Capt_Uhura Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Hello all, After a recent thread about pet mice, I'm now thinking rats or gerbils. I have a DS11, DS8, DD4. They really would like a pet. I've taken care of rats before and found them very loving and social. But someone said she has had rats and gerbils but preferred gerbils b/c of less mess. So, which would you choose and why? Thanks for helping me with this possible decisions, Capt Uhura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brightside Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 I vote for gerbils. The idea of rats give me the creepy crawlies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Rats seem smarter and more social. I have had both and the rat was a lot of fun, very sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 A cat. *shudder* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Rabbits are nice and their poop is good for the garden :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Neither. I have a very strict no rodents in the house rule. I will leave you with this story. When my dc were little dh wanted ds to have a hamster or a gerbil. I said "No." One day I am at the pet store picking up some cat food. Ahead of me in line is a mom and her 2 children purchasing a hamster. The children looked so happy with the little guy and their habitrail and accessories. I started thinking "Maybe." They exit the store and I make my purchase. The family happened to be parked next to me. As I approached my mini-van I heard screams and crying. I get closer. Little boy is in tears and has blood running down his hand. The cute, little rodent had bitten him. No rodents in the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 rats!!! Hands down. Rats are very social and very cuddly. We had a wonderful Russian Blue Dumbo that loved to be cuddled and fall asleep in your arms. Dc would dress her up in doll clothes and she seemed to like it. She would pick up an outfit and take it to them. They are social creatures so you should consider more than 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Rats, definitely. Gerbils aren't very friendly and jump like they're possessed. Rats are highly intelligent, clean, very trainable, friendly, and adaptable. I've had several, and they make amazing pets. Like a dog, but more compact. Also, they'll eat your leftovers. :D The only downside I've seen to having rats is that they have a higher than normal tendency to develop tumors. Most of the ones I've had didn't live much beyond two or three years, even when I had the tumors surgically removed by the vet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Rats, definitely. Gerbils aren't very friendly and jump like they're possessed. Rats are highly intelligent, clean, very trainable, friendly, and adaptable. I've had several, and they make amazing pets. Like a dog, but more compact. Also, they'll eat your leftovers. :D The only downside I've seen to having rats is that they have a higher than normal tendency to develop tumors. Most of the ones I've had didn't live much beyond two or three years, even when I had the tumors surgically removed by the vet. :iagree: (except that I haven't had one. Yet. ;) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Neither. I have a very strict no rodents in the house rule. I will leave you with this story. When my dc were little dh wanted ds to have a hamster or a gerbil. I said "No." One day I am at the pet store picking up some cat food. Ahead of me in line is a mom and her 2 children purchasing a hamster. The children looked so happy with the little guy and their habitrail and accessories. I started thinking "Maybe." They exit the store and I make my purchase. The family happened to be parked next to me. As I approached my mini-van I heard screams and crying. I get closer. Little boy is in tears and has blood running down his hand. The cute, little rodent had bitten him. No rodents in the house. Well. If they read the hamster book they would have known better. It says not to go poking at a new hamster until it knows you. A gerbil bit my finger. I was dumb and bathing it (???) Finger swelled and I had to take meds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Neither. I have a very strict no rodents in the house rule. I will leave you with this story. When my dc were little dh wanted ds to have a hamster or a gerbil. I said "No." One day I am at the pet store picking up some cat food. Ahead of me in line is a mom and her 2 children purchasing a hamster. The children looked so happy with the little guy and their habitrail and accessories. I started thinking "Maybe." They exit the store and I make my purchase. The family happened to be parked next to me. As I approached my mini-van I heard screams and crying. I get closer. Little boy is in tears and has blood running down his hand. The cute, little rodent had bitten him. No rodents in the house. I've only ever been bitten by one of my rats once, but I had chocolate smeared all over my finger and he thought it was a Snickers, so really, it was my own fault. And as soon as he realized it was a finger and not a snack, he let go and looked properly ashamed of himself. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 (edited) If you get a gerbil, you should ideally get two, from what I've read and heard. However, DH and DD came home with only one, so that's what we stuck with. He's cute but has never been cuddly or that tame, though he tolerates DD and will let her pet him sometimes and not run away when she's playing with him. He has bitten her, me, and my younger DD before. He's easy to take care of, eagerly chews up all our empty toilet paper/paper towel tubes, and low maintenance. I do not recommend getting a wire/plastic cage; stick with a glass one to contain the mess and keep him/her from chewing up all the plastic. I doubt we'll get another gerbil after he's gone, which probably won't be long, since we've had him over 2 years and their life expectancy is around 3 years—sometimes more and sometimes less. Now my DDs want a hedgehog. :) Edited June 4, 2011 by WordGirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aelwydd Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Ds has a gerbil, and he likes putting him in his gerbil (hamster??) ball. The gerbil is a pretty curious little fellow, but not very loving or easy to pet. If you persist in trying to hold him, he'll bite. He is fairly clean though. Keeps his waste in one area of his cage and we only need to clean out his cage about 1x every 8-9 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 I've only ever been bitten by one of my rats once, but I had chocolate smeared all over my finger and he thought it was a Snickers, so really, it was my own fault. And as soon as he realized it was a finger and not a snack, he let go and looked properly ashamed of himself. ;) I can see how a finger could look like a snickers. I did have a friend in college who had a pet rat. He was a friendly rodent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs_JWM Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Rats!!! (as you probably guessed!) ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama2Many4 Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Between the two, I would choose a rat for sure. My niece had gerbils and they were nasty little things. Not sociable with humans at all. We ended up getting a Chinese Dwarf hamster today and it is the sweetest little thing ever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vettechmomof2 Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 We have both and adore both. Our gerbils are friendly, will take treats from our hands, get play time but are not really for holding. The best thing is they do not smell!!!! Rats smell, have a shorter life span then gerbils BUT are highly trainable, can be carried around with you easily. If they want a pet to hold then a rat. If they want a pet to care for and feed and enjoy by watching then I would recommend gerbils. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Gerbils! We had female litter mates that were the most precious rodents I've ever owned. They never bit and weren't stinky like any other rodent we've had. They would run to their cage door when they saw us. I miss my Harriet and Jane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Hello all, After a recent thread about pet mice, I'm now thinking rats or gerbils. I have a DS11, DS8, DD4. They really would like a pet. I've taken care of rats before and found them very loving and social. But someone said she has had rats and gerbils but preferred gerbils b/c of less mess. So, which would you choose and why? Thanks for helping me with this possible decisions, Capt Uhura I picked gerbils b/c DH said if we got rats he'd move out! :lol: We got 2 males who were little cuddlebugs. They died after 2+ years. Then we got 2 females. Not as sweet and cuddly, I am afraid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 rats are really smart, can come when you call them, and can learn really cool tricks. of course they have personalities, too. They are very, very fun pets in that you can interact with them, almost. we've recently had Russian Hamsters and they are so sweet, adorable, funny and loved to be held. My av? That's one of them. But not a lot of interaction going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Wolf says, "Which ever won't stick to the bottom of my shoe." Apparently, we're a no rodent family. Rats are illegal in Alberta to boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Rats win hands down. They are sweet and social. They are easier to handle then gerbils or hamsters. We currently have my dd20's rat staying with us. She is adorable but unfortunately I don't have enough time to spend with her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovetobehome Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Ferrets! We love ours.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Rats. They are intelligent and friendly. Gerbils are aloof and stupid. I had a gerbil growing up. It was not cuddly or fun. I have rat-sat on several occasions. Rats are friendly and interesting. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Rats! Dd and I have wanted a rat or two for a long time, but I have too many other pets and kids right now, and can't commit to caring for another creature atm. But I look forward to the day when we can get one, we've met other people's rats and they are so sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyboys Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 I vote for gerbils. The idea of rats give me the creepy crawlies. Gerbils are diurnal so they're interesting to watch and play with during the day (for dc) as opposed to some of the more nocturnal critters commonly in vogue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesmama3 Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Rat!! though I've never had a gerbil. We had a rat a few years back named Peachy. I could bring her into the living room and she would run around and sniff and would come when I called her name. We could hand wrestle with her. I'd put her on her back and tickle her tummy and then push her away and she would come running back. She also gave lots of kisses. Spend a little time in the pet store if you can. We had another rat that we describe as our 'laboratory rat'. She sat in the corner of her cage, never came to us when we called, and could not be caught if let out of the cage. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 What about cleaning cages? We've had rats. We loved them tremendously and they were great pets. The cleaning part wasn't fun though. The cage made my dd's room stink. We cleaned it out every other day because if we waited more than 2 days the smell was really noticeable. It wasn't hard but it was time consuming because we had to wash out the whole cage including the ramps and shelves since the rats didn't confine their waste to one area of the cage. I found it is extremely important to not let soiled bedding sit around too long because the ammonia can make the rats sick. The type of cage is also important for rats because wire cages can cause bumblefoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Ferrets! We love ours.... OMG, I *love* ferrets. I want one So Bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 OMG, I *love* ferrets. I want one So Bad. Stinky. And you have to get females fixed or bred, or they die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 You know my answer---RATS!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 My oldest has two female rats that he has brought home from college. I am shocked by how smart they and how clean they are. They are shiny-clean and keep their living space tidy. They also do things and they come when he calls them. They nestle into him like puppies. It's very intersting! However, they eat through plastic cages, chicken wire etc. He has them in large glass aquarium with various toys. At night, he puts the aquarium in thhe enclosed shower stall. They are very good escape artists, which is probably when they are banned in Alberta. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 Thank you everyone for helping me to think through this important decision! If they want a pet to hold then a rat. If they want a pet to care for and feed and enjoy by watching then I would recommend gerbils. Have fun! Love this! Thank you! I think the kids want a pet to hold and play with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I would far rather have a rat, but be aware that they have short lifespans and need large (rather expensive) cages compared to gerbils. We have guinea pigs because they are sweet and social, have longer lifespans (4-7 years), and their cages are cheap and easy to make (although they do have to be quite large). http://www.cavycages.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Gerbils can be very affectionate if you get them young, males especially. but they're escape artists, and they're jumpers-it is very, very difficult to contain them (I have seen a gerbil sail out of a cardboard box with walls several feet high). This makes them very, very hard to play with, because it's so easy to lose them-and when one jumps, it's HARD to hold on to that slippery little body (and trying to hold the tail is about like trying to hold a lizard by the tail-same result). I'd suggest only one, unless you want LOTS of babies. Neither two males nor two females do particularly well together. The plus of gerbils is that, since they're desert dwellers, they produce almost no urine and little, tiny, hard pellets of feces-so they're less stinky than most rodents. I never had rats, so I can't compare them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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