Where to buy a Hamster, what do they need?

Person_one

j.e.j. wrote: »

If you're going to get 2 rats/mice, better make sure the pet shop has sexed them correctly and get 2 of the same. You don't want a colony of them :eek:

Ever seen a young male rat? Sexing them is not at all difficult, which is one of the reasons why I prefer girls!

j.e.j.

Person_one wrote: »

Ever seen a young male rat? Sexing them is not at all difficult, which is one of the reasons why I prefer girls!

No, I've never looked that closely at a rat.. :rotfl:

My neighbour's kids had a couple of mice, and the little girl said that she'd seen them fighting.. well, a few weeks later it turned out they hadn't been fighting :undecided. I can't remember what they did with them all! Probably took them to the pet shop or gave them away I imagine.

alleycat`

Person_one wrote: »

Sorry but its an absolute no no to keep a rat on its own. They need to be in at least a pair, ideally more. Reputable pet shops and breeders won't even let people take just one.

Or it's a good way to sell more product, call me a cynic

Person_one

alleycat` wrote: »

Or it's a good way to sell more product, call me a cynic

You're a cynic. Just take the word of the people who actually know on this one, please.

gibson123

j.e.j. wrote: »

If you're going to get 2 rats/mice, better make sure the pet shop has sexed them correctly and get 2 of the same. You don't want a colony of them :eek:

Yes Indeedy!

arbrighton

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

How old is your DS? To my mind they are not suitable pets for young children. They are nocturnal so won't be supplying any company but will be making a racket scuttling about in the dead of night.

Guinea Pigs are much more interesting and fun but cannot be kept as solitary animals. They have a HUGE repertoire of attractive noises and calls.

Clearly my hamsters haven't read their instruction books about being nocturnal. They have both got up to listen, say 'hello feed me' etc whenever someone's got in. Oh, and they've climbed too- current one hangs upside down from roof bars.

But agree not that suitable for younger children. Very little and tendency to bite HARD if they don't like what you're doing or are surprised.

Feed: hamster food mix from pet shop plus odd bits like the end of a carrot, a grape.

Like tunnels, places to hide, shredded paper for a bed.

arbrighton

j.e.j. wrote: »

No, I've never looked that closely at a rat.. :rotfl:

My neighbour's kids had a couple of mice, and the little girl said that she'd seen them fighting.. well, a few weeks later it turned out they hadn't been fighting :undecided. I can't remember what they did with them all! Probably took them to the pet shop or gave them away I imagine.

If they're anything like male hamsters, you don't actually need to look very closely to tell....

krlyr

j.e.j. wrote: »

If you're going to get 2 rats/mice, better make sure the pet shop has sexed them correctly and get 2 of the same. You don't want a colony of them :eek:

I would go one further and say don't go to a petshop at all! No reputable breeder will sell to petshops, most petshops will source from rodent farms which are like puppy farms/mills. Mass-bred animals with minimal interaction from humans, leading to animals normally of an average to poor health, and the lack of exposure to handling resulting in nervous, nippy animals.

A reputable breeder would handle baby rats from day one (they can be handled from that young, as the breeder will select parents with solid temperaments, and therefore the mums generally won't mind the "interference" even from birth). Baby rats from a good breeder will be extremely handlable, very unlikely to bite, and will have been bred to have a good temperament and good health.

Another option would be to approach a small animal rescue - which the animals they rehome may not have had the headstart of being bred for good health, a good rescue will assess their animals carefully and provide lots of interaction. Nervous animals are often given the extra time they need to be won around and become less handshy. Some RSPCA branches will have small animals for rehoming but there are also lots of independant small animal rescues around the country, some that are just general animal rescues, but also lots of specific ones. Finding a forum that the species you're interested in is a great way to do more research before making the commitment, as well as finding a local breeder or rescue


As for male and female rats...see if you can take a guess at the following ratty's gender! And said ratty was only young at the time, it becomes even more obvious with time!

**professor~yaffle**

I used to see rats scuttling around the tracks on the London Underground. They were filthy and they moved so quickly, I can't imagine wanting one as a pet, though one of my workmates had a couple of them.

Hamsters are cute, I can see the attraction of having a hamster as a pet for a child. Or how about a rabbit or a guinea pig?

Person_one

**professor~yaffle** wrote: »

I used to see rats scuttling around the tracks on the London Underground. They were filthy and they moved so quickly, I can't imagine wanting one as a pet, though one of my workmates had a couple of them.

You do realise they don't just trap wild rats and put them in pet shops? :rotfl: