# what pet



## Lizzy38 (Dec 4, 2008)

looking for advice please;
We have a whole selection of animals,most rescue, 5 dogs, geese,snake and others.
We are looking for a small pet my 8 year old son can keep in his room.
I need advice on the pros and cons of chinchillas v gerbils for a young child who is calm around animals but wants to hold and stroke his pet.

Advice gladly receivedx


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## u-look-like-a-hamster (Aug 17, 2008)

Rats are a good option....


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Gerbils make a better beginner's pet than a chinchilla. Chins can live longer than a dog - are you and your son ready for that commitment?

Chins also need a rather large cage and lots of free running outside it. They'll eat your wallpaper and skirting boards. Gerbils won't. If you have a gerbil though it needs to be two or more because they're social animals and get very lonely without others of their kind.

If you want to email me via my website I can send you the care guide I send to anyone who gets a gerbil from me. That will give you an idea of what you'll need to take care of a few gerbils.

Of course, I'm rather biased  lol


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## Guest (Dec 4, 2008)

I know you said it's a chinchilla vs gerbil option. But I think Guinea-Pigs are a great pet for children


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## Superpettoysrus.com (Nov 23, 2008)

Hi,

Personally i think chinchillas are lovely to look at but as pets rather boring as i dont think they tame very well.

Out of the two you mention i would say def a gerbil but kept in atleast a pair. But i have to agree with an earlier post....rats are great first pets for kids...they are rarely found to bite and are very loving...specially the male rats and much more intelligent then a gerbil and they can be taught things too. I woud def have a look at some rats


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## rodentsrus (Nov 4, 2008)

Lizzy38 said:


> looking for advice please;
> 
> We are looking for a small pet my 8 year old son can keep in his room.
> I need advice on the pros and cons of chinchillas v gerbils for a young child who is calm around animals but wants to hold and stroke his pet.
> ...


I know that you said chinchillas v gerbils...Have you consider guinea pigs? They sit on you lap for hours...OK the do pee but with some under it's OK


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## Katie&Cody (Dec 4, 2008)

Personally i grew up as a child with hamsters, and am suprised no one has mentioned them with lots of love and care they are really lovely pets. Guinea pigs are a bit larger to stroke and play with and also a good choice, out of the two you mentioned i personally wouldn't advise either...
My friend had a rat who used to sit on her shoulder and play with her all day, but you find they do smell out your bedrooms worse than hamsters and tend to knaw at everything.
Good luck with your choice, keep us updated


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## Guest (Dec 6, 2008)

I'd recommend rats to anyone but home bred rats not pet shop rats x


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## guineapigqueen (Jan 12, 2008)

I disagree with young children having guinea pigs, you wouldnt believe the amount of stories I have heard about guinea pigs being dropped and their neck or back has been broken. 

As someone has said Chinchillas can live up until they are 20years old and some do not like to be handled the same with a variety of pets. Prehaps you could have a Rat or Gerbil as they are a little more adgile than and big fat guinea pig, lol!!

I must add if you consider getting some guinea pigs, please get two, as they are very social creatures.

Emma x


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## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

i would say get rats, rather than hamsters or gerbils, hamsters have a tendancy to bite anything that smells of food (fingers etc) rats will nibble to test (which doesn't hurt). they are far more interactive, active and responsive imho, although they can be nocturnal, they will change their schedule around you when they know you'll be in (takes about a month for them to 'know' when your usually in the house). You will need to get 2 tho as they shouldn't be left alone, females are quite manic but smaller than males who are quite lazy. 

rats live to around 3 years old (all mine have) so arent a huge endevour for a first pet. while they can be quite smelly, regular cleaning generally keeps it from being too offensive.

rats can also be trained and will, like dogs, learn their names and commands if you train them, so if they escape they can be easier to catch that other rodents. 

also, petshop rats and breeder rats are fine. there is NOTHING wrong with petshop rats, all mine bar 2 have been from pets at home or small local petshops and they have had nothing wrong with them and no problems integrating etc. 

good luck picking a good pet for your kid  hope he enjoys it


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## Lizzy38 (Dec 4, 2008)

thank you, to all.
Firstly, we have decided against the chinchillas. The age they live to is not an issue but without wanting to offend anyone who has one that loves being held, it seems that that perhaps it would be more appropriate in the future.
I love the idea of rats. I have seen some naked rats that loook really cool but is this not a bit cruel????
Anyway, my hubby is scared of rats and says we shouldnt have a pet that he cant handle and teach the kids how to look after confidently.
I would like a rat or rats but it is the smell that rules them out for me.
I have known two people with rats and I have to say that I could smell them in the rooms they were in. To my knowledge they were cared for and cleaned regularly and it has put me off.I dont want to get them only to find that the smell is too strong in the bedroom.
We have had a rescue guinea pig who came with a rabbit (i thought you shouldnt pair them but they got on tremendously)but he has since died of old age.I thought they were outside pets but apparently not.
We would like to broaden experience so think it will be the gerbils.
There is a website for animal concern near us and there are small animals on there wanting rehomed, including gerbils. I havent managed to get through yet but will keep trying.
We have always taken unwanted pets but my only concern is whether a young child would have the patience to 'tame' a furry critter that has perhaps been given up for biting in the first place.
Maybe in our circumstances, we should get a baby rather than a rescue adult?
again, views or tales of experience, welcomed.
lizzy


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2008)

With rats hun i've always had females and never had a problem with smells it could depend on the bedding used with them aswell x
Good luck with what u decide x


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## foxxy cleopatra (Nov 18, 2008)

HAMSTER!!! definatly! you can get awesome cages, so cleaning it is fun...syrians are really really lovely especially if you play with them often!! mine has never bitten me, nor have any of my friends hammys! mines escaped a couple of times too, but she always comes looking for us.....hamster!!!!!


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## foxxy cleopatra (Nov 18, 2008)

...or a fish.


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## pa2k84 (May 27, 2008)

owieprone said:


> also, petshop rats and breeder rats are fine. there is NOTHING wrong with petshop rats, all mine bar 2 have been from pets at home or small local petshops and they have had nothing wrong with them and no problems integrating etc.
> 
> good luck picking a good pet for your kid  hope he enjoys it


There is nothing physically wrong with pet shop bought rats its just the way they are mass bred with females having litter after litter until they are too weak to stand anymore i disagree with. Having had both pet shop and breeder rats, breeders are so much better socially (although pet shop ones have calmed down as i know what i am doing with them would not be so easy if not used to them) and tend to be a bigger and live longer. I do not even shop in pet shops which sell animals if i can help it hate the whole mass breeding animal farms business.


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## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

i think that depends on the petshop and the breeder. not all petshops have breeders who are so complacent about the females health. my 2 oldest rats were 3.5 years old when they died and they were from [email protected] 

I've never had a problem with rats being from either breeder or petshop (pah or local) with their being scared of us or being too boisterous, and we've never had problems integrating them with our ratpack or socialising them with us. 
Also all our petshop rats have been the alphas, our breeder bought rats have always been smaller. 

Our local pah and the local pet shop we use, both have rat lovers in their employ (not always the case i know) so the rats are handled quite well. the other thing to remember with petshop rats, is that they should be very used to folk, as lots of people will be looking at them day to day, so as we've found, have been very friendly really early on and get used to more handling quite quickly. I find they're more curious than breeder rats.

just what i've found tho. different pahs and shops will do things differently.


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## pa2k84 (May 27, 2008)

Next time you are in ask where they get their live stock from. Pet shops use rodent farms where rats (and other small animals) are bred to sell. 

Breeders breed rats for health, temperament etc. Only having one litter a year and taking the time and effort over each litter to give them the best start.


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2008)

rodentsrus said:


> I know that you said chinchillas v gerbils...Have you consider guinea pigs? They sit on you lap for hours...OK the do pee but with some under it's OK


Mine's never wee'd on me, he always waits till he's on the floor lol.


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Most small animals will pee on you from time to time, they don't know any different. Why not reserve an old tea towel to use as a lap mat when you're petting whatever pet you end up getting? Saves your clothes and is easy to throw in the wash when it gets dirty.

I can't say anything about any small animals other than gerbils but I have 28 gerbils right now and the only smell in the room they're in is the nice fresh smell of their bedding (shavings and hay). That's one of the pluses of gerbils, they're desert animals so their waste is in very tiny amounts. Hence less smell. Males and females don't have any difference in their smelliness in my experience either.

Edit: Just to say as well that since you're looking at getting gerbils, please make sure the child is aware not to pull or pick the animal up by the tail EVER. Not only could it be painful for the gerbil but they have a natural defence mechanism whereby if they're grabbed by the tail they just shed the skin from the tip, leaving a bloody stump of flesh and bone. This dries up in a few days and either falls off or is nibbled off. It would be an awful shock for your little one to be playing with a lovely new pet and all of a sudden for the tail to come off. I've had two gerbils whose tails have been degloved now. It's a horrible, shocking experience to find them like that. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.


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## Clucks (May 3, 2008)

I sometimes sell my guinea pigs to two carefuly selected small local pet shops. So not all pet shops sell 'farmed animals' as I am a hobby breeder, my girls only have 1 litter a year and I do it for the love of piggies and not profit. (blimey if you saw how much they eat you'd knoe there is no profit in it!)
I agree with guinea pig queen about children and g.pigs, although my son has always been great with them, thay can be easy to spook and very wriggly to hold, but it does depend on the child.

Having said that I have always had pet shop rats (only because I have been unable to find a breeder in my area) and I have had quite a few medical problems with them (tumours and lung damage due to untreated infections when small, and 1 lovely boy who had fits all his life). Would also like to say rats don't any worse than most small animals, Then again maybe I am just used to it!!! lol

Good luck with the hunt!

PS ferrets are great for older children but probalynot a good idea if smell is a problem!!!


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## Lizzy38 (Dec 4, 2008)

Really excited!!!!
Have taken delivery of two girl gerbils today from a private breeder. We saw the set up there and the parents etc etc and got some good advice about caring for them.
They have loads of room in a fish tank bottom and wire cage on top of that. We got the biggest we could.
Our neighbours currently have them until father christmas arrives. (this will involve stealth like midnight dash over village green!!) 
My son so so wishes for them but doesnt think he is going to get them and I cant wait until he sees them.
I know its Christmas but as already said, they will be loved for life not for the day.
No doubt I will be back for advice!! merry christmasx


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## jilly40 (Oct 22, 2008)

mt older two used 2 have a fancy rat each in there rooms.they are lovely little things n never bit .used 2 run round on there beds! but gerbils are gr8 2!! x


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Ah  I'm delighted for you! I bet your son will be thrilled. Welcome to the club, wonder how long it'll be before you decide you want more of them lol


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## Bunnyham (Dec 21, 2008)

Rats or gerbils make great pets for kids. The only thing I have against rats is that they can be a bit smelly. Gerbils are not really smelly. Hamsters can also make great pets if bred & tamed properly.


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