New pet- what to get- Rat, Gerbil, Hamster

dori2o

Our rat died last night, but the kids don't yet know.

We went to the local pet shop today and are planning to get a new pet.

Whilst there we saw rats, but my wife enjoyed watching the gerbils, and the hamsters playing and has said she wouldn't mind one.

Cages etc are not a problem as when we first got the rat she had a small hamster type cage that we were given and still have, we also have a 3 tier cage which the rat was living in till she died.

So, what should we get. I won't be touching any of them as I hate things like that,unless they are in a cage then I can watch them for hours.

I realise that by getting something other than a white rat will mean explaining that 'Fat Rat' has died, but at least the kids will have something new to watch.

Anyone got any advice.

picklepick

Did the kids like playing with the rat out of its cage?

Hamsters are nocturnal rodents and as such you wont get to see them much!
Gerbils are nice to watch but to handle they are very quick and they can bite if not handled regularly and tamed from a young age. They also need to be kept in pairs and not in a cage. They need something like an adapted fish tank so that they can dig and build burrows. They are fascinating little creatures, i have two myself!

I think you're probably best getting another rat, at least you already have the right cage etc

Curious_George_2

sorry to hear about fat rat xxx

ive had mice, hamsters and rats and to be honest after owning a rat all the others are SO boring,

my 2 fancy rats were entertaining, had real character and were properly part of the family,
my daughter has a hamster and my god its dull... its cute as anything, but as its nocturnal she barely ever sees it unless it gets woken up (and then of course its not happy and has bitten her before now, but thats probably because the novelty wore off when she realised we were right all along about it being asleep all day and she rarely bothers with it, unhandled hamster = bitey!)

so... this is a vote for rats all the way!

giantmutantbroccoli

I'm massively biased but I think you should get rats. You get a lot of interaction from a rat, you can even train them! I haven't managed training with mine exactly, but they come to their names and go back to the cage for a wee when they're let out.
If you do get another rat it'd be a good idea to get more than one. They're very social animals and will be a lot happier in a pair (or more!). They'll be more fun to watch, too! Just make sure they're both the same sex - it's easy to tell if you (or the person who does the handling) can handle them well enough to look. If no one can handle them, don't buy them. They should be friendly and inquisitive.

That said, if no one really wants to play with animal - if you all are just watching them - you probably shouldn't get rats as they are pretty intelligent and do need a lot of interaction to keep them happy/entertained. I THINK hamsters and gerbils are better at being left alone, although I could be wrong.

UKTigerlily

If you get a Rat remember to get two or preferably three, they should never ever be kept alone & the animal welfare act states animals should be kept with others if that's how they're supposed to be (As opposed to hamsters being alone which is how they should be, at least the Syrians) rats should have a big cage, mine was 5ft 4 tall, nothing tiny! They need an hour out of the cage at least per day & looked after right are fantastic pets but need lots of time putting into them for them to be happy. However, IMo they're the best of the lot & great pets

Chocolate80

Just to throw something else into the equation, degus make lovely pets. They are very sociable and if you get them used to handling, they love being out and about.

They need to be fed a special diet and can't drink tap water. Oh, if you get them, you need to get a minimum of two so they have company.

foreign_correspondent

Gerbils need to be kept in pairs too, hamsters are the only one that are solitary by nature.

I don't think Degus are as easy to keep - they can also inflict a nasty bite, and need to be handled gently - more info here - http://www.erodent.co.uk/BuyingADegu.htm

.. if your kids are more interested in watching their pets, rather than playing with the, how about some cold water fish instead?

Humphrey10

Gerbils are fun to watch, they spend ages digging, chewing and climbing things, you do have to have more than one though as people have said. They aren't anywhere near as clever as rats though, so if you want something you can get out and train etc rats might be better?

lrr_2

Got 3 gerbils and they are great fun - dont smell or bite and always up to mischief

elfen

I am so very very biased - me and mum had at one point 4 rats between us. One of mine was bad-tempered and don't think he liked me, he was a biter, but my near-albino rat Sneezles adored me.

As ytou've got kids, you NEED to check temperament. If they don't like being picked up at all, don't go near them or go somewhere else. You should be able to see them out of the cage being handled to see how they are - Sneezles loved me from day one - he came home in a baseball cap.

They are really intelligent, and will pick up things quickly - used ot tap my hand on the middle shelf, leave my hand there, he'd run up my arm, onto my shoulder and give me a good chirruping hello, then sit behind my hair nibbling at it and stealing bits. Mum's used to sit on her shoulders and run across the top of the sofa/chair or annoy my dad. They are brilliant animals.

beachbeth

I would agree that rats are the best. Ive been bitten by both hamsters and gerbils and, as said before, hamsters tend to sleep in the day. I think hamsters and gerbils are quite boring compared to rats. My daughter has two female rats at the moment and they are quite comical. If I put something tasty between the bars one of them will snatch it and the other one will try to get it off her. This ends up in a really funny tug-of-war where they are both pulling it with their front paws and they get half each. They don't realise that I have another treat so that they have one each!