I want to get a new pet, but am not sure which would be right for me. Can you help?

Question

I want a new pet, a small animal to be specific. I have been looking at different ones, and doing some research but I seem to be getting no where.

I can not have rabbits due to allergies. I would also prefer to not have a hamster.

I want something that can live in a cage, and likes attention but doesn't need hours of attention a day.

I live in West Virginia, we have all four seasons and my house is usually about 75 degrees. It doesn't matter if it sleeps at night, or during the day.

I don't want to be paying more than $75 for an animal and I need something I can find in my area. I don't want anything too exotic so I can be sure my Vet has dealt with this animal before.

I was thinking about Chinchillas, Ferrets, Rats, and other animals similar to this.

No reptile, amphibian things. They kind of scare me and don't like playing too much.

Answer 1

You should get a rat, or actually two rats. Rats like lots of attention and can even be trained to come to their name!

There is a wealth of info on the web. You can also go to pet stores and pick up a free care guide or two!

Also, check with your local ASPCA, they might have what you're looking for and you would be saving a life!

Answer 2

I would pass on the chinchilla, as the dust they use can aggravate allergies plus 75 degrees is way to warm for them. They like it around 65ish. Ferrets are good but they are social and need lots of stimulation. Rats are great and can be happy just spending time curled up in a hoody pocket or sitting on your shoulder. Talk to your vet and see for sure what animals they treat.

Answer 3

You should get a ferret . There not really hard to care for and there fun to play with. I had three, two boys and a girl. They were the most fun i had with any pet i ever had. The only down fall about ferrets is they kind of smell , they have a shampoo thats supposed to keep them from smelling but it doesn't really work that well. It helps a little but they still smell some. Other than that they are lots of fun and you can trian them to walk on a leash and take them anywhere.

Answer 4

My concern is that you have allergies. (I can relate!)

I used to have rabbits and hamsters with no problems, but our guinea pig gave me serious asthma attacks. (I must say, the guinea pig was a wonderful pet, though- I highly recommend them for people that aren't allergic to them. Get two, though- they're happier with a friend.)

I have also had severe allergy problems when a ferret showed up in our garage and we kept him for the day. He was a great animal and I would love to have one but he made me feel miserable. (We found his real home, fortunately- he had gotten out through a dryer vent- they're very creative.)

I have two cats, two dogs and three birds now and surprisingly none of them bothers me in terms of allergies. I am thinking of getting some llamas when I get a farm in a couple of years but when I visited the stables where my friend keeps her horse I had some asthma problems so I might have to rethink that plan... I'm not sure if it's the hay or what.

You may need to spend some time with different kinds of animals to make sure you're not going to have an allergic reaction before committing to an adoption.

(Regarding the above post about parrots- NO ONE should adopt a parrot without doing lots of homework first. They are loud and desctructive and need lots of attention. Oh, and they are very messy. I have some and love them, but they are a full time job all by themselves. Be sure you're ready for that commitment before adopting one- they are very difficult pets to keep. Also, many people are allergic to them- especially the cockatoos due to their feather dander. You have to dust your entire house often because it gets coated in a thin layer of white dust because of their feathers.)

Answer 5

Personally I would get a ferret. I also raised little white mice as a child, they are very cute & funny. Just don't get a female & a male or you will have too many soon. Gerbils are cute and fun but more for kids. Why not get a cat or small dog?
Ferrets are still soooo much fun.

Answer 6

well, ferrets and rats, i know, love attention, and ferrets have to be let out of their cage for hours a day. ferrets are a pretty big commitment. and they cost about $150 each. not including cage. they hardly meet any of you requirements, so i don't think those are right for you.
gerbils would be more your type. they are about the size of a hamster, but friendlier, don't bite and are social.
i've heard chinchillas are fragile, and costly, and i don't think there are many vets that treat them. as of attention im not sure how much they need.
those are very specific requirements, so that's kinda hard.
i know that rats, and gerbils like attention, and gerbils don't need hours of it a day, but i think rats love to play and stuff like that.
my guess would be gerbil suits your lifestyle best, unless you just don't like tiny things(like i said they are about the size of a hamster) also they are very low cost(about $8 each, not including cage)
as with any new pet, please learn as much about it as possible before buying :)

Answer 7

Ferrets would be a good choice. My brother has had 4 over the years, 2 now. They are great pets . He gets them out three times a day to play. They are not messy, and they are very funny. The only negitive I can say-until you have them a while,they may try to nip-but it doesnt take long to stop that. Hope this helps, good luck.

Answer 8

I have 4 chins...they are great little guys, they seem like they are high maintenance, but in all actually, they are not. If you did have to ever bring them to the vet, which is rare, the bill may get expensive depending on the sickness/treatment because they are exotic pets. They cannot carry fleas or dander, which causes many allergies, because they have very dense fur. You can in some cases become allergic to the dust they use to bather in or the hay, which is the main food source. I can go on, but there is not too much space here - please feel free to e-mail me.

Answer 9

ferrets are pretty expensive and do require a lot of attention because they are kind of like a dog and are social and like toys and things so that may not be best. If you are allergic to rabbits you may be allergic to chinchillas because they have fur sort of like a rabbit and a squirrel and do like to have chinchilla dust to roll in. They would be good for you it sounds like tho because they like to sleep so it probably would not take much attention but they are cute. so they have their pros and cons. Rats are probably a good one for you. they are very intelligent and are interesting. They can be taught many things and they also do like attention; so for you i would go for a rat. mice are cute but they poop a lot and smell really bad and cant be trained the way rats can.

Answer 10

I would be too scared to have a rat.. dont they bite sore?

how about a mouse.. they are cute... cudly and probably have a very short memory, so they wont remember if you have not played with them... reminds me of a gold fish.. they need lilke no attention.. just food.. lol, I am sure you cant pay too much for a mouse, cage, sawdust and food ... only thing is ou have to clean their cages often.. else it will smell.. not very pleasant.. but I think this is the case with all pets.... besure you are willing to deal with the maintenance.. :)