which make better pets rats or hamsters?

Question

i recently moved into an apartment and had to give away my cat and was wondering which of these two i should get base your answer on which is cleaner and smells better and is the easiest to look after. tanx in advance

Answer 1

Rats are smarter, friendlier & will be much more interactive with you. They do need a bigger cage, but it will probably fit on a dresser or other piece of furniture. You should get 2 of the same sex, though, because they'll be much happier that way & you'll also enjoy watching them interact together.
As for care, they probably take about the same amount. No cedar of pine shavings for either of them-- both are really bad for small animals.
I've lived with several rats & hamsters through the years & love both, but rats are definately better pets if you want someone to interact with you. We've got both males & females (kept separate of course).

Answer 2

I have 2 rats but grew up w/ hamsters. Several years ago I "saved" a rat from being snake food from my ex's snake. Long story but I've been a rat lover every since. A lot of people have the wrong idea about them. They are extremely intelligent. If you are wanting a pet that doesn't require much attention, go for a hamster. Rats are very social and enjoy attention. Which is cleaner and smells better? They are both about the same EXCEPT, it is much easier to bathe a rat b/c they are so much friendlier and tamer; therefore, they tend to be cleaner. (Mine get a bath in the bathroom sink w/ baby shampoo and LOVE it.)

Answer 3

Which ever one you want, go to the pet store and look at both talk to the store handler and ask which of these out of the selection is the nicest they will tell you. But from experience I found looking after a rat to be easier, you can feed them a variety of things. Hamsters can be picky, and can only eat hamster feed. As for smell they both smell as bad as the other. But I would choose a rat because Rats are very nice, clean, love-able creatures mine lived, 41/2 years (most live 2).

Answer 4

Rats are extra perfect pets. Rats are continually friendly, keen to come again out and play any time. Hamsters tend to be grumpy in case you wake them up interior the daylight hours. Rats can climb and journey around on your shoulder. A hamster might fall and get harm or perhaps die from the autumn. If a rat does fall out of your shoulder, it's going to be superb; yet they hardly fall. Rats like employer; hamsters desire to be on my own. [Re: volleyball's positioned up. [by the way, no puppy-keep rat or hamster is going to get rabies. Even in wild rats it is so uncommon that I in no way difficulty approximately it. each each now and then I catch wild rats or mice, and that i in no way difficulty approximately sickness except that is been interior the information that there is an epidemic.]

Answer 5

I would have to say rats. I own two and they are great apartment pets. Unlike a hamster they are very intelligent, calm and a little bigger. You have to keep their cage clean as with any animal and you will avoid them smelling. My rats are allowed to walk around on the carpet but they always come back to their cage also you could go to a pet store and buy a plastic looking ball and put your rat in it so they can get more exercise. I generally feed my rats a healthy diet of fruits and vegetable as well as rat food. My brother used to have a hamster and that little "thing" was just pure evil..Always biting you even when we were trying to feed him..Oh and another thing rats live longer...

Answer 6

Although I have only had hamsters and guinea pigs I would recommend a rat! My mate has a couple and they are extremely friendly and intelligent chaps! Nevertheless, hamsters are very fun and cute and do not need quite such a big cage as rats, but they don't always last that long...
I wish you the very best luck in whichever animal you choose as they both make wonderful pets!
Guineapig Guy x

Answer 7

Rats, by far. I had 11 at one time, because one of mine had babies, and they were all so very clean. They all had the best temperment you could ever ask for, they were very sweet.

I had them in my bedroom and everytime I would walk in they would all go to the front of the cage, and hang on the wires, so of course I would let them out and run around. The mom stayed by my side always, she would just sit on my shoulder as I would walk around the house, just loved being by me.

None of my rats EVER bit me. Even with 11 rats they didnt stink, as long as you clean the cage when your supposed to, about once a week. But the rats themselves dont smell. You can also potty train them. I trained all of mine not to go to the bathroom on my floor, and only go in one area of the cage, but they also do this naturally.

& to the answer somewhere above, they dont eat everything, they do like paper though. I found that out when I was writing my college semester final. =P

I also did end up getting hamsters, didnt find any of the same results. They were cute though, but bad temperment, and peed everywhere.

Rats are the best rodent, in my opinion.

Answer 8

Hamsters are nice but they die in less than 3 years. They stick food in their pouches. So if you let it out of the cage make sure the pouches are empty or they will store food in corners. I used to let mine out and they come back when you knock on the floor. One time she got under the refrigerator and I had to take the grate off the front to get her out. They can't eat lettuce because I had one that choked to death on it. They sleep all day and come out of their little houses at night. I had a ball for her to play in outside the cage and you have to block stairways or they will roll down. I had a pair once and the female ate the babies. They are nice pets. You should get 1 to start with. You can bury them in the garden pretty easily. I never had a rat except in traps.

Answer 9

Rats are far easier to tame, hamster can be quite moody and viscious, rats dont smell as bed as hamsters and dont try and squeeze out of any tiny gap they find, seriously you'd amazed at the size of the minute spaces a hamster can get through.

Answer 10

Rats are excellent pets. Unless you have been blessed to own one, you do not realize how smart and clean they are. Hamsters tend to be prone to biting, and can not handle younger children well. I have had both. My pet rat use to ride on my shoulder while I drove. He had a large cage with a door that opened up to the top of my bed. He let himself in and out with out escaping. He lived to be about 5 and half years old. You need to give them attention daily. Socks would wait for me when I walked into a room so I would take him out. He loved popcorn(would steal it out of the bowl I ate from and hide behind the pillow to eat). Cracked me up. Fresh vegs(easy on the green), cheese once in a great while,: all out of my hand.Rats are easier to train also. I always recommend rats. Too many problems with hamsters