3littlekeets Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 We have 2 large dogs already, but my DD wants a small indoor furry pet. Ferrets are totally out for me :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammy Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 nt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulfbourne Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Chinchilla's! We're waiting until kids are older and can play more gently with a small pet, but I love chinchilla's. Personally I don't like hamster's or gerbils much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Rats. You can't go wrong with info from The Rat Lady. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheWillFly Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 guinea pigs:) We've had guinea pigs for three years now and our kids absolutely love them. They are social animals so they actually enjoy the attention poured on them by the kids. And they are sturdier than hamsters or gerbils. I really wanted a chinchilla but they were way out of our price range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaof2andtwins Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 We have mice, but if I had to do it again, I would only get one male mouse. We started with 3 females in one tank, but with in three weeks of purchase we had 8 mice. :glare: One of the girls came to us as an expectant mom, but we didn't know it until we opened the tank one afternoon. :001_huh: Mice and rats do often carry a respiratory disease like pneumonia. Most of our mice die of it within the first year as the mother of the 5 babies had it. We have one of her boys left. He's our last guy. We also have one cat that likes to watch the mice but has never tried to get in the tanks. Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avila Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 We have both. My 10 yo DD has a dwarf hamster, and my other two DDs have guinea pigs. I would say it depends on how old your DD is and what kind of fun she expects from a pet. We like both! Guinea pigs live longer (7 years on average). They have to have fresh fruit and vegetables along with pellets, but they are easy to care for and generally even-tempered. Since they are larger than hamsters, they are often more cuddly and easier for littler kids to relate to. My girls have even put baby doll clothes on one of ours, and he didn't complain. I don't recommend that, but it does show the temperment. I change the cage once a week and scoop out the soiled areas once a week also. The hamster is more fun to watch. Dwarf hamsters come out more during the day, but they are smaller than Syrians, so Syrians are often more tolerant of younger kids. Pet store hamsters that haven't been handled are often not tame and bite. Dwarf hamsters also need to be handled at least every other day to stay tame. But hamsters are not particularly cuddly and many of them are obsessed with escaping. They are also active at night, and that can keep you awake if you are a light sleeper. I would say the guinea pigs are easier to deal with in our case, especially since our dogs would eat our hamster if she ever got out and they found her. We have to keep her in a glass aquarium for that reason. The dogs haven't been too interested in the guinea pigs after the first week, but I wouldn't leave them alone together either. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 We had two female rats, and they were great! They are smart, not stinky, and very friendly. The ONLY drawback is the short lifespan, which is 2-3 years on average. Ours lived a year and a half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 We have a couple of gerbils. They come running to be fed, which is cute, but they're nervous thanks to being traumatized by one having her tail tuft yanked off and the other getting loose for 2 days, so not safe to handle. One bit a friend's son rather badly, and he's used to handling gerbils as they're the family we got them from (the same day I taught them how to tell the boys from the girls, lol). One got loose and died while we were trying to recapture her, when she was just a baby. She was apparently terrified and injured herself or something in my husband's hands once he had hold of her. I also hate cleaning up after them, and if my friend hadn't talked us into relieving her gerbil overpopulation problem, I'd rather have fish. Fish don't try to escape. DD says she wants a snake, I told her she'd have to wait until she's old enough to take care of it all on her own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Another vote for guinea pigs here. We have owned a hamster in the past and babysat the class guinea pig over a couple of school breaks. Hamsters, for one thing, are definitely nocturnal. They can be awakened for play during the daytime but really aren't that much fun to watch. Plus, I have yet to find an exercise wheel that fits my definition of "silent" when they're running like crazy at night! Gerbils can go through phases of being nocturnal or diurnal, may switch without notice, and are still small enough to worry about biting. On the up side, though, their cages are still smaller. When we watched the guinea pig, he was a doll. They make the cutest noises you've ever heard when they're hungry or want attention, and they can be very loving. However, their cages are a lot bigger and their nutrition needs can be more demanding because they MUST have vitamin C, so you have to supplement their hay/timothy with fresh foods... something you don't necessarily have to do with hamsters or gerbils. I don't have any personal experience with rats (yet), but one of my friends highly recommends them. She had one during college and can't wait till her kids are old enough to help care for another. She says they're extremely clean and also very trainable. We'll probably be getting one as soon as our turtle goes the way of the dodo. My daughter's been asking for one for about a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzdaisy Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 nt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 We have 3 rats. I think they were called blue russian but don't remember exactly. They are fabulous pets. They've never bitten us and they allow us to handle them. We can pick them up, cuddle them under our chins, let them run around on our shoulders and through our hair, lay on the floor and let them run over our legs while watching them playing. They are very cute, intelligent animals. We had a chinchilla but we couldn't hold him. I know it's possible but that particular little guy had a real aversion to being held. If we let him out, he'd run so fast it took at least 2 of us to corner him to return him to his cage. He didn't like to potty on the bottom floor of the cage. Instead, he'd hike his rear end against the bars of the middle level. As a result, we had to clean urine off the table, walls, baseboards and carpet. We tried lots of different ways to keep the area clean but just never hit on the right combination. We finally gave him to a chinchilla rescue group, hoping he'd be happier with more chins. My oldest daughter had hamsters and gerbils and says they bit her quite often. She recommended the rats when my youngest daughter wanted a small furry pet and we've been delighted with them. Their names are Apple, Jelly, and Dora. :) Oh, we started off with 1, but she was lonely and shy. Once we added the second one, they were both lively and fun. I fell in love with the 3rd one at the pet store and just had to have her on an impulse. They get along very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3littlekeets Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 Rats...no matter how very hard I try, they just aren't in my power to love. I loved the Chincillas ==== oh my goodness ==== true love. However, WOW, way out of our budget. GP it may be...though Ds just said his friend has a hedgehog? Any experience with those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3littlekeets Posted April 12, 2009 Author Share Posted April 12, 2009 Rabbit, lol. Ours is litter trained and spoiled. Really.... a litter trained rabbit???? Are there certain "smarter" breeds ... and ones that aren't HUGE? :-). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jensway Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I would recommend guinea pigs. We have had G.P.s , hamsters and gerbils. G.P.s are more social. They do require a little care, but they are really enjoyable. Here's a link that you can learn more about them. http://www.guineapigcages.com/ I'd also recommend building your own cages for them. Much cheaper alternative that store bought cages and much better for them. See the link above. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Jenny Flint Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 We have one. My daughter pays him a ton of attention. He is out of his cage during the daytime for about 2-3 hours in smaller blocks of time. Because of this he doesn't seem to be lonely or in need of a companion. He loves my daughter- she is the only family member he will come to the door of his cage for. He will sit on you and doesn't try to run away- very rarely does he bite, and it is always by accident (when he is trying a nibble of your clothing and doesn't realize your skin is there- this has happened maybe twice altogether). They don't excrete all over you, and they are cute as all get-out. They also don't smell much at all if you keep the cage clean, although it does require daily scooping and weekly deeper cleaning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gevs4him Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Our vote would be Guines pig - we have had all but loved our Guinea pig the best - they have personality :lol: Blessings Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vettechmomof2 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 We have and had over the years many critters. mice:cute to watch and you can handle them but really not safe(they get loose) if younger kids hold them. hamsters: should not be kept together, do not really move around too much and depending where you get them can be very bitey gerbils:(presently have) very active, fun to watch, can hold them if they are used to handling and can be kept as a group, obvisouly same sexes though unless you want to explain extras. rats: friendly, need larger space though then the previous critters, very intelligent and trainable. very handalbe. g. pigs,: larger yet, messy but very cute and handable as well. rabbits:(presently have 3 in our dining room) We have Mini rex, all are litter trained, cute but each one is different on if they want to be handled. need more space and exercise. can still be stinky. chinchillas: minimal smell but not very good for younger kids with handling, active and enjoyable to watch, need room to exercise. Beautiful. there are still many other types of rodents kept as pets but these are the most common and remember that rabbits are not rodents but still tend to be classified with similar care as most rodents. I would talk it over with your family of what your children expect to get/receive from this pet and then figure it out. P.s. 4-H has a program to help learn about these critters as well. Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 We love our Netherland Dwarf rabbit! He's only 10 weeks old but has already stolen our heart! He'll only be 2-4 lbs fully grown. And he's already 75% potty trained. We have also had hamsters in the past but if you can't hold them a lot, they get kinda wild. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura R (FL) Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 There is current legislation up for review on April 23rd (HR669) that is working to ban exotic nonnative pets...fish, birds, mammals, reptiles, invertebrates. Exempt animals only: domesticated cats cattle or oxen dom chicken domesticated dog donkey dom geese and ducks goat goldfish horse llama mule pig dom rabbit sheep anything the gov deems common or domesticated. So, your choices may be soon be more limited. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I'm a total wuss. I can't handle mice, rats, or anything that resembles them, so that leaves out hamsters and gerbils too, lol! And I've heard that rats make excellent pets...but I start to shake just looking at them through glass...can't imagine handling one. My vote would be for the guinea pig. Big enough to handle, they usually tolerate/enjoy being handled, and big enough that they won't get lost, unlike a hamster or gerbil. Diva's been begging for a pet of her own. I'm thinking a Beta fish would be acceptable, lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangearrow Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 (edited) GP it may be...though Ds just said his friend has a hedgehog? Any experience with those? We had one until just a few months ago (we had him around a year). HE was awesome. You do have to handle them very frequently to keep them tame - and you do have to get used to the quills (they ARE very prickly - even though they look sort of soft in pictures). They're generally easy to care for. They are mostly nocturnal - you have to work with them to get them used to being up and hanging out with you frequently during the daytime (when they're babies, they sleep a LOT, though). Getting them out around 7pm is best. Hedgehogs absolutely must, must, must have a wheel to run on. A LARGE, closed wheel (their little toes can get caught on the open/mice style wheels). And that wheel is why we no longer have a hedgehog. They run ALL night long on the wheel (with only a few breaks in between to eat and drink). And they poop on the wheel - and run through it, sort of "paving" the wheel. After nearly a year of cleaning the wheel first thing every morning, I just had enough. I couldn't face another day of cleaning. that. wheel. :001_huh: Adored the hedgehog - hated the wheel. I know of one other hedgehog owner who no longer has their hedgehog for the same exact reason. (but, he was sooooo cute and soooo sweet!! I miss him - but do NOT miss cleaning up after him, lol). Edited April 13, 2009 by orangearrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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