbils can be kept in pairs (obviously, same-sex, or you'll end up with loads like we once did) or groups.

Gerbils love burrowing in peat, so you'll need a tank rather than a cage.

Had all of these when my sons were growing up.

Would you consider a reptile? My son age 10 has a leopard gecko and he is so easy to look after and very tame. That’s if you don’t mind feeding bugs.

I realise this wasn't in your question, but have you thought about rats? They make amazing pets, aren't nocturnal like hamsters and are far less bitey.

I had hamsters as a child, then a pet shop recommended a rat and she was amazing. Intelligent and loved sitting on my shoulder. Although I believe as they are so social they should be in pairs.

I know some people can't stand the thought of a pet rat, but thought I would suggest it, as they make far better pets than hamsters or mice.

I apologise, I have just read the last part of your op and see you mention rats and space 🤦‍♀️

I'm currently not very with it, clearly!

Gerbils are amazing, really friendly when handled awake in the day unlike hamsters and they are amazing to watch burrowing.

I'd get a male syrian hamster - the biggest thing for me would be that the others have to live in groups so you get on the endless treadmill of feeling obliged to buy a new one to keep the old one company when its friend dies, ad infinitum.
Syrian hamsters don't bite if you tame them properly when they are young and respect that their cage is their territory which they will guard - if you let them climb out when it is playtime rather than grabbing them from their nest or from above like an owl swooping in, and don't stick your fingertip through the bars like food, they are fine.

@BestZebbie

I'd get a male syrian hamster - the biggest thing for me would be that the others have to live in groups so you get on the endless treadmill of feeling obliged to buy a new one to keep the old one company when its friend dies, ad infinitum. Syrian hamsters don't bite if you tame them properly when they are young and respect that their cage is their territory which they will guard - if you let them climb out when it is playtime rather than grabbing them from their nest or from above like an owl swooping in, and don't stick your fingertip through the bars like food, they are fine.

I’d second all this!

Haven't had mice but prefer gerbils to hamsters. Hamsters are easier to handle but gerbils are much more interesting and awake more.

I've owned all 3 and my preference would be mice. Main reasons being, every hamster I ever owned was horrible for biting and gerbils are really, really fast. It's a shame you don't have room for rats as they're amazing companions for a child.

We’ve had hamsters in the past - Syrians are quite slowly, very sweet. The little dwarf hamsters are incredibly fast! They’re also nocturnal, though; we found they’d be starting their day just as the kids were winding down for bed so it turned out I did most of their care and handling!
We currently have two gerbils, endlessly entertaining and with regular handling you can tame them very easily. They’re up and down throughout the day and evening! Very curious. They rarely bite me, though have never gone further than a graze with the teeth before they realised my finger wasn’t actually food! You do need fresh hands to handle any rodent or they will taste you 😂
We have ours in a big converted Ikea unit with deep bedding for digging, exercise wheel etc.

I foster for an animal charity, and have experience of Gerbils and Hamsters. I specialise in Gerbils. None of these are suitable pets for very young children as delicate, but a responsible 11 year old is fine.

Syrian Hamsters are nocturnal, and always quite dissapointing as pets in that respect. The dwarf Hamsters (Robovski etc) are very small, quick and definitely not cuddly. More of a watch pet.

Gerbils are by far my personal favourite. They must be kept in a minimum of pairs as highly social, they don't smell (desert animals), they are diurnal so sleep/awake in roughly 4 hour shifts, given the correct setup they make endless burrows and terraform. They should never ever be housed in woodshavings or sawdust as its terrible for their respiratory system. Finacard, shredded paper, Timothy Hay (to bind tunnels) is perfect, minimum of 8 inches deep. However, if you don't have space for rats, then you may not have the space for Gerbils. It's very rare a petshop will sell anything remotely suitable, and Hamster cages are totally inappropriate. They need a large glass tank, minimum roughly 80x30 for a pair. You can convert aquariums, or look at www.junglepets.co.uk/glass-small-animal-housing-273-c.asp without shelves, min 36 inches. Or like @Emmelina above, ours live in an Ikea Detolf (£60) converted cabinet (there's an etsy shop that makes lids). They need to free roam everyday in a wire free room. A bathroom is good. Pics attached of suitable housing.

I'm happy to answer any Gerbil questions

I keep mice and hamsters.
I love all my animals, but if rats are out of the question out of mice and hamsters I would recommend mice for a child.
They are awake more regularly throughout the day, I find them easier to handle and tame than our hamsters, and even if they aren't very sociable they are so much fun to watch.

You keep mice in groups, we have currently 6 mice and a multimammate in the group. Watching them play and interact, burrow and popcorn brings so much joy.

We have 4 hamsters too, and we rarely see them. They don't wake until after midnight and are back in their burrows before we wake. If we happen to glimpse them during the day or early evening they aren't in a place where they want to be social as they are just up to see, get water, etc.

The mice on the other hand are so inquisitive. You only have to go in their room and they are up, looking what's going on. You can also train them to sit on your shoulders, as they won't jump off from a height.

I love all my little babies, buy I get more joy from the mice than I do the hamsters.

A Syrian hamster is a good first pet, we got our first when ds was 6, the only down side is that they don't live long, look for a breeder, don't buy from Pets at Home.

Came on to suggest rats but I see you haven’t the space which is a shame since they’re lovely pets! My second choice would be mice.

Hamsters I think can be so variable - had some lovely friendly cuddly ones and some horrible ones that are just untameable.

Not sure about gerbils as haven’t any experience there!

I had gerbils when I was around 11, I was very fond of them and played with them loads. They were very tame, only got bitten a couple of times in years of ownership. Good advice up thread about housing.

Experience of hamsters (cute but dull) and mice (cute but smelly).

I had mice they are social little things and will run on a wheel together, occasionally in different directions leading to one doing a spectacular jump / backflip.

Lots of fun if you take them out while cleaning their cage / tank and then move their toys.

They tend to sleep together in a small pile and if handled become quite confident with their human - a vet once complemented me on how well behaved one was.

They do tend to only live 3 years so I had three and when one passed away got another but eventually I had one elderly mouse who was blind, so I stopped rearranging her cage and she plotted to take over the world.

Hamsters I think can be so variable - had some lovely friendly cuddly ones and some horrible ones that are just untameable.

Absolutely agree. Our first Syrian was male and would fall asleep on you and loved having his head rubbed! Sadly he died at 12 months. Our second was female and would launch itself from your hands, completely untameable. We bought from Pets at Home as no breeders near us. We then went back to PaH and asked specifically for a male and were sold another female! We are handling every day but 6 months on she's still very nervous. I think our first was a one off. I can't find another like him.
I would love a dog tbh. Hamsters are wearing thin!