I'm thinking of getting a small pet. Which are better: mice, hamsters, or rats?

Question

I've never had a small pet before and am curious about the differences in personality, care, and activity levels. Where else can I find information about their care?

Answer 1

I've had 4 mice and currently have 4 hamsters, but never a rat (though I know people who do, and they love them very much, and say they're very affectionate and intelligent).
Personally I don't think that one is better than another - mice and hamsters both make wonderful pets, but they're very different in character, and then I've found that each individual has a very different personality from others of the same species - even when they're related - whether siblings or parent/child.

The main thing before deciding is to be aware of what the animal's particular needs are and to respect them as much as possible, so that he or she is happiest - a happy pet makes the best, most loving pet, I think. That's why it's really good you want to find out these things beforehand.

Both mice and hamsters are nocturnal - but their periods of activity can vary from the first half of the night (about 6 or 7 PM to around midnight) with a rest in the middle of the night, then another burst of activity very early in the morning (around 4 AM to morning). Alot depends on the age of the animal (the younger they are the longer they're busy at night), their individual character (I have one older hamster who's more active at night than his two sons much younger than himself) and maybe the amount of sleep they get during the day.
As far as amount of care, I've found that my hamsters need a bit less cleaning than my mice. I cleaned the cages of my mice twice a week, whereas I only have to clean the hamsters' once a week. That mainly seems to be because the hamsters naturally use a "potty" (a glass jar on it's side in a corner of their cage). My mice might have been able to do the same thing though - I never tried it. I know my little female mouse seemed to often use the same corner to go to the bathroom.
One complaint alot of people have about mice is their smell - especially male mice, because they love to mark their territory. But three of my mice were males - 3 brothers - and after 2 months or so their cage hardly smelled at all. I think it was because when I first brought them home they felt the need to strongly mark everything to settle into a new home, but once they got used to it that went away. They themselves didn't smell - their fur just had the faintest musky odor, but not unpleasant. Both mice and hamsters keep themselves very clean, and one of the cutest things to watch is when they groom themselves!

Both mice and hamsters are delicate, and you need to be extremly careful when handling them that they don't fall or get squeezed - that's why I don't think they're suitable for young children to take care of - even though children are always drawn to these little animals. If you're thinking of a small pet for a child the best thing is if you take care of the pet yourself, and let the child watch. Although most children will eventually want to hold the animal and that's where there could be problems - either injury to the pet, or the child getting bitten if they accidentally mishandle the animal.

Maybe one of the biggest drawbacks to any small pet like these is the problem of what to do if you have to go away for an extended period - if you're away for more than two days you should really have someone reliable to come and take care of the pet. Personally I've found it difficult to find someone to do a good job. Unfortunately alot of otherwise reliable people tend to underestimate the needs of small pets and don't take the responsibility seriously - they have the attitude "It's only a mouse, etc." Before you make the decision about your pet try to be sure that you already have someone you can trust to take good care of them.

In the end, it's really a personal decision - I've found that you get out of the relationship what you put into it - if you spend time getting to know your pet and providing them with stimulating activities and good care then they'll reward you with affection in return and many precious memories.

Answer 2

Hi! I haven't had rats or hamsters but I have heard a lot about them and I know people that have owned hamsters. Here's what I've heard about rats: They are very friendly and actually like to interact with you, unlike the others. They often get tumors and so you may have to spend money on a vet. They are often called the "dogs" of rodents because they are the most friendly and interactive. Hamsters: My friend had some nice hamsters and some mean ones. The dwarf hamsters especially seem to bite a lot. Hamsters seem to be hit-and-miss, you may get a nasty one or a nice one. They are nocturnal and very noisy at night and would prefer to sleep in the day. Mice: I have had mice and I wasn't a big fan. They don't really get used to you, at least mine never did. They are so small and hard to keep track of, if they get loose it's hard to catch them again. You can't do much with them because of their size and speed. Their pee smells pretty bad as well. Gerbils: I currently have gerbils. Well, I have one. The other died not too long ago. I definitely prefer them over the mice. They are bigger and easier to handle. I can put them in my sweatshirt pocket or set them on a couch and let them run around as long as I keep an eye on them. Their pee doesn't smell too bad so you only have to clean their cage every 2 weeks or so. From what I know, I would go with a rat. They seem like the best, but since I've never had them, I can't say from experience!! My second choice would be gerbils. (: Good luck with your pets, whatever you choose!!

Answer 3

I've kept all three of the rodents you mentioned, as well as several others, and hands down I prefer rats. Not only are they smarter than hamsters or mice, but they are also FAR more social and affectionate. Rats are also a lot cleaner and less likely to smell than other rodents. They can also be taught tricks and love to play and "wrestle" with you. The rats I keep are active during the day and greet me at the cage door whenever they see me coming. Rats can live over two years depending on their diet and care. They are omnivorous, which means they'll eat anything you can.
Mice can be tamed as well, though they can be faster than rats. They don't seem to tame down as readily as rats do, but they are pretty active and are fun to watch. Mice are generally more seed eaters, but there are some pretty good quality rodent blocks available which they'll eat as well. Mice smell more than rats do and male mice can get quite smelly in a short period of time.
Hamsters... I'll be honest. I simply don't like them and don't think they make the best pets when compared to other rodents. That being said, some people simply adore them and think they make the greatest pets. Hamsters are nocturnal and are VERY active at night and don't like being disturbed when they're sleeping. They definately have the "cute" factor going for them and with the different varieties now available through the pet stores, you can have your choice of long or short fur as well as what colour. There is an almost never ending supply of hamster toys on the market, as well as books and websites. They can be quite smelly, but regular cleaning keeps this down to a minimum. Hamsters are loners and I wouldn't recommend keeping two hamsters in the same cage as there is a good chance they'll end up fighting.
If you want more information on any of these animals, just go to Google and type in the type of animal you are interested in and you'll find a plethora of care pages along with pictures, videos, and other assorted fun stuff.
Good luck and congratulations for taking the time to research FIRST! Your pet will thank you for it!

Answer 4

Personally, I dislike mice. I've had one, and, although some are sweet, as a whole, they aren't all that great.

Rats are a great option, but you definitely need to get 2, that way they won't be lonely since you won't be with them 24/7. They are extremely sweet and friendly, and very trainable.

Most rabbits aren't the friendliest. I've had two, and neither has shown any wish to be my friend, or do anything but bite me. Also, their urine is extremely smelly, so not great for smaller spaces.

Many people adore guinea pigs, but I've never had good experience with them. Both of mine were kind of like rocks, they just sat there until you opened the cage, and then they tried to bite you. o.O

Ferret are a great pet, but they require a lot of time, and if you don't have the proper time or space to devote to them, then it's simply not fair to them to own them.

My personal favorite, though, are teddy bear hamsters. :D They are by far the friendliest breed of hamsters, and are much calmer, as a whole, then the smaller breeds of hamster. I've grown up with hamsters, and they've always been the sweetest things ever. One thing, however, when you buy them, don't go for looks alone. Instead, when the sales associate opens the cage, and goes to pick one up, see which one is ok with being woken up from a sound sleep and picked up, without trying to bite or be defensive. I did that with my current hamster, and have the best friend you could ever ask for. :D

Answer 5

If I were you I would go for a rat. They are very intelligent and can be good companions. Hamsters and mice are very smelly and need their cages cleaned often. Trust me, I've had both before and that was a mistake. If you do get one of these three pets as a baby, make sure to hold them a lot while they're little or else once they grow up they won't let you hold them at all. I've learned this from past experiences.

Answer 6

I would go with mice or rats. Hamsters tend to bite and they also need to hibernate and they can be thrown "out of whack" when kept in captivity. I work with these species for a living. Rats are very smart and very keen to your senses. They can tell if you are scared, nervous, sad, etc... I would recommend getting 2 females. They are quite social and females rarely fight. If you think you will spend quite a bit of time playing with your pet I would suggest the rat. If you think you will just like to look at and watch your pet with not as much interaction I would recommend mice, but again get 2 females. Remember that rodents are nocturnal, meaning they sleep during the day and are awake at night, so you will want to keep them somewhere where they will not keep you up at night with their activity.

Answer 7

That depends on the type of critter you're talking about.
Gerbils are active during the day, hamsters are active at night.
Hamsters are solitary, gerbils and guinea pigs are social.
Hamsters can get mean, gerbils, guinea pigs, mice,and rats less likely to.
Guinea pigs can be high maintainence as they get sick easily if their cage isn't quite clean enough, or if they are too warm or too cold, or if their food disagrees with them. Also they need a fairly large space.
Some people are afraid of some rodent pets especially rats, but also rats are the most affectionate and intelligent of all rodents that are commonly kept as pets.
There's a good online site on about.pets.com on small critter pets, just a minute and I"ll find it for you.
http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/resourcesgeneral/a/choosearodent.htm
Sometimes ferrets are mentioned in the context of small critter pets, but they sometimes don't do well as pets, as they're semi-wild. Same with chincillas. Stick with the traditional small critter pets of the rodent family.

Answer 8

Hamsters bite, mice do not....as long as you keep their cages clean--at least once to twice a week, there is really a small difference between the three...of course, rats are a lot bigger in size than the other two. Go to your local PetSmart, they sell all three of these animals there, speak with their exotics manager and they will be able to help you see which suits your lifestyle the best. Good Luck!

Answer 9

Yeah, rats. They're extremely sweet, extremely affectionate, extremely social, and actually very clean (they clean themselves often and will train themselves to only use the bathroom in a certain part of their cage, making clean-up easy. I have 2, Oberon and Huon... Oberon was first, then Huon. Oberon especially is the sweetest ever... sits on my shoulder, cuddles up on my lap and falls asleep, grabs onto me and nuzzles/licks... he even comes when I call him. I love him so much! Huon's sweet, too... albeit a bit jumpy at times. And yeah, rats have VERY distinct personalities... they're freakishly smart. The only problems are that 1) they have very short lives... like most small animals, but unlike hamsters which are stand-offish and prone to biting, rats are easy to become very close to - family member close - and the 2 or so years just doesn't cut it. 2) They're VERY prone to diseases, especially cancer and respiratory diseases (Oberon was recently diagnosed with a potentially fatal respiratory disease, after another vet missed it for MONTHS... but the new vet caught it and he's doing better)... you have to keep a really close eye on them.

Hamsters are kinda mean... they hide, they bite, etc... some are sweet, but rats are sweeter. Same with mice... not as smart or affectionate as rats.

They're all wonderful... but you're more likely to bond with a rat (and recognize that they bond with you and consider you more than just the hand that feeds them).

Read this thoroughly before getting a rat or mouse: http://www.rmca.org/ ... I wish I'd found it a year and a half ago... it would have been a big help.

Answer 10

IMO, mice are too small and hamsters bite. I much prefer rats. Get ONE rat and don't plan on doing anything like letting them have a "family". They make much better pets that way. I had a pet rat that used to ride inside my coat in the winter time and stick her head out the sleeve or collar...really amusing when people thought I was talking to myself! She would also would ride on the dashboard of the car! Pretty well should trained and rarely ever had accidents.