Best pet out of these?

[Brendan]

Out of these four rodents, which, IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL OPINION, is the best to keep?

And why? (more active? less smelly? etc.)

 

[bugmankeith]

I'd say rats they are the smartest plus you can buy one of those huge ones sold as snake bait for cheap, and those make awesome pets! Who cares of its white it's still a rat and I did hear rats are the smartest. Plus I dont think they would smell as much and some are docile and wont bite you.

 

[Brendan]

I'd say rats they are the smartest plus you can buy one of those huge ones sold as snake bait for cheap, and those make awesome pets! Who cares of its white it's still a rat and I did hear rats are the smartest. Plus I dont think they would smell as much and some are docile and wont bite you.

Rats are cute! And so are the other three XD.

 

[Choobaine]

I find the others don't seem like real pets. I dunno, I guess the attraction for most people to mammals is cuteness but... I dunno, it's either food or a plaything to me. So I choose the rat - I've spent time with all of the above but the rat is the most stimulating, and it's a nice weight if you lie on a couch and let it sit on your belly, it feels a nice pressure. That's the only reasoning I can come up with.

 

[halfwaynowhere]

seeing as gerbils are illegal in CA, I've only had experience with the other three. Out of those three, though, I've found that rats are the best. They are trainable, and everything. They don't really smell. Mice are stinky, and aren't as cuddly as rats, or as smart. Syrian hamsters are good companions if handled often enough, but still aren't as affectionate or as smart as rats. Dwarf hamsters are better in groups, and are more fun to watch than to handle. Rats can learn their names, are litter box trainable, and can be taught tricks and such. My sister in law takes her rats to the park to let them run around. She just calls them by name, and they come right back to her, no leashes, or anything!

 

[RoachGirlRen]

They all have their merits depending on what you are looking for in a pet. Rats are very social and very easy to handle, but they need a large cage and plenty of behavioral enrichment because they are so active and inquisitive. They also have a pretty short lifespan and are very prone to cancer and myco if you don't obtain from a breeder. Mice, with appropriate handling, are very gentle-natured animals (I have kept mice for years and only once have I ever been bitten) and fun to observe. They are interactive but a bit less so than rats since they are more nervous. Similar health problems as rats. Gerbils have basically no odor, are extremely active and industrious, social to both gerbils and people, but do require larger living quarters than mice and should ideally only be kept socially (same goes for rats and female mice, NEVER house male mice together however). Hamsters come in plenty of sizes and varieties, many of which are good candidates if you want a solitary animal. But you really need to learn their body language and appropriate handling as they are known to be standoffish.

If you go for mice, definately do your research at http://www.thefunmouse.com and consider joining http://forum.thefunmouse.com - you can find great breeders and learn anything and everything you need to about them.

 

[OldHag]

Ive had many MANY hamsters.. they are up all night and very noisey, can be VERY ornery too.
Gerbils are the spawn of satan.
Mice are nervous (some are good always an exception of course)
Rats are awesome in every way!! Im sure there are evil ones, but I have yet to own one.

 

[SuperRad]

Given time you can train a mouse as well. Watching a small community can be fun though it is a lot of maintenance. Cage cleaning about every 4 days for me, but a few drops of vanilla in their water helps with the smell a lil and they love it!

 

[pinkzebra]

Rats, by far. I've had all of the above. Rats are the smartest and most sociable. They don't smell bad. I have easily litter trained my rats, taught them their names, taught them to do tricks. They love to play with you. And/or just sit and hang out on your shoulder or lap. Though I find males more likely than females to just sit.

They do have health problems, though, as someone else mentioned already. I would go with a breeder if you decide to go with rats. They should be healthier in the long run.

~Jen

 

[Spinarak]

I agree on rats...smarter, less likely to bite,etc.

(my boas love them too)

 

[pitbulllady]

Rats are BY FAR the best rodent pet out of the choices you listed! They are smart, they are clean, and if their enclosures are kept likewise, they have very little odor. Rats can become very tame and will even show affection for their owners, and can be trained to perform tricks, like a dog, using a food reward system. They are also available in many "designer" colors and patterns, as well as coat types, and if you're partial to NO coat, they come in a hairless variety, too. They also get a lot bigger, so there's more to love! The biggest drawback with rats is their short lifespan, which is like five years, tops, with rare exceptions, and many don't live past two-three years. Still, that's true of most small rodents, so if you're looking for such a pet, I'd definitely go with a rat.

pitbulllady

 

[Brian S]

Ive had many MANY hamsters.. they are up all night and very noisey, can be VERY ornery too.
Gerbils are the spawn of satan.
Mice are nervous (some are good always an exception of course)
Rats are awesome in every way!! Im sure there are evil ones, but I have yet to own one.

Is that why you switched to rollie pollies?

 

[bugmankeith]

I was just thinking, cant you get rodents fixed so they dont smell of urine (males) and develop cancer? Rats are pretty large and I have heard of them getting operated on.

 

[tyrant963]

I dont know if anyone already mentioned this, but if your getting rats, you shuld always have them in pairs or more. They are very social animals and need company. Having single rats can lead to social problems. If you search for rat care sheets, you will find so. Im planning to gets rats in the very near future as pet

 

[OldHag]

Is that why you switched to rollie pollies?

Yes sir it is, the rolly pollys NEVER bite and always are cheerful and happy. They sing to me at night.

 

[arrowhd]

I've kept rats as pets off and on for the past 15 years. They make great pets. Much more intellegent than your other choices IMO.

 

[moose35]

i see this going in the "out of context from the forum" thread but......


i like gerbils. had 2 as a kid and they were really cool. rats are cool too but they stink.



moose