OK a rat,a hampster, or a gerbil?

Question

people r telling me to get a gerbil a rat or a hampster i gettting qit confussed

plz tell me wich u think is better....
plz think about it dont say oh becuz hampsters are cuter or rats are ugly....

THINK About this i want a pet that has these things
*fun
*wont be scared of me
*will me affectionate*wont run away
*kind of easy 2 take car of (i say kind of cuz no pet is easy 2 take care of)

after seeing this i hope u will give me a resonable answer...plz include y u think i should get wat ever u suggest(hempster,gerbil,RAT)

thank u very much!!!!!!!
much luv

Answer 1

You would really be happier with a cat or a dog.
But since you are leaning towards the rodent type.....I'd say get a ferret. They will show more affection than the others.

Answer 2

Based on what you want out of a pet, a rat will suit you best.

The key is getting ANY pet from a reputable breeder--NOT Petco or Petsmart or any other Pet Store---these places do NOT sell hand-tamed or healthy animals of sound breeding.

Get your pet from either a reputable breeder or a shelter (who should be able to tell you whether the animal is hand-tamed or not).

A rat from a reputable breeder is not afraid of people (won't run away), is very affectionate, and fairly easy to take care of. Rats are LEAST likely to bite of all the rodents---they have an innate curiosity, not aggressiveness or fear.

They need a sizeable cage with plenty of toys to keep them occupied, another rat friend of the same gender (rats are very SOCIAL---they need constant companionship that we humans just can't provide),and of course they need your affectionate/interaction. Otherwise taking care of them involves cleaning the cage, making sure they have food, and making sure they have fresh water. Pretty easy, right?

A gerbil would be my 2nd recommendation. They too need a fairly sizeable cage and a gerbil friend of the same gender (again, they're SOCIAL and need that constant companionship). Basic care/maintanence is the same as for the rat. Gerbils tend to be more flighty than rats---they probably will run away and be scared of you for a while. But they too are curious by nature.

Hamsters would be my 3rd choice. Syrian hamsters (aka the Teddy Bear or Longhair or Shorthair Hamster) are SOLITARY. They don't crave attention from others. They are MOST likely to bite as a result. They are nocturnal...they'll sleep when you're awake and be busy when you sleep. They don't need a very large cage (at least not the size a pair of rats or gerbils needs), so they're probably the cheapest one to obtain. Dwarf hamsters can be kept in same sex pairs and thus are easier to bond with (and less likely to bite)..but they can be skittish and they generally won't tolerate too much handling.

In the end the choice is up to you. I suggest visiting some websites and learning more about these 3 rodents before making a choice. If you came to me wanting to adopt one of my fosters, I'd recommend a pair of rats for your lifestyle and what you're looking for in a pet.

Answer 3

LOL LOL LOL to the person who said gerbils and rats are more likely to bite than hamsters. That is completely untrue and is actually the opposite way around. It is very rare to be bit by a gerb or rat. But hamsters will give a nasty bite just for waking them up.

And YOU need to be the person to make this decision. A bunch of random people on the internet can't make the choice for you. What works best for me might be a terrible option for you. All 3 of the rodents you listed can make fun, tame pets with time and patience. I would say that rats are the most up-keep out of the ones listed though. So keep that in mind. Their cage should be wiped down daily and completely cleaned about every week or so. Plus they need time out daily, whereas the others can be taken out for play a few times a week.

And any of them could be timid and shy at first. Please be sure you will take the time, maybe months, to create a trusting bond with the animals.

Also keep in mind that rats and gerbils MUST MUST MUST be kept in at least same sex pairs. Syrian hamsters should be alone, and dwarf hamsters can be kept in pairs if you want.

Answer 4

For temperament, rats are better usually. Be sure to handle your pet before you buy it to make sure it has a good temperament, though. Rats are usually affectionate and fun. Hamsters are more likely to bite. Hamsters are more fragile, too. A hamster will walk off the edge of a table and get hurt. A rat wouldn't do that, but if it did, it wouldn't get hurt. I've only had one gerbil, it didn't bite, but was not as friendly as the rats I've had. However, allergy to rats is more common than allergy to hamsters or gerbils. I like rats best.

Answer 5

Definitely a rat! I have been keeping rats for years and they match all the requirements you lay out. They are incredibly affectionate and intelligent. They will bond with you. They will happily sit on your shoulder all day. Ours eat a varied diet - actually whatever we eat but probably a lot more healthy stuff added too. Our rats follow us around. They live between 3 and 5 years. They don't smell. Female rats have a smooth adult coat while male rats fur becomes more coarse as they mature. We noticed that our females bond best with male humans and males bond best with female humans...not sure why this is or whether true of all rats....personally I prefer male rats because they tend to be bigger. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Answer 6

I'm a veterinary technician. When I was in college, we were required to take a course on laboratory animals. Rats were included in this course and we even kept rats at school to learn how to take care of them and handle them. Many people from my class took rats home with them for pets. I enjoyed working with them. The cutest thing was to put one in my scrub top pocket. They just curl up and go to sleep.
I learned that rats are very intelligent and social animals, much like dogs. They're clean and cute and like to play like puppies. My teacher said that rats make much better pets for children than hamsters, gerbils (grumpy little things), and gunea pigs because rats are much more gentle and less likely to bite. She started all of her kids out on rats.
I don't recommend getting a gerbil. As I said before, they tend be grumpy, especially if you wake them from a nap.
I guess a guinea pig would be my second choice, after a rat.

Answer 7

RAT!!!!!!!!!!! they are soooooo smart, really affectionate, if ur willing to spend at least an hour of playing time with them each day they will be very loyal, and they are good pets to take around with u cus u can just put them in a skirt or a large jacket pocket. Depending on the rat, most love it

Answer 8

I have had experience with all three of those animals- and my top rating would be for the rat, because they sit on your shoulder, they can learn thier name, they are easy to train and they are very smart! I have only really had one hamster that was a really good pet, and that was only because I worked with him for a year before I could hold him without him jumping out of my hands. But they are oh so cute and fun to play with. but remember this- if you get a rat, they need A LOT of attention and a very big cage. it will cost you more for food, bedding, and cage needs. good luck!

Answer 9

Hamsters are candy lovable animals! I certainly have one myself and he's the sweetest concern ever! Hamsters in easy terms bite a sprint and it would not harm that plenty! yet i had a gerbil as quickly as and he bit me truly truly complicated and it develop into bleeding plenty! So i admire hamsters! i could get a Syrian hamster (by potential of and enormous customary as teddy bear hamsters) because of the fact they're greater and much less annoying to capture in the event that they get a fashion! they're very exciting candy gente animals to have! i do no longer possibly like gerbils because of the fact i had a bad experience with one! yet some gerbils could be recommend and a few could be superb! comparable with hamsters and the different animal! i could do analyze on the two animals so which you comprehend extra approximately them and in line with risk that could be useful comprehend which one you will desire to get! yet another concern you need to do is pass to the puppy shop and carry or in basic terms puppy the two a gerbil and a hamster and spot which one you may think of could be a miles better puppy!

Answer 10

1st pick: rat 2nd: gerbil 3rd:mouse 4th:hamster. rats are affectionate, active, smart as horses, entertaining, cuddly. gerbils and hamsters have nipped me before, but are small and cute. mice are fun and energetic, but tend to smell more. i think rodents are good beginner pets. they need daily care. always get a book on your pet and learn everything you can about it.

Answer 11

I think you should get a gerbil, i have had one and they are very loving, they like to crawl all over you, they also make the cutest little noises, they may be scared of you at first, but they soon grow out of it, all you have to do is feed them and change the bedding once a week.