What small furry might be suitable?

[FairyBarr]

I'm just in the initial stages of thinking of getting a pet; I will do my research but wondered if anyone could give me a steer on what type to look at?

I have two kids aged 11 and 8; we currently have tropical fish - I had rabbits before I have kids but looking for something smaller, that needs less space, this time.

We've got room for a reasonable sized cage and got time for feeding/cleaning/playing daily. We aren't in a rush so can take our time finding the right cage, right place to buy a pet etc.

The big BUT: we go away several times a year and would like to find something that could happily be left for a long weekend say every other month with just a neighbour popping in once to feed and then a couple of times a year we would be away for a week and ?would take the cage round to a family member to care for?? It this is ridiculously impossible got any small furry then I'd like to know now before i spend ages researching

I really love having rats. Some downsides to consider since all the positives have been covered already. Rats need a huge cage and lots of toys and enrichment in there. The set up cost can be a bit high. Cleaning takes me at least 40 mins every week. They need special paper based or kiln dried wood shavings that are completely dust extracted as they are prone to respitory infections. This can be a bit pricey. They are very active and intelligent and to be happy and healthy most rats need at least hour out of the cage most days to explore, do training etc. They also don't like to have their cage moved so you'd be much better off getting some to visit your home when you're away. Males can be quite smelly, females are prone to tumours. Vet bills could get expensive. Despite this - best pets in the world!

Yes defo rats! I'd have more if I didn't have dogs

Dwarf hamsters still need 100cmX 50 cm minimum cage wise.

And if you do get a hamster please know they aren't natural climbers.. if they're climbing it is down to frustration and boredom. High cages have long been discredited but pet shops still sell them. They need a lot of floorspace but not height.

No-one has mentioned gerbils instead of hamsters. I don't think they are as nocturnal? I'm still in team rat but gerbils take up less room, aren't so prone to disease & live 3-4 years.

Another vote for rats, they do need a big cage, but it can be tall rather than having a big footprint. You can make them hammocks out of old tea towels and t-shirts. They can also be litter trained (for poos anyway, I never managed it for wees with most of my boys).

Just be aware that they will chew everything in sight, especially wires, so they need supervision out of the cage unless your house is rat-proof. One of mine chewed through the main phone wire in a house I rented!

I had six at one point, I'd probably have loads now but I developed allergies (I'm not allergic to anything else). If one of your children is prone to allergies I'd probably make sure you cover him in rats and see what happens before you commit.

Avoid hamsters like the plague - way to bitey!!

Please do visit a rescue centre and see which small furries need a new home. The teams there will be able to give you great advice and support too. Many rescues have rats and other small furries that need a loving home - the teams will know their characters and what they enjoy, so bonus info too!

Rats for sure, amazing companions

@7070isaLimitNotaTarget just for you - my fav pic.

Rats live 18-24 months on average. The oldest I've had was 29 months. No one should expect one to live beyond that. Short lived but they make every second count.

Cat?

Our rats lived between 18 & 31 months (9 rats in total), but most didn't get much over 24 months. They were rescues, so ones from reputable breeders may do better.
By contrast the gerbils lived 4 years.

Aww thank you
And I did notice the sneaky tail in the corner .....

I used to keep mice , their tails are probably similar but much thinner with a light covering of really short hairs .

I give you a photo of the Magnificent Bert , one of my daughters boars .
Excuse his filthy little paws (they look a bit red but not IRL) he'd been doing some gardening . AKA eating grass and standing in goodness knows what !

^
Picture came out upside down , he's not that athletic

Another vote for Rats, incredible, incredible pets. They need a lot of research though, require a large suitable cage and groups of 3+.
Other top choice would be guinea pigs, beautiful animals.

In addition to my last, there are some great rat advice/support groups on Facebook x