Help in deciding which pet to get?

Question

Okay I've decided to get a small pet, but I have no clue which one to get!! My choices are a hamster, guinea pig, mouse or rat. I want a pet that for the most part will be affectionate, allow you to hold it, and not bite. If you could give me your input, and which one you prefer, it would be much appreciated!!

Answer 1

Id say your best bet would either be rats or guinny pigs. I don't know very much about guinny pigs but they seam to be very good pets.
I dissagree with people who have answered and said rats don't make good pets or how they compare with guinny pigs but I have to say if you want a affectionate pet that you can hold... you can't go wrong with male rats. I'm suggesting males because they are lazier then females and will prefer cuddling with you and being pet where as females are more playfull and like exploring. I have 3 boy rats and they love sitting on my sholders as I walk around the house and cuddle on me or in my shirt when I watch t-v. They do have their little bursts of energy where they like to explore my room and sometimes play tag with my hand (this is quite cute). I'm not sure if you can teach guinny pigs any tricks, but my rats have been potty trained, are starting to learn their names and I find can be quite intelegent.
If you decide to get a rat I would suggest you get atleast 2 because they do allot better in pairs and this way they won't be bored when you arn't there to play with them. If you get them from a pet store try handaling them allot and see if they bite or nibble a little hard on you. Pet store rats tend to be raised without being handled much by humans... if they bite in the store they most likely will when you bring them home. My rats don't bite me at all. If ever you get a rat and you see that they bite you... it might be because they are curious. Just let out a high pitch "eeek" and they will learn that it hurts you and they will stop.
Theirs a lot more info you should know before getting any animal, even rats and guinny pigs but I think one of these two will be a good choice for you as they (mostly rats I think) give you lots of attention and love.
Good luck choosing and I hope you get whats right for you!

Answer 2

I feel very passionately about this issue, and have answered this question many times. I have owned hampsters, guinea pigs, and gerbils, and guinea pigs are by far the best. hampsters never show any real affection for you, and do not sit still for being held and cuddled. Whenever you hold them, they wriggle to get away. They run all over the place, and don't want to sit with you or give you affection EVER. some nip and bite when they are annoyed. Gerbils were the same. I was so fed up with them, i was almost not going to get another pet. Then i got a guinea pig. they are sweet, affectionate, and cute. they will sit in my lap for hours being cuddled (one of mine is sitting with me right now), but can also be very playful and full of energy. they never bite, but may nibble and lick affectionately. only problem is that they are more expensive, and may need to be taken to the vet every once in a while. I would guess that they average about 20 dollars every one to 2 months (THATS JUST A GUESS!!!!) i know that u will be very happy if you get one!

Answer 3

I find hamsters quite often bite, but that is just my experience. Mice are interesting and fun to watch, but not really great for cuddles. Guinea pigs are okay for holding and rarelt bite, but they are easily frightened and many don't really like being picked up. Rats are probably the most affectionate and most will happily sit on your lap or shoulder for cuddles. They also don't tend to bite.

Try doing some research into these animals to decide which is right for you. Good sites to look at are:

http://www.allaboutmice.co.uk/
http://www.guineapigcages.com/index.htm
http://www.hamsterific.com/

Answer 4

I've had a hamster, mouse and guinea pig, out of all three I found the guinea pig the best pet, he was bigger than the others and liked being handled and he never bit, he was a long haired guinea pig and liked his hair grooming.

Answer 5

I would get a guinea pig. Hamsters and mice tend to sleep through the day and can be noisy of a night whereas pigs sleep at night so you can interact with them more and if you get a pair they are hilarious to watch. They communicate with you when they hear the rustle of a bag by making wheeking noises cos they think treats are coming, they don't bite(unless they smell food on your hands!!) and are very easy to handle and will happily sit on your lap whilst watching your tv.
hope this helps.

Answer 6

I prefer mice! But regardless of which pet you decide on you need to do some research and educate yourself about it. Each animal has different needs. And all these animals require attention and maintenance. Take care in picking out your animal. Animals such as rats and mice should be kept in pairs or more. There are also differences between males and females as well. A few other things...Pine and Cedar are bad choices for beddings because they leach out 'Phenol' oils that are known to cause all sorts of problems. Aspen or carefresh are better choices. Any foods containing the ingredient 'Ethoxyquin' should be avoided. There are many things that some of us have learned the hard way! Whatever pet you decide on, I would suggest that you join one of the many Yahoo chat groups available. There you will find experienced people to answer all your questions..Good luck!
dave<:3}~...OWNER/ SHAGGYMOUSE YAHOO GROUP

Answer 7

Id go with a guineapig. Rats, Mice Gerbils and other small ones seem to like to run away, bite and dont like to be held very much, also they're nocturnal. Ive had about 12 guineapigs in my life and i love them to death. If you hold them enough they get really affectionate and love to cuddle. they also live longer then the other ones. If you get a guineapig make sure your cage is at least 8 sq feet. you can look at some on cavycages.com

good luck

Answer 8

I think a guinea pig is the best. I've had experiences with hamsters and they bite.

Answer 9

right first of all it depends how many you want? i have a hamster but i wouldnt recommend getting one because they do bite sometimes if you scare them and dont say err but rats are really good pets they do tricks and ansewer to there name and are actually really clean animals! if yu want two i would not recommend having gunea pigs especially if you want to breed them cuz there is a 25% chance something will go wrong at birth but over all a rat is my deffinate first choice! hope ive helped and whatever you get i hope you and your new friend are really happy. p.s is money an issue because you might need to look at different sized cages for costs and other animals might be cheaper than others.

Answer 10

I have had hamsters most of my life. If you decide to get one, I'd stick with the Golden or Fancy hamster. They rarely bite, and are quite affectionate. I have also heard that rats make very good pets, although I've never owned one.