Are hamsters good pets?

[MommyInTraining]

Are they safe? Do the kids have to wash their hands everytime they touch it?

 

Thanks!

[ElizabethB]

Are they safe? Do the kids have to wash their hands everytime they touch it?

 

Thanks!

 

I prefer these, all the fun and no mess:

 

http://www.zhuzhupets.com/main.html

[Mrs Mungo]

Some hamsters are good pets and some aren't. Hamsters from someone locally will probably be healthier and better mannered than hamsters from a vendor/pet store. We had a pair of long-haired Syrian hamsters when I was growing up, they lived 4 years and were very good-mannered. You need to handle them a lot in order for them to stay people-friendly.

 

You can (in theory) get salmonella or other diseases from a *sick* hamster, but not a healthy hamster. You're more likely to get a sick hamster from a pet-store than an individual.

[ChristyH463]

I'm a homeschooling mom who's been lurking for months on this forum, and I felt strongly enough about hamsters that I finally registered and came out of the woodwork. LOL. In my personal experience, hamsters make terrible pets. But that's just my experience with one hamster. We had a hamster that we bought at the pet store, and it was adorably cute, but you couldn't touch the thing. I think it was an adult when we bought it, and it would just bite if you tried to hold it. If you can get past the stigma, rats make much, much better pets for children. We have 2 pet rats now, and they are very clean (as long as you change the cage weekly). They are very intelligent and friendly, and they can be handled and loved on. Good luck!

 

ETA: Rats are very, very social, and you'll need to get two of them so they can keep each other company. Hamsters are generally the opposite of social, and it is recommended that you only keep one in a cage.

Edited June 15, 2010 by ChristyH463

[Sue G in PA]

Buy it young and take the time to "train" it properly and it will make a fine pet for young children. Dwarf hamsters are even better and much more friendly. We have had several hamsters over the years and the only one that we couldn't really handle is my ds7's hamster. Just never really took the time to train it.

[susankenny]

Hi,

 

We prefer fancy mice honestly. I know that may sound "ewww", but mice are such gentle pets ans we've never had issues with them at all. My children handle them daily & they are so much fun! I also think guinea pigs make excellent pets. Hamsters and gerbils are our least favorite.

 

Susan

[Nakia]

Go with rats instead. Seriously. They are so smart and so gentle. We had two, and they were great little pets!

[rookie]

Ugh! No!!

They bite and escape.

We tried four times and had the same experience four times.

Never again.

[susankenny]

I'm a homeschooling mom who's been lurking for months on this forum, and I felt strongly enough about hamsters that I finally registered and came out of the woodwork. LOL. In my personal experience, hamsters make terrible pets. But that's just my experience with one hamster. We had a hamster that we bought at the pet store, and it was adorably cute, but you couldn't touch the thing. I think it was an adult when we bought it, and it would just bite if you tried to hold it. If you can get past the stigma, rats make much, much better pets for children. We have 2 pet rats now, and they are very clean (as long as you change the cage weekly). They are very intelligent and friendly, and they can be handled and loved on. Good luck!

 

ETA: Rats are very, very social, and you'll need to get two of them so they can keep each other company. Hamsters are generally the opposite of social, and it is recommended that you only keep one in a cage.

 

 

I agree, rats are wonderul pets too! We especially love dumbo rats.

[Maddysmom26]

I just had to deal with this. My SIL is always getting her kids these types of animals. and so of course my daughter is always wanting them. So finally we got a dwarf hamster. Which really was cute. But it only lived about 4 days. It apparently was sick and laid there on its back for a few days barely breathing.. before it finally died. I convinced her to just get our $ back and wait on getting another.

my uncle who used to own a pet shop said to get a rat..he says they are the best because they dont bite and they are friendly /smart etc..

I remember in junior high my science teacher had one, and it was cute.

 

I just cant seem to get myself to feel the need to have a Rat for a pet. :willy_nilly:

and thank goodness that she doesnt seem to want one , so we are done with the little pets for now!

Although now we have an almost brand new $25 Hamster house. :tongue_smilie:

[elise1mds]

I agree... I've had two hamsters and neither of them were particularly friendly or good with kids. I prefer gerbils and rats. We currently have a fantastic gerbil and another friend of mine has a rat that my kids enjoy. Plus, gerbils and rats aren't entirely nocturnal like hamsters are, so you don't always have to wake your pet up to play with it. You will have to wash your hands, though :)

[Tammy]

I have two now.....get them young though!

 

.

[Guest ToGMom]

We've had several hamsters...2 from a pet store and 2 from a friend...all were HORRIBLE pets.

 

My #1 complaint is that they are nocturnal -- and if they are bored, they chew, climb and race around the cage ALL.NIGHT.LONG. :glare:

 

When this one is "gone", there will be no more.

[Hedgehogs4]

i was bitten by a hamster so hard one time that it bruised the bone of my finger. i have never, ever thought one was cute or desirable since.

[sparrow]

We love gerbils here. They are desert creatures, so they drink less. Drinking less=peeing less=less stinky. We got young sisters that never bit and were very outgoing and curious.

 

I don't think salmonella, etc. is a big risk with rodents, like it is with reptiles, but we still encourage hand washing after each handling.

 

ETA: I have been bitten by hamsters MANY times, due to their cranky, nocturnal nature. I won't let my kids have one, nor do they want one after my horror stories and having sweet gerbs.

[AngieW in Texas]

We prefer guinea pigs.

 

The one good thing about hamsters is that they have a very short life-span, so if you end up with an evil demon hamster, you just have to deal with it for 15-18 months before he dies. My 14yo ended up with one like that. He was fine at the pet store, but turned vicious about two weeks after we got him home. He wasn't my dd's first hamster, so I know that she knew how to handle him. My dd just made sure that he had food, water, and a clean cage until he died. She had to wear thick gloves to handle him at all.

 

Piggies are sweet. You can take your piggie out of his cage and play with him on the floor. You have to have plenty of room for a large cage though. You need at least 7 sq ft for one guinea pig for 10 sq ft for two. We got our piggies at the guinea pig rescue in Dripping Springs and made the cage ourselves using the plans on http://www.cavycages.com .

 

Piggies are a commitment. They can live up to 8 years, but usually last about 4 years if you get them from a pet store or 6-8 years from anywhere else.

 

If you post on your local hs loop that you're looking for a piggie, you'll probably find somebody who wants to rehome their piggie or who has just had a litter.

[Hedgehogs4]

i'm going to second the "piggie-pig" votes here (that's what my daughter called guinea pigs when she was two). they are generally so sweet and good natured and have very distinctive personalities. i had several growing up and my whole family loved them.

[susankenny]

I just cant seem to get myself to feel the need to have a Rat for a pet. :willy_nilly:

and thank goodness that she doesnt seem to want one , so we are done with the little pets for now!

Although now we have an almost brand new $25 Hamster house. :tongue_smilie:

 

An alternative is to get a couple of fancy mice (so your cage doesn't go to waste). They are so sweet & super gentle. We love ours! They are as sweet as rats imho & make lovely pets. There a little more difficult to train for tricks than rats, but it is definitely doable!:) We have 2 brown ones & everyone really enjoys them. You should google them if you find yourself thinking about small pets again.

 

 

Susan

[MommyInTraining]

Ughhh, there is NO WAY I would have a rat, mouse, or gerbil (looks too much like a rat!)

 

Sounds like we don't have enought room for a guinea pig.

 

I will definitely NOT be getting a hamster now. I had no idea they could be such terrors!

 

She will just have to wait until we can get a dog :)

 

Thanks for the info! You gals are a wealth of information!

[AlmiraGulch]

I've had two dwarf hamsters and LOVED both of them dearly! Both came from pet shops and both lived about 2 years (standard for dwarf hamsters).

 

The were the sweetest, friendliest little things and loved to be handled. One of them didn't like my ex-husband and bit him a few times. Didn't break the skin but it wasn't comfortable, for sure.

 

The key is to handle them in the store. If they won't let you play with them there, they won't let you at home. Mine were awesome and were even great with the kids. My little girl lost one of her legs when it got caught in the cage door but she healed it herself and my little stumpy lived another year, still with the best disposition.

 

So...my experience is clearly in the minority, but I thought they made great pets.

[AnitaMcC]

I have had hamesters several times in my life. Some are great, some not.

 

I had one that lived for 3 1/2 years and he was very very friendly. I would just talk to him and he would come out of his little house and start making this funny noise. He wanted me to pick him up and pet him. He would cuddle in my hand.

 

We got my Ds a hamster for Christmas this year. My Dd called her Psycho. That hamster was definitely a demon. But I don't think it was totally the hamster's fault. For one... she was a bit nervous and spazzy at the store. I should have known she was not going to be a good one for young kids. When we got her home, she dove out of my hand before I could get her in the cage... and then it took Dd and me 30 minutes to catch her and by that time the hamster was insane!!!! Anytime we even went near the cage she would screech like crazy. Finally after a week of this, I took her back to the pet store and exchanged her for another hamster (the one Ds has now).

 

The one Ds11yr has now is a sweety. She loves to be held and petted. She is very gentle and just adorable. She crawls right into our hands and sits there while we pet her.

 

Ds15yr had two rats. One died several months ago and one that is a miracle he is still alive... he is so old that he can't use his hind legs, is blind and deaf and we thought he would have died months ago. Ds plans to get another pair after this one dies. I think this one he has is 5 yrs old.

 

Dd has four guinea pigs. They are adorable. They are so funny too. They screech alot when they want food (even when they have food in bowls)... they are pigs!!!!!! They just love getting petted and played with on the floor. But I have to say piggies need a lot of care. Have to trim nails often, have teeth checked to make sure they don't overgrow and cause eating problems, give baths periodically, and they need their cages cleaned a.l.o.t. Dd has to clean the male cages twice a week (they are in individual cages), and the girls need their cage cleaned 3 times a week (they share a cage). If you don't clean often, they reek and little gnat bugs get abundant. We have huge cages too so they take up a lot of space.

 

I think overall... if you can get past the idea of "eww" for rats... they are the best!!!!!

[Cindyg]

We currently have mice. I have had and liked hamsters and gerbils also. Don't ask me why, but these (mice, hamsters, and gerbils) seem sweet to me, but rats seem horrifying. I can't imagine having a pet rat!

 

I'll tell you why I like our mice:

 

1. They are cute. They come in cute colors. They are very cute as they play and eat. Even as they sleep.

 

2. They are little. They don't pee a lot, and they don't smell bad.

 

3. If your kids get creative and make a great playland for them, the mice will appreciate it. Great feedback for the kids!

 

What I don't like about the mice:

 

1. They don't live long. I'm not saying they don't live as long as hamsters or gerbils. I don't think any of them live long. It is inevitable that you'll go through the death/grieving process.

 

2. The cage has to be cleaned out and it's a project.

 

3. They are nocturnal. Many days my son doesn't even get to see them. :(

 

Other miscellaneous notes:

 

Get two. They are happiest and most active when they have a playmate.

 

We feed ours by hand. They come running when they see us. Very rewarding.

 

I'm going to try to post a picture of one of our mice:

 

Edited June 16, 2010 by Cindyg

[TravelingChris]

My dd got a hamster last summer. It lived about six months and died, probably from cancer since it had a tumor. It was friendly. SHe got another one which was more skittish. It developed diabetes and we managed to control that for a bit (a few weeks) but it died too. Now she and her sister have 2 winter white dwarf hamsters which are both males. These ones are the best ones we have had. They are friendly, not as nocturnal as the others, and perfectly fine companions. I had her get hamsters because I don't want them to live a long time since we move frequently.

[Lizzie in Ma]

In general I am not a fan of rodents as pets for children. With the exception of guinea pigs.

[Nakia]

Be careful if you decide to get mice! We got two females from a pet store, and about two weeks later, we had 9 babies. One of them was pregnant when we got them. It was definitely an adventure.

[Jkodman]

Ughhh, there is NO WAY I would have a rat, mouse, or gerbil (looks too much like a rat!)

 

My thoughts exactly! All rodents give me the heebie-jeebies. I am glad others have good experiences with mice, etc. But I would freek! We will stick with the dog.

[*Jessica*]

My vote is for pinny-gigs. Er, guinea pigs. :D

Sweet Pea

Bandit

Hera

 

Best pets ever!

[Joy at Home]

Oooh, we love our piggies! They don't need as much cage room if you let them out regularly to run around the house. You can even litter train them. Here's a picture of ours:

[JudoMom]

We currently have 5 hamsters, all different breeds. We have a winter white, a robo dwarf, a russian dwarf, a golden, and something that looks like a golden but is smaller a grey, but is bigger than a dwarf.

 

The winter white is hands down the friendliest hamster I've ever met. The golden is cranky when you wake it up, but is also fine with being handled.

 

The russian dwarf isn't a nice guy. Adorable, but not friendly.

 

The robo dwarf is so fast it cannot be caught to be handled. It's never bit anyone, but it's never been picked up, either.

 

The 5th hamster isn't very friendly, but she's our newest addition and hasn't been tamed.

 

We also have 2 guinea pigs, and while they take up more room than a hamster, they are very friendly and worth the space.

[coralloyd]

How about a mini lionhead bunny rabbit. We plan on getting one of these for our middle dd.

[*Jessica*]

Oooh, we love our piggies! They don't need as much cage room if you let them out regularly to run around the house. You can even litter train them. Here's a picture of ours:

How cute! Are yours litter trained? How did you do it?

[hornblower]

We had dwarves & a Syrian & we liked them all. The Syrian esp liked to snuggle on our laps & just hang out. We had no problem with biting but we handled the dwarves from babyhood. Our Syrian came to us as an adult from a shelter & he was the sweetest pudgy little fellow. He made me laugh with his daily cage re-organization. The problem with hamsters is that they're nocturnal so they really don't want to be out during the day.

 

We also foster rats for a rescue & I LOVE ratties. Smart & can be very cuddly & wonderful - esp the males. Females prefer to run around but males will just hang out on your shoulder. Ratties are much more active in the day & willing to visit.

 

We also have dogs & a cat.

 

All animals have their pluses & minuses. Dogs can bite, cats can scratch..... You can't expect them to be like stuffies. :) If you do, just get save everyone the heartache and get the stuffy.

[MtnTeaching]

My daughter's hamster just recently passed away at 1-1/2 years. Rico was a sweetie and enjoyed being held and playing. I have no idea what kind of hamster he was, but he was huge. We had to get a rat cage for him because he couldn't fit into the hamster sized tunnels.

 

Even if you are lucky enough to get a sweet boy like Rico, they are nocturnal and will run all night long on a squeaky wheel. They can also be pretty stinky. I'm hoping to talk my dd into something else next time.