which one ? gerbils vs mice vs rats?

Question

i always had hamsters and i think its time for a new small pet so which do you recomenned?

Answer 1

I always say rats. Rats are great pets b/c you can train them and interact with them easily. There are books that can help you teach your rats all sorts of tricks. If you start w/ baby rats and handle them on a regular basis (pretty often), then they will most likely not bite and can learn not to poop and pee on you too. They are very smart animals.

The rats I used to have rode around in my pocket or on my shoulder, even when I was driving around in the car. They would amaze people b/c they would just sit on my shoulder and look at the window or look around while I was sitting in the car. The really enjoyed burrowing in my sports bra and would usually hang out with me and burrow in my bra and sleep (sounds weird but it made a good comfy place to sleep). Also, I took time to go through my bedroom and fill in any holes and things that they could get into and get hurt, and my rats spent most of their time outside of their cage running around my room. They were trained to come to a sound of a treat box or squeaker, so I didn't worry about them and they actually spent their time hanging out with me anyway.

My appeal to rats also comes from the size difference. They ultimately grow to be 3x plus larger than mice or gerbils or even hamsters, so handling them on a regular basis is easy. Actually, a baby rat is already bigger than a gerbil or mouse will ever be.

These guys are bigger than mice and gerbils so they can be handled better. They also seem to just do better as pets. You would really enjoy interacting with your rats vs interacting with mice or gerbils, in my opinion du2 my experience.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/pets/rat.htm

My rats also could eat almost anything that I ate. I always had fresh fruits and veges or foods that I offered them along with their rodent chow. Feeding rodent blocks is the most recommended diet. I would then get the mix rodent foods with the seeds and other things for some variety. Then, add foods from my kitchen like cheerios and fruits. Stay away from corn on the cob a lot b/c it is very fattening. My rats loved watermelon and cantelope especially. It was always so cool to watch them eat too.

Answer 2

Gerbil Vs Mouse

Answer 3

I have all three. Four girl mice that live together. A pack of four male rats in a five foot Martin cage. And many gerbils kept in pairs and trios in various tanks.

If you get mice, get girls. Boy mice really stink. Mice are easy to keep and they get along well together even in bigger groups. You need to give them wheels and jungle gyms to climb.

If you want a pet that is as affectionate as a puppy dog and requires a lot of care get a pair of rats. The are omnavores (eat everything - like people) so their waste really smells and you have to give them a litter box in the cage and clean it out a lot. Plus you really need to spend a least an hour a day playing with them. Give them a big cage and lots of toys and things to keep them busy. Did you know rats hunt in the wild (mice are one of their foods) and they love cat toys that they can chase and pounce on.

If you don't have time for rats or travel and are away from the house, get gerbils. They are really fun and the least smelly small animal of them all. They love to come out and play but are more content in the tank then rats and mice or even hamsters. One advantage of gerbils is that they don't get tumors like the rats and live longer (3 - 3 1/2 years).

With any of these get them from a breeder and get two that have been raised together.

Answer 4

I have two rats and they are really smart. Plus they live way longer then gerbils and mice. My veteranarian said that rats can live up to 7 years while gerbils and mice can only live for about 2-3. Mice and gerbils are also alot more squirmey. And you can teach rats tricks. My knows how to come and spin around in a circle!!!

Answer 5

I've never had gerbils so I cant' really say if they make a good pet or not. Mice have a strong odor to them so theyre not really my favorite. Rats however...

They're clean, their odor is very minimal (If you clean them every week, you'll never smell them) they're smart, very social, very sweet, outgoing and funny. If you tame them right you'll have a sweet funny rewarding pet. I'd definitely go for rats. I've had (and have) hamsters my entire life, and while I like them very much, I definitely prefer rats. Theyre smarter, more sociable, and can be taught tricks.

Owning a rat is fairly cheap too. After you buy the essentials (cage, wheel, food bowl and water bottle, etc). the cost per month probably wont be anymore than a hamster. The only thing you should be prepared for is a possible trip to the vet, just incase...but you should be prepared for that if you own any animal. Also, make sure you get a weighted food dish for your rat (if you decide to get a rat). Rats like to sit on their food bowls while theyre eating. a light plastic one will tip over constantly. The clay ones work well. theyre cheap, and heavy, so rats cant tip them over. They also sell plastic and metal food bowls that clip to the sides of the cage so they cant be moved. those work well too.

It doesnt really matter if you get male or female, they both make good pets. The only reason I tend to get males over females, is because female rats are more prone to getting tumors than males. You can have them removed but it's costly. I've had to put a few female rats to sleep because of tumors (they'll keep growing and growing), and it broke my heart, so now I get males, just for that reason. (but my female rats were super sweet and I wouldnt trade having them for anything).

Some people say a fish tank is okay to keep a rat in, but it isnt. You should get your rat a decent sized cage. (not a hamster cage, thats way too small). Rats enjoy climbing, so they'd be bored to tears in a tank. Also theyre not ventilated well at all which could cause problems. They should also have a rat wheel (hamster wheels are too small too), and something to sleep in. Mine have a big plastic igloo that they love.

You can also make cheap toys for your rats that will entertain them. I like buying white towels from the dollar store and cutting them into pieces. My rats turn them into a comfy bed. I also put small wicker baskets in there. They chew them to bits, sleep in them, climb all over them, etc. Sometimes I'll string cheerios and fruit loops onto a piece of yarn or a shoelace and hang that in their cage. They have fun trying to get all the treats off of the string. You can be very creative with rat toys, and it's fun watching them play.



If you've had hamsters your entire life, you should get some books from the library on rats, and visit some rat sites, so you'll know what you're getting into, and also so you can decide if a rat is the right pet for you, but that's definitely what I reccommend. Good luck :)

Answer 6

I would highy suggest pet rats. They are highly intelligent and very trainable. I had my rats littel trained much like a ferret! They are very social and love to be handled.... My favorite are the hooded rats they come in a huge variety of colors.

Here is a little info I dug up for you :-)

Pet rats are truly domesticated animals that have been selectively bred in captivity for hundreds of generations. They have been bred to be gentle and affectionate. Pet rats are as different from wild rats as dogs are from wolves. They rarely bite and stay clean by grooming themselves like a cat several times a day.

Rats are extremely social and personable animals that bond strongly to their owners. They are smart enough to learn their names and will come when you call them. They beg to come out of their cage to play and interact with their owners.
Rats love to be petted. They enjoy being rubbed behind their ears or scratched on their shoulders. Some rats will roll over on their back so their owner can rub their tummy. Many rats will lick their owners to show affection just like a dog.

Rats are very playful and will wrestle with your hand the same way a kitten will. Rats will play games with their owners, including tug-o' war, hide-n-seek, and peek-a-boo.

Rats can learn many tricks just like dogs. They can learn to sit up, fetch, walk a tightrope, pull up a basket on a string and jump through a hoop. Some rats are smart enough to learn a trick after only two lessons!



Each rat is an individual with his or her own personality. Some rats are very intelligent (more intelligent than most dogs and cats!) but some rats aren't so smart, just like some other cats and dogs (and people.) But even these bumbling blockhead rats are affectionate and make adorable loving pets.

Rats make great pets for both children and adults. Because they are nocturnal animals, they are happy to sleep during the day while their owner is at work or school. Then they are ready to come out to play in the morning or evening. They are especially good pets for apartment dwellers with limited space, and busy people, as long as you can spend at least 1/2 to 1 hour a day with your rats.

Answer 7

gerbils like to jump away from you. mice are quite fragile and if you pick them up wrong you canreally hurt them, they make great pets if you are careful though. rats are great pets to they are friendly, intelligent, and some of the funniest little creatures that i have ever met.

Answer 8

I would go with rats. They are much easier to handle and much more friendly. Gerbils tend to be jumpy and take alot of work for them to get use to you and be able to handle.

Answer 9

my girlfriend had hamsters, girbels. and they always bit my girlfriends children, My son had bought a rat home, I didn't care for it at all at first. but they grew on me, for all the years that we had her, she never bit one of us. she even let us touch the babies, and didn't kill any of them, we had a white rat that use to give us kisses. I would get a rat before any hamster or gerbel. but the decision has to be yours. good luck. and Felon ignore her, she is just being rude. and thats her opinion. they don't s--k.

Answer 10

Rats. They are smarter. They are as friendly as dogs and as clean as cats. They come when you call them.