Guinea pig or rat ... what makes the better pet?

Question

Universally, what makes the better pet? (Define "better" how you will.)

Answer 1

RATS!!!!
If you do go with them , buy two.
Great Rat reasons!-
-Not nocturnal -play a million games with them
-cuddly -clean!!
-learn their names -come back when lost
-you can teach them tricks - fun to play with!
-sociable - cost as much as hamsters do overall.
-actually are affectionate -sit on your shoulders
-males are very calm, and collected (mostly)
-females like to explore and energetic (mostly)
-very tame
The perfect "pocket pet", or, like rats do, they can be your "shoulder pets"

You can go to my page and read my questions to see great rat questions, and answers on rat care.
Please consider the rats. They are terrific pets!!!!!!!!
Love rats, you will, too!!

Answer 2

They are both great pets. It depends on space and various things. GP's are very loud and learn very quickly to squeal whenever you open the refig door. They "purr" too when you pet them. Rats are very quiet.

Here is the important thing, you have to be very careful to get the GP as a young baby or from someone you know. Not all of them are good pets. It is actually harder to find a good GP then a good rat. Avoid buying adults whatever you do.

GP's need a large cage.

Most pet stores are pretty good for rats. But some shops sell them solely as food. You can tell as these are usually kept in the back. DON"T GET THESE as they are not well socialized and are often not healthy. Why worry about their health as they are food anyway?

Most pet stores are really good though.

Answer 3

Well, G Pigs are sweet and adorable, but RATS are friends. Rats are smart, affectionate and VERY tame. They make AWESOME pets.

But...

There are drawbacks. You need to have TWO rats. (Actually, you should have TWO G Pigs too -- they like company!) Rats are highly social and NEED to have other rats around.

Rats need BIG cages. And toys. And some free-range time. And LOTS of time with you. But then again -- so do G Pigs!

But rats don't have the best health. They are prone to many problems and illnesses and the vet bills can really pile up. You can almost be assured that your rat WILL need to see a vet at some time in his life -- maybe LOTS of times. So if you can't afford vet care, rats are not right for you.

Also, a rat's average life-span is only 2 years.

So there is a lot to consider, but if you think you can afford it and want to take GOOD care of your rats, there is hardly a better pet out there!

EDIT: Oh for Heaven's Sake!! Pet rats DO NOT CARRY DISEASE! Sheesh...

Answer 4

RAT RAT RAT. Despite what all those other rat nazis say. They are very clean. The disease thing mostly applies to WILD rats. The ones from pet shops are USUALLY very clean and healthy. Some places don't care for them as well as they should but just be sure to look for a very healthy looking one. I have had rats for a long time and LOVE them. They don't smell as bad a guinea pigs. They are not as noisy. Plus they are smaller. Smaller = less food, less poop, less matinence. If you have a good size cage and clean it about once a week it won't smell. I even let it slide for two weeks at times and have hardley ever had a prob;em with smell. They are so wonderful and can make you so happy. I would suggest getting 2 though. It's not that much more work, and they are so much happier with friends. Rats are social animals, Just be sure to give them lots of love and attenetion. And holld them EVERYDAY. ATLEAST ONCE A DAY for about a half hour to one hour each time so they don't become aggressive. They need playtime outside their cage. Again: RATS RATS RATS!!!!!!!!!

Answer 5

This question has actually been asked a lot and my reply is always...

Guinea pigs!!!

I've had 2 rats and they bit me like hell!!
I've had over 50 guinea pigs and I've never been bitten.

Rats are much stinkier. Guinea pigs CAN stink but you can easily stop it by cleaning the cage twice a week and putting them in a BIG, well ventilated cage. Rats have much stronger urine so it's harder (my rat's wee made their cage rust!).

Guinea pigs will sit and sleep on your lap for hours without budging. Rats will get bored and run everywhere. They are much more scatty - I prefer pets which like being stroked and will sit still (guinea pigs).

Rats are SILENT also... they never make noises! I love a pet which squeaks back at you (guinea pig). Guineas are NOT noisy at night (I have 2 in my room) but my 2 rats kept me and my sister up ALLL night.

There are a lot of guinea-haters on here so don't listen to them. They don't give the facts, just their opinions. It is known that rats smell and that guinea pigs NEVER bite. If they did how the hell have I had 50 guinea pigs and never experienced biting?? I had just TWO rats and they made me bleed every time I picked them up!!

My guinea pigs also kiss me (lick me), one of them does it on the lips!!!

Each to their own I guess! But I have 11 guinea pigs and hope to get more!! I have had 2 rats and I'm not thinking about getting anymore. What does that tell ya?

:-)

Answer 6

I think the all time perfect "pocket pet" is the rat. They are clean, do NOT carry diseases, and are just awesome companion animals. You can sit and watch TV for four hours and your rat will happily sit on your shoulder. I vacuum with a rat on my shoulder, do laundry, clean cages, read a book. They are absolutely content to have your companionship, any time of the day or night, and are fairly easy to care for.

I'd choose a rat over a hamster, mainly because in all the years I have had rats (and I have 20 at the present time) only two were biters. They were from rescue situations and after proper socialization, they no longer bite either. We've had hamsters over the years, and they frequently do bite, especially dwarf hamsters. They are like fur with teeth!

I never thought I would own a GP, until will we found our abandoned Emo. Now, I'm hooked. I've found that he is also a great pet for keeping you company while you do stuff, though not to the extent that a rat is. Emo is happy to sit by my daughter while she does her homework or messes with the laptop, but if she wants to switch rooms, she needs to grab up her stuff and him. When she holds her rats, they just travel on her shoulder.

I see this disease comment all the time and it irritates me. People think pet rats are the same as wild rats, or rats that must be able to carry, over many generations, bubonic plague. The plague didn't start with rats, rodents in general were the conduit. It was actually passed by fleas. An infected flea bit something, then another flea bit that something, then it passed onto something else. My rats are clean, healthy, disease FREE, and amazing companion animals. My children have been handling them since they were 5 years old, eating snacks while they sit on their shoulders, sharing their snacks with the rats, and there has never been an issue. I've owned rats for over 25 years and not once have I ever had a problem with "diseases" being passed between myself and my rats. Pet rats are bred in captivity. If you talk to someone who breeds rats, and go to see their animals, you aren't going to find the average pet rat breeder with a bunch of barn rats in their cages.

As mentioned above, rats definitely need to be in pairs or more. They are very social animals and though they enjoy visiting and playing during the day, their busy time is at night and they like to wrestle and tumble with each other, plus have another warm body next to them for the cuddle factor. (I understand that GPs are very similar in this respect (the need for companionship) so we are currently searching for the right cagemate for Emo.) I currently have rats anywhere from two to a cage to seven to a cage.

Answer 7

If you're looking for something to cuddle I'd say get a guinea pig. They tend to be louder but they're much more friendly. It's also easier to catch a guinea pig if they get out of their cage.

Answer 8

A Guinea pig would be much better. Its cuter than the rat. Plus rats are creepy..

Answer 9

I have a pig and 2 pet rats and the rats are a wee bit cooler - they like to be out more, and are more social. Also, they are reallt smart - they drive me crazy sometimes but you can't beat their personality! My pig is great, but not quite as social as the rats. It really depends on what kind of pet you want.

Answer 10

well we have had lots of animals. we have had rats hamsters gerbils bunnies and now guineas. i think rabbits are a very good pets they are easy to look after and if you ha vent always got time to hold it then put it in a run. This applies with guinea pigs as well

Answer 11

Ive had both and I prefer rats, they dont poo and pee as much, and they are a lot quieter. Guinea pigs are more vocal and require more care. However Rats are VERY proned to tumors, that is what mine died from. They are both very intellegent and good pets so its a hard choice.